Wikipedia

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.

Punchestown Champion Hurdle
Grade 1 race
LocationPunchestown
County Kildare, Ireland
Race typeHurdle race
SponsorBoodles
WebsitePunchestown
Race information
Distance2 miles (3,219 metres)
SurfaceTurf
TrackRight-handed
QualificationFour-years-old and up
Weight11 st 4 lb (4yo);
12 st 0 lb (5yo+)
Allowances
7 lb for fillies and mares
Purse€250,000 (2021)
1st: €147,500
Punchestown Champion Hurdle
2024
Yellow and black check, yellow sleeves, black star on cap Pink and white halved, black sleeves, black cap, pink star Red, white diamond, white sleeves, red spots, red cap
State Man Irish Point Colonel Mustard
Previous years
2023
Yellow and black check, yellow sleeves, black star on cap Pink, light green spots, pink sleeves, light green cap Red, white diamond, white sleeves, red spots, red cap
State Man Vauban Colonel Mustard
2022
Light blue, white spots, striped sleeves, light blue cap, white spots Emerald green and red halved, emerald green sleeves and cap Emerald Green and Orange Hooped, emerald green cap, white star
Honeysuckle Echoes In Rain Darasso
2021
Light blue, white spots, striped sleeves, light blue cap, white spots Pink, light green spots, pink sleeves and cap Emerald green and yellow hoops, white cap
Honeysuckle Sharjah Epatante
2020-2011
2019
Emerald green and yellow hoops, white cap Emerald green, yellow chevron and sleeves, red cap Purple, orange seams, orange star on cap
Buveur D'Air Supasundae Wicklow Brave
2018
Emerald green, yellow chevron and sleeves, red cap Purple, orange seams, orange star on cap Purple, yellow chevron, yellow cap
Supasundae Wicklow Brave Bleu Berry
2017
Purple, orange seams, yellow cap Emerald green and yellow hoops, white cap Purple, orange seams, orange star on cap
Wicklow Brave My Tent Or Yours Arctic Fire
2016
Pink, light green spots, pink sleeves and cap Maroon, white star and armlet, maroon cap, white star Emerald green and yellow hoops, white cap
Vroum Vroum Mag Identity Thief My Tent Or Yours
2015
Pink, light green spots, pink sleeves and cap Purple, orange seams, orange star on cap Not available
Faugheen Arctic Fire Dell' Arca
2014
Emerald green and orange hooped, white cap Royal blue, emerald green triple diamond,royal blue cap, emerald green diamonds Emerald green, black sash and sleeves, green cap
Jezki Hurricane Fly Steps To Freedom
2013
Royal blue, emerald green triple diamond,royal blue cap, emerald green diamonds Red, royal blue sleeves, red cap, royal blue star Dark green, white cross sashes, light green sleeves, dark green and white hooped cap
Hurricane Fly Thousand Stars Rock On Ruby
2012
Royal blue, emerald green triple diamond,royal blue cap, emerald green diamonds Pink, light green spots, pink sleeves and cap Red, royal blue sleeves, red cap, royal blue star
Hurricane Fly Zaidpour Thousand Stars
2011
Royal blue, emerald green triple diamond,royal blue cap, emerald green diamonds Red, royal blue sleeves, red cap, royal blue star Emerald green and orange hoops, white cap
Hurricane Fly Thousand Stars Binocular
2010
Royal blue, emerald green triple diamond,royal blue cap, emerald green diamonds Mauve, white disc, white cap, mauve spots Red, royal blue sleeves, red cap, royal blue star
Hurricane Fly Solwhit Thousand Stars
2010-2003
2009
Mauve, white disc, white cap, mauve spots Grey, Pink Epaulettes, Grey Sleeves, Grey Cap and Pink Quartered Red, royal blue sleeves, red cap, royal blue star
Solwhit Punjabi Quevega
2008
GREY, Pink epaulettes, Grey sleeves, Grey cap and Pink quartered LIGHT BLUE and MAROON HOOPS, blue sleeves, striped cap EMERALD GREEN and YELLOW STRIPES, emerald green sleeves, yellow star on cap
Punjabi Sublimity Ebaziyan
2007
Emerald green and light green diamonds, light green sleeves, check cap Royal blue, dark green sleeves, royal blue cap Light blue, yellow hoop, white sleeves, light blue and white striped cap
Silent Oscar Macs Joy Hardy Eustace
2006
Royal blue, dark green sleeves, royal blue cap Purple, yellow disc, sleeves and cap Light blue, yellow hoop, white sleeves, light blue and white striped cap
Macs Joy Brave Inca Hardy Eustace
2005
Purple, yellow disc, sleeves and cap Purple, gold sleeves, hooped cap Royal blue, dark green sleeves, royal blue cap
Brave Inca Harchibald Macs Joy
2004
Light blue, yellow hoop, white sleeves, light blue and white striped cap Yellow, black chevron, check cap Emerald green and yellow hooped, white cap
Hardy Eustace Rooster Booster Fota Island
2003
Orange, dark blue chevron, dark blue sleeves, orange armlets, orange cap, dark blue star Dark blue, emerald green seams, white cap White, blue stars, halved sleeves, stars on cap
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, Racing Post, Betdaq and Paddy Power. Its current sponsor, Boodles, began supporting the race in 2024.

