Punchestown Champion Chase
The Punchestown Champion Chase, currently known for sponsorship purposes as the William Hill Champion Chase, is a Grade 1 National Hunt steeplechase in Ireland which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run at Punchestown over a distance of about 2 miles and half a furlong (3,219 metres) and during its running there are eleven fences to be jumped. The race is scheduled to take place each year during the Punchestown Festival in late April. It was formerly a handicap race, and for much of the 1990s and early 2000s it was usually sponsored by BMW. It became a conditions race in 1999, and it was subsequently backed by Betdaq (2004) and Kerrygold (2005–09) and Boylesports (2010–19). The present sponsor, William Hill, began to support the event in 2021. The field usually includes horses which ran previously in the Queen Mother Champion Chase, and the last to win both races in the same year was Marine Nationale in 2025.
| Class | Grade 1 |
|---|---|
| Location | Punchestown County Kildare, Ireland |
| Race type | Steeplechase |
| Sponsor | William Hill |
| Website | Punchestown |
| Race information | |
| Distance | 2 miles ½ furlong (3,219 metres) |
| Surface | Turf |
| Track | Right-handed |
| Qualification | Five-years-old and up |
| Weight | 11 st 12 lb Allowances 7 lb for mares |
| Purse | €300,000 (2024) 1st: €177,000 |
| 2025 | ||
|
|
|
| Marine Nationale | Captain Guinness | Solness |
| Previous years | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | ||
|
|
|
| Banbridge | Captain Guinness | Dinoblue |
| 2023 | ||
|
|
|
| Energumene | Chacun Pour Soi | Blue Lord |
| 2022 | ||
|
|
|
|
| Energumene | Chacun Pour Soi | Envoi Allen |
| 2021 | ||
|
|
|
|
| Chacun Pour Soi | Allaho | Nube Negra |
| 2020-2011 | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | ||
|
|
|
| Un De Sceaux | Min | Castlegrace Paddy |
| 2018 | ||
|
|
|
|
| Un De Sceaux | Douvan | A Toi Phil |
| 2017 | ||
|
|
|
| Fox Norton | Un De Sceaux | God's Own |
| 2016 | ||
|
|
|
|
| God's Own | Vautour | Simonsig |
| 2015 | ||
|
|
|
| Felix Yonger | Baily Green | Hidden Cyclone |
| 2014 | ||
|
|
|
|
| Sizing Europe | Ballynagour | Savello |
| 2013 | ||
|
|
|
| Sprinter Sacre | Sizing Europe | Days Hotel |
| 2012 | ||
|
|
|
|
| Sizing Europe | Realt Dubh | Big Zeb |
| 2011 | ||
|
|
|
|
| Big Zeb | Sizing Europe | Captain Cee Bee |
| 2010-2003 | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | ||
|
|
|
| Golden Silver | Forpadydeplasterer | Sizing Europe |
| 2009 | ||
|
|
|
| Master Minded | Big Zeb | Conna Castle |
| 2008 | ||
|
|
|
| Twist Magic | Natal | Mansony |
| 2007 | ||
|
|
|
|
| Mansony | Justified | Steel Band |
| 2006 | ||
|
|
|
| Newmill | Fota Island | Central House |
| 2005 | ||
|
|
|
| Rathgar Beau | Moscow Flyer | Native Upmanship |
| 2004 | ||
|
|
|
|
| Moscow Flyer | Rathgar Beau | Strong Run |
| 2003 | ||
|
|
|
|
| Flagship Uberalles | Arctic Copper | Killultagh Storm |
The Punchestown Champion Chase, currently known for sponsorship purposes as the William Hill Champion Chase, is a Grade 1 National Hunt steeplechase in Ireland which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run at Punchestown over a distance of about 2 miles and half a furlong (3,219 metres) and during its running there are eleven fences to be jumped. The race is scheduled to take place each year during the Punchestown Festival in late April.
It was formerly a handicap race, and for much of the 1990s and early 2000s it was usually sponsored by BMW. It became a conditions race in 1999, and it was subsequently backed by Betdaq (2004) and Kerrygold (2005–09) and Boylesports (2010–19). The present sponsor, William Hill, began to support the event in 2021.
The field usually includes horses which ran previously in the Queen Mother Champion Chase, and the last to win both races in the same year was Marine Nationale in 2025.
Records
[edit]Most successful horse since 1950 (2 wins):
- Shower of Silver – 1955, 1956
- Muir – 1969, 1970
- Skymas – 1972, 1973
- Light the Wad – 1981, 1982
- Klairon Davis – 1996, 1997
- Sizing Europe - 2012, 2014
- Un de Sceaux - 2018, 2019
- Energumene- 2022, 2023
Leading jockey since 1950 (5 wins):
- Pat Taaffe – Third Estate (1951), Tumble Weed (1953), Nas Na Riogh (1954), Fortria (1961), Dicky May (1966)
- Paul Townend - Golden Silver (2010), Un de Sceaux (2019), Chacun Pour Soi (2021), Energumene (2022,2023)
Leading trainer since 1950 (8 wins):
- Willie Mullins - Micko's Dream (2001), Golden Silver (2010), Felix Yonger (2015), Un de Sceaux (2018,2019), Chacun Pour Soi (2021), Energumene (2022,2023)
Winners since 1980
[edit]- ^ a b amateur rider
- ^ The 2001 running took place at Fairyhouse
- ^ The 2020 running was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Republic of Ireland
Earlier winners
[edit]- 1950 – Melman
- 1951 – Third Estate
- 1952 – Clonfert
- 1953 – Tumble Weed
- 1954 – Nas Na Riogh
- 1955 – Shower of Silver
- 1956 – Shower of Silver
- 1957 – Jack's the Boy
- 1958 – Hern's Gift
- 1959 – Marchioness Bay
- 1960 – Some Other Day
- 1961 – Fortria
- 1962 – Highfield Lad
- 1963 – Scottish Memories
- 1964 – Flying Wind
- 1965 – Belle Artiste
- 1966 – Dicky May
- 1967 – Ronan
- 1968 – Black Ice
- 1969 – Muir
- 1970 – Muir
- 1971 – East Bound
- 1972 – Skymas
- 1973 – Skymas
- 1974 – Tingle Creek
- 1975 – Our Albert
- 1976 – High School
- 1977 – Simaroon
- 1978 – Shining Flame
- 1979 – Scottish Maid
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- pedigreequery.com – Kerrygold Champion Chase – Punchestown.
- racenewsonline.co.uk – Racenews Archive (April 25, 2003).