The 2025 Punchestown Festival is upon us. With that comes a thrilling week of top-tier racing action, high-stakes drama, and the final big clashes of the National Hunt season. The focus is firmly on the feature races, forming some of the most prestigious Grade 1s in Irish racing.
From proven champions to rising contenders, this year’s festival could deliver some surprise twists. We’ve broken down the key players and best betting tips to guide you through it. Stay tuned throughout the week as we keep you updated with our Punchestown festival tips and predictions on all the big renewals.
Punchestown Gold Cup Preview
There is €300,000 up for grabs in this Grade 1 run over 3m1f. A disappointingly small field will see just four runners in the Punchestown Gold Cup 2025. Willie Mullins will be looking for a record-extending 7th victory while James Mangan, JP O’Brien and Henry De Bromhead are all hunting for their first.
Willie Mullins’ superstar Galopin Des Champs heads the Punchestown Gold Cup betting. He is looking to make amends for his runner-up outing in the Cheltenham Gold Cup in March, where we opened at 1/2. However, Galopin’s reputation precedes him, and many consider him the best horse ever from Mullins’ yard. The classy nine-year-old will make his third attempt at winning this race after back-to-back second-place finishes in 2023 and 2024.
Spillane’s Tower is his principal rival in this short field. A stable star for Jimmy Mangan, he has been very lightly raced this season. This will be just his third start. We saw a career best from him on his reappearance when 1¾L in front of Galopin in the John Durkan Memorial Punchestown Chase in November. However, he was a poor fifth when going off as the favourite in the King George in his most recent outing.
It was Banbridge who won that race. That run sums up the season JP O’Brien’s nine-year-old has had so far, marred with inconsistency. He had unseated Richard Deegan three weeks before that win at Kemptown, and followed it up with a poor attempt in the Cheltenham Gold Cup. Banbridge finished seventh behind all three runners in this race.
Monty’s Star was fourth in that race despite a less-than-perfect outing. He made a bad mistake that nearly cost rider Rachael Blackmore, and was hampered by a faller later. A fourth-place finish is probably excellent work from Blackmore, and a cleaner run may have seen him go further. He’s a bottom dweller in the horse racing markets, but has finished in front of all but Galopin.
Punchestown Gold Cup Predictions and Betting Tips
Predicted Winner: Galopin Des Champs
Galopin Des Champs to win is one of our best horse racing predictions for the Punchestown festival. The Cheltenham Festival was an awful week for favourites. While that does not mean Galopin Des Champs’ failure to win the Gold Cup should be disregarded, it does come with a grain of salt. Fastorslow had his number in the previous two renewals here, and his absence tells us it will be third time lucky for Willie Mullins’ stable star. A bet on the three-time Gold Cup winner is worth 11/10 with our online betting site.
Galopin is the top-rated chaser in Britain and Ireland. Inothewayurthinkin is second and Fact To File third. Those are two of just three horses he has finished behind this season. The third is Spillane’s Tower. His worst finish at Punchestown is second, and the yielding ground will be much better suited to him than the Kemptown going was. Jimmy Mangan’s star was excellent here when ½L behind Fact To File in November, and he is our second-best choice in this race. A bet on Spillane’s Tower is worth 5/2.
Punchestown Champion Stayers Hurdle Preview
This Grade 1 run over 3m is the feature race on Day Three with a €300,000 purse. Willie Mullis has dominated this race in recent years, winning three of the previous four renewals. However, there may be a new boss in town with Gordon Elliott looking to make it back-to-back victories with the market leader in hand.
Teahupoo is bidding for his second-straight win in this renewal after winning the British and Irish double last season. He ended the season on another high with that victory, but has found it more frustrating this term. He was beaten second in both the Hatton’s Grace Hurdle and Stayers’ Hurdle. Only a select few top-class horses have been multiple-time winners of this race, but Elliott’s charge looks to have that quality.
Hiddenvalley Lake will be representing the same owners, and he is Teahupoo’s main threat according to the horse racing odds. He won his first career Grade 1 at the beginning of April at Aintree and looks interesting. Henry De Bromhead has never won this race before but has a great shot with his sole entrant.