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 State Man in 2024. For a period the race was restricted to horses aged five or older, but the minimum age was lowered to four in 2009.

Records

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Most successful horse since 1999 (4 wins):

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 (10 wins):

  • Willie Mullins – Davenport Milenium (2002), Hurricane Fly (2010, 2011, 2012, 2013), Faugheen (2015), Vroum Vroum Mag (2016), Wicklow Brave (2017), State Man (2023, 2024)

Winners since 1999

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Year
 Winner
 Age
 Jockey
 Trainer
1999 Istabraq 7 Charlie Swan Aidan O'Brien
2000 Grimes 7 Charlie Swan Christy Roche
2001 Moscow Flyer [a] 7 Barry Geraghty Jessica Harrington
2002 Davenport Milenium 6 Ruby Walsh Willie Mullins
2003 Quazar 5 Tony Dobbin Jonjo O'Neill
2004 Hardy Eustace 7 Conor O'Dwyer Dessie Hughes
2005 Brave Inca 7 Tony McCoy Colm Murphy
2006 Macs Joy 7 Barry Geraghty Jessica Harrington
2007 Silent Oscar 8 Robbie Power Harry Rogers
2008 Punjabi 5 Barry Geraghty Nicky Henderson
2009 Solwhit 5 Davy Russell Charles Byrnes
2010 Hurricane Fly 6 Paul Townend Willie Mullins
2011 Hurricane Fly 7 Ruby Walsh Willie Mullins
2012 Hurricane Fly 8 Ruby Walsh Willie Mullins
2013 Hurricane Fly 9 Ruby Walsh Willie Mullins
2014 Jezki 6 Tony McCoy Jessica Harrington
2015 Faugheen 7 Ruby Walsh Willie Mullins
2016 Vroum Vroum Mag 7 Ruby Walsh Willie Mullins
2017 Wicklow Brave 8 Patrick Mullins[b] Willie Mullins
2018 Supasundae 8 Robbie Power Jessica Harrington
2019 Buveur d'Air 8 Davy Russell Nicky Henderson
no race 2020 [c]
2021 Honeysuckle 7 Rachael Blackmore Henry de Bromhead
2022 Honeysuckle 8 Rachael Blackmore Henry de Bromhead
2023 State Man 6 Paul Townend Willie Mullins
2024 State Man 7 Paul Townend Willie Mullins
  1. ^ The 2001 running took place at Leopardstown
  2. ^ amateur rider
  3. ^ The 2020 running was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Republic of Ireland

See also

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References

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