The 2026 Punchestown Festival is over. Five days. Twelve Grade 1 races. A record €3.6 million prize fund. The jump season has ended. Here is the complete recap of every Grade 1 result and the champions the festival decided.
Day 1 — April 28
Champion Novice Hurdle: Eachtotheirown won at 16/1 — Barry Connell and Sean Flanagan. El Cairos, the 9/4 favourite, finished fourth. A slow time prompted caution about the form.
Champion Novice Chase: Western Fold won at 18/1 for Gordon Elliott. Kitzbuhel, the 5/4 favourite and Cheltenham Brown Advisory winner, was pulled up.
William Hill Champion Chase: Il Etait Temps won at 8/11 — Paul Townend and Willie Mullins. Energumene was officially retired after finishing third.
Day 2 — April 29
Ladbrokes Punchestown Gold Cup: Gaelic Warrior won by 26 lengths from Fact To File. It was the first time the Cheltenham Gold Cup winner had also won at Punchestown since Sizing John in 2017. Willie Mullins became the most successful trainer in the race's history with his eighth win. Paul Townend described Gaelic Warrior as an "iron horse."
Day 3 — April 30
Ladbrokes Champion Stayers Hurdle: Teahupoo won his third consecutive running of the race, with first-time blinkers producing the desired bounce-back from his disappointing Cheltenham run.
Day 4 — May 1
Boodles Champion Hurdle: Lossiemouth won. The expert view before the race had said five words: "shock result if she doesn't win." The expert view was right. She extended her unbeaten Punchestown record to four from four and recorded her 11th Grade 1 win.
Day 5 — May 2
SBK Irish EBF Mares Champion Hurdle: Wodhooh won, completing an unbeaten campaign for Gordon Elliott.
Ballymore Champion Four Year Old Hurdle: Apolon De Charnie won for Willie Mullins and Paul Townend. Trainer Padraig Roche said: "To win any race at the Punchestown Festival is great but to win a first Grade 1 here is unbelievable."
The Season's Champions
Willie Mullins won the Irish trainers championship — his 19th consecutive title, overtaking Gordon Elliott who had led heading into the festival. Paul Townend won the Irish jockeys championship for the sixth time. Gaelic Warrior ended the season as the highest-rated staying chaser in Britain and Ireland.
Free tips across the flat season from Trotbot at horseracingoracleai.com
Betting involves risk. Please gamble responsibly. Visit BeGambleAware.org.
Facts verified via web search May 4 2026. Sources: irishracing.com results, The42.ie, Paddy Power News, William Hill News.