Rocky’s Diamond was a respectable fourth in the Stayers at Cheltenham in March and is bidding for his maiden Grade 1 victory here. He is the youngest runner in this race at five years old and is still relatively unexposed. Declan Queally’s entrant is another interesting one and looks a progressive type.
Home By The Lee is a multiple Grade 1 winner, but his season has hit a bump in the road in the latter stages. He was excellent in the Savills Hurdle in December, beating Bob Olinger by 6L. However, he unseated JJ Slevin in the Stayers at Cheltenham before being pulled up in the Ivy Liverpool Hurdle, which was won by Hiddenvalley Lake.
Asterion Forlonge is the best of the Mullins duo in this race. That doesn’t say a whole lot, with the 11-year-old yet to get off the mark this term. Paul Townend is booked to ride, but this looks a long shot after he unseated Sean O’Keeffe in a Grade 3 at Cork in late April.
Crimbo is the British interest in this race and comes in good standing after dual Long Walk Hurdle victories. The top-end entrants look a cut above the eight-year-old, but you wouldn’t rule him out of the places.
Jetara, Colonel Mustard, Franciscan Roc, Meet and Greet, and Winter Fog round out the rest of the field at big prices. Jetara was a very respectable third in the Ivy Liverpool Hurdle and stayed on well to finish fourth in the Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle.
Punchestown Champion Stayers Hurdle Predictions and Betting Tips
Predicted Winner: Teahupoo
Teahupoo can reverse his form here. He’s had a rough time of late, but he is back to his preferred ground in a race he won handily last term. Those last two races emphasised speed, which isn’t where his strengths lie. Dryer ground shouldn’t be an issue either. The field is relatively weak, and Gordon Elliott’s charge won a stronger renewal last year. He is worth 2/1 for anyone betting on the Champion Stayers Hurdle, and it would be no surprise to see him go off closer to evens.
We rarely see a horse as young as Rocky’s Diamond enter this race, but his yard clearly expects big things from him. His fourth in the British Stayers hurdle was impressive. It has been 28 years since we last saw a five-year-old win this race, but Rocky has a fighter’s chance. We like an each-way bet on the unexposed entrant, worth 10/1.
Punchestown Champion Hurdle Preview
This Grade 1 over two miles is the headline act on Day Four of the Punchestown Festival and features a €300,000 prize pot. It’s a compact but elite field, and we’re in for a mouthwatering clash between established titans and emerging stars. The presence of Constitution Hill and State Man alone makes this a race to savour, but the supporting cast ensures it won’t be a mere two-horse affair.
Constitution Hill returns to action after a nightmare back end of the season. Nicky Henderson’s superstar fell in back-to-back races in the Cheltenham Champion Hurdle and Aintree Hurdle, losing his undefeated status. However, he is still widely regarded as the best hurdler of his generation. Punchestown will be his final test of the season, and a win here would cement his legendary status.
State Man won this race last year, but had a frustrating season since his return. Willie Mullins’ eight-year-old finished runner-up in November in the Morgiana Hurdle as a 4/9 favourite and third in the Neville Hotels Hurdle at Leopardstown at the same price. A fall from Lossiemouth helped him pick up his first win of the season before he fell alongside Constitution Hill at Cheltenham in his most recent outing.
The winner of that race was Golden Ace. He is the wildcard. Chris Honour’s six-year-old mare was a stunning winner of the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham and is taking on open Grade 1 company for just the second time. She gets a handy 7lb allowance and could spring a surprise if the front two falter again.
Kargese is a very lightly raced five-year-old who already boasts a 2-2 record in Grade 1s. This will be his third outing this season after winning the County Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham and finishing second in the Ascot Mares’ Hurdle. He looks a very progressive type, but Paul Townend opts for State Man in this big race.
Break My Soul made his Grade 1 debut at Aintree last month and held on to finish a respectable 4th at 125/1. Gavin Cromwell’s six-year-old has been well placed, and connections clearly think he deserves a shot at the big time. However, this looks like a much steeper test.
