Fesival Racing Guide 2021
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Tuesday 27 April - Saturday 1 May 2021 FESTIVAL RACING GUIDE 2021 A F E S T I V A L O F A D I F F E R E N T C O L O U R Overview The 2021 Punchestown Festival will take place from Tuesday 27th April to Saturday 1st May and is considered to be the most prestigious jump festival in Ireland.. This year’s event boasts a record breaking prize fund of €2.8 million. Racings Hometown Heroes will take on their UK counterparts at the home of Irish racing across a programme of 40 contests. Punchestown is the 'Grand Finale' of the Irish Jump season and the champions of the season will be crowned on the final day, Saturday 1st May. All 40 contests at the 2021 Punchestown Festival will be fully sponsored Prize Money: Punchestown Festival 2021 has prize money of over €2.8 million. All four title races will now carry a value of €250,000, We are delighted to stage two additional races for this unique running of the Festival. The first race on the opening day is a new novice handicap hurdle over 2 miles and 100 yards and on the concluding day a new 2 mile 4 furlong mares handicap hurdle will be the penultimate contest. #WhereChampionsGo The Punchestown Festival is considered the grand finale of the jump racing season and subsequently attracts the best of Irish and British racing talent. Home grown champions Willie Mullins, Rachael Balckmore, Paul Townend and Henry de Bromhead take on the might of the British raiders Nicky Henderson and Colin Tizzard among many others. With 12 grade 1 contests throughout the week the Festival boasts some of the best in running action and thrilling finishes each season. Reputations are confirmed and crushed at the Punchestown Festival. Races take place over hurdles, steeplechase fences and on the flat course in what are referred to as ‘bumper’ races. Unique to Punchestown and steeped in heritage is the cross country racing discipline which is a real favourite for spectators as the horses and jockeys meander through the 400 acre site tackling banks, bush fences and steeplechase obstacles. The races get underway each day at 3.40 apart from Saturday when the first goes to post at 2.35. Each day has what is referred to as a feature race and title sponsors are as follows: Tuesday 27th April – William Hill Champion Chase Day Wednesday 28th April – Ladbrokes Punchestown Gold Cup Day Thursday 29th April – Ladbrokes Champion Stayers Hurdle Day Friday 30th April – Paddy Power Champion Hurdle Day Saturday 1st May – Ballymore Champion Four Year Old Hurdle Day FESTIVAL RACE PROGRAMME Tuesday 27th April - William Hill Champions Chase Day 3.40: Have the Conversation Say Yes to Organ Donation Novice Handicap Hurdle of €20,000 2 Miles 100 Yards 4.15: The eCOMM Merchant Solutions Champion Novice Hurdle of €100,000 (Grade 1) 2 miles 100 yards 4.50: The Killashee Hotel Handicap Hurdle of €50,000 (Grade B) 2 miles 100 yards 5.25: The William Hill Champion Steeplechase (Registered the Drogheda) of € 250,000 (Grade 1) 2 Miles 5.55: The Goffs Land Rover Bumper of €100,000 2 miles 100 yards 6.30: The Dooley Insurance Group Champion Novice Steeplechase of €100,000 (Grade 1) 3 miles 120 yards 7.00: The Kildare Hunt Club Fr. Sean Breen Memorial Cross Country Steeplechase for the Ladies Perpetual Cup of €15,000 (Bank Course) 3 Miles 1 Furlong. 7.35: The Irish Field - We Are All About The Horse Flat Race of € 15,000 2 Miles 100 Yards Wednesday 28th April - Ladbrokes Punchestown Gold Cup Day 3.40: The Adare Manor Opportunity Series Final Handicap Hurdle of €30,000 (95 - 123) 2 miles 4 furlongs 120yds 4.15: The Connolly's Red Mills Irish EBF Auction Hurdle Series Final of €75,000 2 miles 4 furlongs 120yds 4.50: The Louis Fitzgerald Hotel Hurdle of €20,000 2 miles 4 furlongs 120yds 5.20 The Irish Mirror (War of Attrition) Novice Hurdle (Grade 1) of €100,000 3 Miles 5.55: The Ladbrokes Punchestown Gold Cup of € 250,000 (Grade 1) 3 Miles 120 Yards 6.30: The ITM - Supporting Irish Store Sales Champion I.N.H Flat Race of € 100,000 (Grade 1) for the Conyngham Cup 2 Miles 70 Yards 7.00: The Guinness Handicap Steeplechase of €80,000 (Grade A) 2 miles 4 furlongs 7.35: The Weatherbys GSB Irish EBF Mares Flat Race of €50,000 (Grade 3) 2 miles 70 yards Thursday 29th April - Ladbrokes Champion Stayers Hurdle Day 3.40: The Specialist Joinery Group Handicap Hurdle of €30,000 (Rated 88 - 123) 2 Miles 40 yards 4.15: The Pigsback.com Handicap Steeplechase