Five days. Twelve Grade 1 races. A record €3.6 million prize fund. The 2026 Punchestown Festival starts on Tuesday April 28 and closes on Saturday May 2. Here is everything a bettor needs to know, day by day.
Tuesday April 28 — Three Grade 1s on the Opening Day
The opening day delivers three Grade 1 races before 7pm. The centrepiece is the William Hill Champion Chase at 6:00pm — Marine Nationale, who won the Cheltenham Champion Chase by 18 lengths, faces Fact To File, Cheltenham Ryanair winner, dropping to two miles over fences for the first time. Captain Guinness, the 2024 Punchestown Champion Chase winner, is also declared with Rachael Blackmore riding.
Earlier in the day, the KPMG Champion Novice Hurdle at 4:15pm features Kopek Des Bordes — unbeaten Supreme Novices winner — alongside Aintree Grade 1 winner Salvator Mundi. The Dooley Insurance Group Champion Novice Chase at 4:50pm is dominated by Willie Mullins's five-runner hand including Cheltenham Brown Advisory winner Lecky Watson and stablemate Ballyburn ridden by Paul Townend.
Betting angle: Fact To File's unproven two-mile chasing form vs Marine Nationale's dominant Cheltenham performance. The price will depend on how the market rates the drop in trip.
Wednesday April 29 — The Gold Cup
The headline race of the entire festival. The Ladbrokes Punchestown Gold Cup at 6:05pm. Gaelic Warrior — Cheltenham Gold Cup winner by 8 lengths — faces stablemate and Irish Gold Cup winner Fact To File. Both trained by Willie Mullins. The race that settles who ends the season as Ireland's champion staying chaser.
Betting angle: Fact To File arrives fresher than Gaelic Warrior. He has run once since February. Gaelic Warrior has had a harder spring campaign. The freshness differential is the defining variable.
Thursday April 30 — Champion Stayers
The Ladbrokes Champion Stayers Hurdle at 6:05pm. Home By The Lee has won the Cheltenham and Aintree equivalents this spring. Teahupoo and Bob Olinger provide the Irish challenge from horses with less campaign mileage.
Betting angle: Home By The Lee's third Grade 1 staying hurdle in seven weeks — a fatigue question the price must reflect.
Friday May 1 — Champion Hurdle
The Boodles Champion Hurdle at 6:05pm. Lossiemouth won the Cheltenham Champion Hurdle. The Cheltenham-Punchestown double has been achieved by the sport's best hurdlers. Irish-based challengers arrive fresher.
Betting angle: Any Irish-trained challenger who skipped Cheltenham arrives at Lossiemouth's level of freshness while she carries the weight of a hard Cheltenham campaign.
Saturday May 2 — Festival Finale
The SBK Irish EBF Mares Champion Hurdle and the Ballymore Champion Four-Year-Old Hurdle close the season. Apolon De Charnie — Triumph Hurdle winner for Mullins — targets the juvenile championship.
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Facts verified via web search April 23 2026. Sources: Racing Post Day 1 declarations, Read Horse Racing full schedule, Paddy Power News schedule, Horse Racing Ireland official.