Bottler’secret rounds out the field and is relatively unexposed. However, the six-year-old failed to build on last year’s strong season and has been poor this term. He’s 0-1-4 and now makes his reappearance after over three months. This is another gigantic leap, and it’s hard to see him contending at the sharp end.
Punchestown Champion Hurdle Predictions and Betting Tips
Predicted Winner: Constitution Hill
Our horse racing prediction is for Constitution Hill to win this race. However, we will be steering clear of him in the betting. The old adage of ‘Fool me once, shame on you…’ comes to mind here, but can we really disregard Constitution Hill after two poor runs? He is still the greatest hurdler of his generation and oozes class. He was running well before falling last month, and this has to just be rough luck.
However, at 5/4 we will not be testing that luck. There is not enough capital there to encourage us to stick with a horse who has fallen twice in a row, regardless of his obvious class. Instead, we like a bet on Golden Ace. Lorcan Williams took advantage when the two frontrunners faltered at Cheltenham. She comes to Punchestown buoyed by the experience of a Grade 1 victory and has a very handy 7lb allowance. Golden Ace is worth 9/1 for anyone betting on horse racing.
Punchestown Mares Champion Hurdle Preview
Willie Mullins dominates the field in the feature race on the last day of the festival. This Grade 1 contest over two miles and four furlongs kicks off the final day of the Punchestown Festival and brings together a strong field of talented mares vying for a share of the €150,000 prize pot. It’s a fascinating clash of proven top-level performers and rising stars, many of whom have crossed paths already this season. With a mix of Mullins’ dominance and exciting contenders from other yards, this renewal promises plenty of intrigue.
Brighterdaysahead looks to be the one to beat. Gordon Elliott’s six-year-old was going from strength to strength this season before a poor run in the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham in March. However, she is still 3-0-1 this term and is the most battle-hardened of the field. The market leader brings the best recent form into the race, and Elliott’s decision to enter her into the Mares tells us he thinks this one is in the bag.
Jade De Grugy may get the jockey booking of Paul Townend as Willie Mullins’ strongest entrant. She made an unbeaten start to her career last season and has followed up with an excellent albeit light second term. Her reappearance came in a Grade 3 in February, winning by 6L. She was never going to be a match for Lossiemouth in the Cheltenham Mares but stayed on for an excellent second. A real player here.
Gala Marceau returns to Punchestown after finishing runner-up in this race in 2024. Her campaign has been quieter this term and includes a fall in the Mares at Cheltenham. She will relish the return to slightly softer ground and cannot be ruled out.
Kargese still holds an entry in the Champion Hurdle at the time of writing, and it looks 50/50 as to where Mullins will choose. An entrance here would make Paul Townend’s booking very interesting, with Kargese also looking progressive alongside Jade De Grugy.
Lot Of Joy returns from a short break and makes her second start over hurdles this season. She had a good start on her reappearance, winning a listed race here. Only two more starts since, but they have not gone according to plan, including a 21L finish behind Jade De Grugy in February. While talented, she looks up against it in this deep field.
Wyenot is the most lightly raced of the field and steps up massively in class. Her wins in lower-grade contests have been visually impressive, but this is a significant jump in quality. She’s one for the future, but this might come a year too soon.
Punchestown Mares Champion Hurdle Betting Tips and Predictions
Predicted Winner: Brighterdaysahead
This is a very interesting race. Brighterdayshead is the one to beat, and the six-year-old is 3-0-1 this season. Her fourth in the Cheltenham Champion Hurdle was disappointing, but we have learned she does not enjoy the course and looks a superstar elsewhere. We are backing her to win this race after her excellent 30L victory in the Neville Hotels Hurdle here in December. However, another horse catches the eye in the markets.
Jade De Grugy looks like a potential star in the making. She has been very lightly raced this season, likely in anticipation of this meeting, and was great in her reappearance here in February. The Cheltenham Mares was Lossiemouth’s to lose, and Jade De Grugy’s second-place finish told us a lot more about the rest of that field. Jockey booking will reveal more, as well as the placement of Kargese, but we like a bet on the six-year-old here.