of €50,000 2 Miles (Grade B) (Registered Black Hills) 4.50: The Mongey Communications La Touche Cup Cross Country race of €30,000 (Bank Course) 4 miles 2 furlongs 5.25: The Ladbrokes Champion Stayers Hurdle of €250,000 (Grade 1) 3 miles (Registered the Tipperkevin) 6.00: The Conway Piling Handicap Hurdle of €50,000 3 miles (Grade B) (Registered the Ballymore Eustace) 6.35: The Ryanair Novice Steeplechase of €115,000 (Registered the Colliers) (Grade 1) 2 miles 7.05: The Close Brothers Mares Novice Hurdle of €30,000 (Listed) 2 miles 40 yards 7.35: The Grant Thornton (C&G) Flat Race of €11,000 2 Miles 40 Yards Friday 30th April - Paddy Power Champion Hurdle Day 3.40: The Paddy Power Hunters Steeplechase for the Bishopscourt Cup of €10,000 (Bush Fence Course) 2 Miles 4 Furlongs 4.15 : The EMS Copiers Novice Handicap Steeplechase of €80,000 (Grade A) 2 miles 5 furlongs 4.50: The Hanlon Concrete Irish EBF Mares Handicap Steeplechase of €60,000 (Grade B) 2 miles 5 furlongs 5.25: The Paddy Power Champion Hurdle of €250,000 (Grade 1) 2 Miles 6.00: The Alanna Homes Champion Novice Hurdle of €100,000 (Grade 1) 2 miles 4 furlongs 6.35: The Irish Daily Star Champion Hunters Steeplechase of €25,000 3 Miles 120 Yards 7.05: The SalesSense International Novice Hurdle of €20,000 2 miles 7.35: The Avison Young INH Flat Race of € 10,000 2 Miles 2 Furlongs Saturday 1st May - Ballymore Festival Family Day 2.15: The Dooley Insurance Group WFA Cross Country Steeplechase (Banks) of €14,000 3 miles 1 Furlong 2.50: The Colm Quinn BMW Group Handicap Steeplechase of €40,000 (Rated 0-145) 3 Miles 7 Furlongs 3.20: The Coolmore Kew Gardens Irish EBF Annie Power Mares Champion Hurdle of €120,000 (Grade 1) 2 miles 4 Furlongs 4.00: The Ballymore Champion Four Year Old Hurdle of €100,000 (Grade 1) 2 Miles 4.30: The Palmerstown House Pat Taaffe Handicap Steeplechase of €50,000 (Grade B) 3 miles 120 yards (Rated 0-150) 5.05: The BARONERACING.COM Handicap Hurdle of €100,000 (Grade B) 2 miles 4 furlongs 5.40: The Colm Quinn BMW Group Mares Handicap Hurdle of €20,000 2 Miles 4 Furlongs 6.10: The Buggy Man (Pro Am) Flat Race of €10,000 2 Miles Day 1: Tuesda y April 27th Entries Close: Thursday April 22nd at 12 noon Overseas Entries Close: Thursday April 22nd at 11am William Hill Champion Chase Day Total Prizemoney €650,000 RACE 1 : 3.40 PM **NEW RACE** The Have the Conversation Say Yes to Organ Donation Novice Handicap Hurdle of €20,000 2 Miles 100 Yards Conditions: An extended handicap hurdle for four year olds and upwards that have not won a hurdle race before 3rd May 2020 (123 = 11st 10lbs). Penalties.5lb for each race won after handicap calculated. NO PREVIOUS WINNERS RACE 2: 4.15 PM The eCOMM Merchant Solutions Champion Novice Hurdle of €100,000. 2 miles 100 yards (Grade 1) Conditions: A novice hurdle race for five year olds and upwards. Weights 12 st. Mares allowed 7lb. PREVIOUS WINNERS Year Horse Age/Wt Owner Trainer Jockey SP 2019 Klassical Drean 5-11.12 Joanne Coleman Willie Mullins R. Walsh 8/13 fav 2018 Draconien 5-11-12 Clipper Logistics Group Willie Mullins Noel Fehily 25/1 2017 Cilaos Emery 5-11-12 Luke McMahon Willie Mullins David Mullins 8/1 2016 Don’t Touch It 6-11-12 J P McManus Jessica Harrington Barry Geraghty 16/1 2015 Douvan 5-11-12 Susannah Ricci Willie Mullins Ruby Walsh 1/6 Fav 2014 Faugheen 6-11-12 Susannah Ricci Willie Mullins Ruby Walsh 1/2 Fav OVERVIEW This race has produced a host of subsequent stars over both hurdles and fences and in the last 15 years four winners – Brave Inca, Hurricane Fly, Jezki and Faugheen – have all gone on to win the Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival. Furthermore the future Gold Cup winner Sizing John finished second in this race in 2015. RACE FACTS Since 1990 only three winners of the Supreme Novices Hurdle at Cheltenham have gone on to follow up in this race – Back In Front, Brave Inca and Douvan. Draconien sprang a 25/1 surprise in 2018 and Don’t Touch It was a 16/1 winner of this race in 2016 but aside from those the biggest priced winner of this race over the last 40 years was 10/1 chance Moscow Flyer back in 2000. Leading rider (since 1980) - Ruby Walsh: Iktitaf (2006), Hurricane Fly (2009), Faugheen (2014) Douvan (2015) Leading trainer (since 1980) - Willie Mullins: Hurricane Fly (2009), Blackstairmountain (2010), Faugheen (2014), Douvan (2015), Cilaos Emery (2017) Draconien (2018). RACE 3: 4.50 PM Grade B Killashee Handicap Hurdle of €50,000.