Punchestown Champion Hurdle
The Punchestown Champion Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race in Ireland which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Punchestown over a distance of about 2 miles (3,219 metres), and during its running there are nine hurdles to be jumped. The race is scheduled to take place each year during the Punchestown Festival in late April or early May.
| Grade 1 race | |
| Location | Punchestown Co. Kildare, Ireland |
|---|---|
| Race type | Hurdle race |
| Sponsor | Betdaq |
| Website | Punchestown |
| Race information | |
| Distance | 2 miles (3,219 metres) |
| Surface | Turf |
| Track | Right-handed |
| Qualification | Four-years-old and up |
| Weight | 11 st 4 lb (4yo); 11 st 12 lb (5yo+) Allowances 7 lb for fillies and mares |
| Purse | €300,000 (2019) 1st: €177,000 |
| 2019 | ||
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| Buveur D'Air | Supasundae | Wicklow Brave |
| Previous years | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | ||
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| Supasundae | Wicklow Brave | Bleu Berry |
| 2017 | ||
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| Wicklow Brave | My Tent Or Yours | Arctic Fire |
| 2016 | ||
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| Vroum Vroum Mag | Identity Thief | My Tent Or Yours |
| 2015 | ||
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| Faugheen | Arctic Fire | Dell' Arca |
| 2014 | ||
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| Jezki | Hurricane Fly | Steps To Freedom |
| 2013 | ||
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| Hurricane Fly | Thousand Stars | Rock On Ruby |
| 2012 | ||
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| Hurricane Fly | Zaidpour | Thousand Stars |
| 2011 | ||
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| Hurricane Fly | Thousand Stars | Binocular |
| 2010 | ||
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| Hurricane Fly | Solwhit | Thousand Stars |
| 2009 | ||
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| Solwhit | Punjabi | Quevega |
| 2008 | ||
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| Punjabi | Sublimity | Ebaziyan |
| 2007 | ||
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| Silent Oscar | Macs Joy | Hardy Eustace |
| 2006 | ||
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| Macs Joy | Brave Inca | Hardy Eustace |
| 2005 | ||
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| Brave Inca | Harchibald | Macs Joy |
| 2004 | ||
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| Hardy Eustace | Rooster Booster | Fota Island |
| 2003 | ||
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| Quazar | Back In Front | In The Forge |
The present version of the race was introduced in 1999, and it was initially sponsored by Shell. Several different sponsors have followed, including Emo Oil, ACCBank, Rabobank and the Racing Post. Its current sponsor, Betdaq, began supporting the race in 2016.
The field usually includes horses which ran previously in the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham, and the last to win both events in the same year was Faugheen in 2015. For a period the race was restricted to horses aged five or older, but the minimum age was lowered to four in 2009.
Records
Most successful horse since 1999 (4 wins):
- Hurricane Fly - 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013
Leading jockey since 1999 (6 wins):
- Ruby Walsh - Davenport Milenium (2002), Hurricane Fly (2011, 2012, 2013), Faugheen (2015), Vroum Vroum Mag (2016)
Leading trainer since 1999 (8 wins):
- Willie Mullins – Davenport Milenium (2002), Hurricane Fly (2010, 2011, 2012, 2013), Faugheen (2015), Vroum Vroum Mag (2016), Wicklow Brave (2017)
Winners since 1999
- The 2001 running took place at Leopardstown
- amateur rider
References
- pedigreequery.com – ACCBank Champion Hurdle – Punchestown.
- racenewsonline.co.uk – Racenews Archive (April 25, 2003).