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Punchestown Festival Betting Guide - How to Bet on the Races

Punchestown Festival Betting Guide

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The curtain on the main events of the Irish national hunt season is fast falling, and with just one main event left, there is certainly lots of Grade 1 glory still up for grabs. The Punchestown Festival is the grand finale of the season. If you’re looking to pursue the racecards for five days of exciting race, which features some of the biggest names in the sports, then take a look below as we delve into the ins and outs of the festival.

Punchestown Races

Held annually, The Punchestown Festival is the closing meeting of the national hunt season in Ireland. Always held in April, it features five days of racing, one of which is called Ladies' Day, and draws in top crowds looking to have a good day at the races.

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Often called the Irish version of the Cheltenham Festival, as many runners who’ve raced in one will often head to the other. There are multiple major races that will grace the card, including the Punchestown Gold Cup, Champion Chase, and Champion Hurdle, all of which are namesakes of the other feature races held throughout the year.

One thing to note about all of the races which take place at the festival is that they happen later in the afternoon, which means the first race of the day will happen at 3:40 pm and the last will occur at 7:45 pm. If you’re looking for Punchestown betting markets for the races, be aware the horse racing odds will be shown later than other events.

Punchestown Gold Cup

Often categorised as the biggest race of the Punchestown Festival, the Punchestown Gold Cup is held on the second day. Run over a distance of three miles and ½ furlong, it also features seventeen fences around the course. Often a race where Cheltenham Gold Cup winners will try for another Grade 1, the 2022 race was won by Allaho for Willie Mullins and Paul Townend.

Formerly a race for novice chasers, the current format of the Punchestown Gold Cup came to fruition in 1999, and since that time, it's Willie Mullins who stands as the leading trainer with six wins and Ruby Walsh who is the most successful jockey also on six wins.

Champion Chase

Just like the Cheltenham Festival, the Champion Chase at Punchestown draws in the big guns. Another Grade 1 race which takes place at the Punchestown racing festival, it’s run on the opening day and is the second race of this calibre that punters can bet on.

Contested over a distance of two miles and taking in eleven fences at Punchestown racecourse, many of the runners who take part at Cheltenham come to this race, with recent champion Energumene completing the double in 2022.

A key part of the season conclusion for many runners, those who have gone on to win this race multiple times include Un De Sceaux, and notable winners include Sizing Europe and Sprinter Sacre.

Novice Chase

Just as the experienced chasers get their chance at Punchestown, the novice chasers also get a chance to shine in an exciting Grade 1 contest. Open to horses aged five years or over, this race is contested on the third day of the festival and will feature highly in the Punchestown betting markets.

On the race card since 1992, it's a race similar in distance to the Champion Chase, so we may see horses who will head to that race in coming seasons participate here. However, when it comes to the top winner of this race, Willie Mullins, with nine victories at Punchestown racecourse, could be the one to place your wager on if you choose to bet on this race.

Champion Hurdle

The big races continue to come at one of the main events of Irish racing, and this one actually falls on Ladies' Day. The Champion Hurdle takes in nine hurdles over a distance of two miles.

Home to horses in recent years, such as Honeysuckle, who has won the race on two consecutive occasions at the horse race meeting and will no doubt return for one final chance at the crown. Other notable winners of this race include Hurricane Fly and Buveur d'Air, which means English runners do have their chance sometimes at the Punchestown Festival.

Ladies' Day Punchestown

The fourth day of the Punchestown Festival is also known as Ladies Day. In recent years, the ladies have enjoyed success both on and off the course, with Rachael Blackmore and Honeysuckle landing wins on this day.

Featuring eight races which will take place over different distances at Punchestown Racecourse, Ladies Day provides the betting markets with competitive fields as The Champion Hurdle, Champion Novice Hurdle, and Mares Chase give punters access to the best horses in sports betting markets.

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Punchestown betting markets

When placing a wager at Punchestown Festival, many betting markets will be on offer, including the Champion Stayers Hurdle, which takes place on the third day, and the Mares Champion Hurdle, which happens on the final day.

There will be many sportsbook markets on offer for you to place bets, and if you're unsure which to place, we've got a guide to the betting markets below:

Favourite - The horse which starts the race as a favourite will have the smallest odds. They are awarded this by most bookmakers due to their positive form or a previous visit to the course itself.

Win Bet - This bet is placed on a horse to win the race. In a competitive field, it can be hard to select the winner, and the bet will only be paid if the horse passes the post first. If the horse finishes second, your bet will lose.

Each Way Bet - This bet is placed on a runner to finish in the top three or four places in a race. If you manage to select the winner, then a more substantial amount will be awarded. However, if you select a horse that finishes in the placings, you can expect to be paid less.

Punchestown betting strategy

Before placing any bets on the horse racing markets in Ireland, it's important to understand what areas can affect the odds and which aspects which make horses stand out in the odds and within the tips. There are many factors that can help qualify your horse racing selections, and we've listed some of the key points here.

Form

Horses who have shown strong form at other racing meetings throughout the year will have the shortest odds in the betting. The form heading into the festival can be identified by the numbers on the racecard, which will indicate their most recent finishing positions.

Weather and other factors that could affect the race

As well as the form of a horse, there are many other factors that can affect racing in County Kildare, such as the weather. If there is rain in the build-up to the festival, this will affect the going conditions, potentially changing them from good to yielding.

This will also have an impact on the sports betting odds as the horses, which were larger odds, may now come up the markets. It also means your selected runner may not compete as well as before, so you may want to reevaluate your bets before the race takes place.

Stats

Before each race at the Punchestown Festival, we suggest taking a look over the stats for the race, as these can have an influence on the horse racing betting odds. The stats will feature previous winners, which trainers have performed well in the race, and the top winning jockeys.

How to bet on the Punchestown Festival at LeoVegas

Before placing any bets at LeoVegas, it's important to understand all of the options available. If you're a new customer, you will first need to register for a LeoVegas account. After completing all the steps, you can browse our horse racing section, where you'll find all the betting odds on offer.

As the Punchestown Festival isn't happening within the next few days, you will be able to browse our horse racing ante-post markets, where you can make your selections prior to race day, and the bets will remain active until the race has happened.

However, if you prefer to until the day of the race, we've listed the steps you should follow:

  1. Select the horse racing meeting - Punchestown Festival (can use the search functionality from the Sports page menu)
  2. Choose the time of the race
  3. Make your horse selection
  4. Add the stake amount to the betting slip
  5. Click place bet

If your selection wins, the money will be credited automatically to your account.

FAQs

Where is Punchestown Racecourse?

The course itself is located in County Kildare, which is to the west of Dublin.

How many Grade One races are at Punchestown?

There are 12 Grade 1 races that feature some of the top horse racing talents in Ireland and the UK.

What type of track is Punchestown?

Known as the home of Irish jumps racing, Punchestown hosts national hunt racing on a steeplechase and hurdles track.

How old is Punchestown Racecourse?

The course is 150 years old.

How long does the Punchestown Festival last?

The festival takes place over five days and will feature 40 races.

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