Punchestown Champion Chase

Punchestown Champion Chase
Grade 1 race
LocationPunchestown
County Kildare, Ireland
Race typeSteeplechase
SponsorWilliam Hill
WebsitePunchestown
Race information
Distance2 miles ½ furlong (3,219 metres)
SurfaceTurf
TrackRight-handed
QualificationFive-years-old and up
Weight11 st 12 lb
Allowances
7 lb for mares
Purse€300,000 (2024)
1st: €177,000
Boylesports.com Champion Chase
2024
Dark blue and white diamonds, white sleeves, red cap Beige, royal blue triple diamond and diamonds on sleeves, striped cap Emerald green and orange hooped, white cap
Banbridge Captain Guinness Dinoblue
Previous years
2023
Royal blue, white seams, white and royal blue hooped cap Pink, light green spots, pink sleeves and cap Emerald green, dark green sleeves, dark green cap, emerald green spots
Energumene Chacun Pour Soi Blue Lord
2022
Royal blue, white seams, white and royal blue hooped cap Pink, light green spots, pink sleeves and cap Red, white sash, royal blue cap
Energumene Chacun Pour Soi Envoi Allen
2021
Pink, light green spots, pink sleeves and cap Red, white sash, royal blue cap White, red stripe
Chacun Pour Soi Allaho Nube Negra
2020-2011
2019
Light blue, orange star, orange stars on sleeves, orange star on cap Pink, light green spots, pink sleeves and cap Grey, grey and black check cap
Un De Sceaux Min Castlegrace Paddy
2018
Light blue, orange star, orange stars on sleeves, orange star on cap Pink, light green spots, pink sleeves and cap Maroon, white star and armlet, maroon cap, white star
Un De Sceaux Douvan A Toi Phil
2017
Emerald green, yellow chevron and sleeves, red cap Light blue, orange star, orange stars on sleeves, orange star on cap Light blue, royal blue star, white and royal blue check sleeves and cap
Fox Norton Un De Sceaux God's Own
2016
Light blue, royal blue star, white and royal blue check sleeves and cap Pink, light green spots, pink sleeves and cap Dark blue and white diamonds, white sleeves, red cap
God's Own Vautour Simonsig
2015
Beige and black halved, black chevrons on sleeves, beige cap Emerald green,orange star,emGreen sleeves,orange stars,green cap,orange stars Emerald green and mauve halved, slvs reversed, quartered cap
Felix Yonger Baily Green Hidden Cyclone
2014
Emerald green, yellow chevron and sleeves, red cap Beige and emerald green check, beige sleeves, check cap Maroon, white star and armlet, maroon cap, white star
Sizing Europe Ballynagour Savello
2013
Red and royal blue chevrons, royal blue armlet, royal blue star on cap Emerald green, yellow chevron and sleeves, red cap Royal blue and white chevrons, royal blue cap, white diamonds
Sprinter Sacre Sizing Europe Days Hotel
2012
Emerald green, yellow chevron and sleeves, red cap Royal blue, white cross sashes, striped sleeves and cap Purple, yellow spots, purple sleeves, yellow spots on cap
Sizing Europe Realt Dubh Big Zeb
2011
Purple, yellow spots, purple sleeves, yellow spots on cap Emerald green, yellow chevron and sleeves, red cap Emerald green and orange hooped, white cap
Big Zeb Sizing Europe Captain Cee Bee
2010-2003
2010
Red, white hooped sleeves, red cap, white spots Red and white stripes, hooped sleeves, striped cap Emerald green, yellow chevron and sleeves, red cap
Golden Silver Forpadydeplasterer Sizing Europe
2009
Emerald green, yellow spots, yellow and emerald green halved sleeves, purple cap Purple, yellow spots, purple sleeves, yellow spots on cap Orange and light blue diamonds, orange sleeves, orange cap, light blue diamonds
Master Minded Big Zeb Conna Castle
2008
royal blue and orange check, royal blue sleeves, royal blue cap, orange star RED and YELLOW CHEVRONS, red sleeves and cap BLACK, pink star and cap
Twist Magic Natal Mansony
2007
BLACK, pink star and cap Maroon and White stripes, White sleeves, Maroon cap, White spots Emerald green, white panel, striped sleeves, emGreen and yellow striped cap
Mansony Justified Steel Band
2006
Yellow and white diabolo, yellow sleeves, emerald green cap Emerald green and yellow hooped, white cap White, royal blue spots, royal blue cap, white diamond
Newmill Fota Island Central House
2005
GREY, pink star, hooped cap BLACK and WHITE CHEVRONS, white sleeves, striped cap Dark blue
Rathgar Beau Moscow Flyer Native Upmanship
2004
BLACK and WHITE CHEVRONS, white sleeves, striped cap GREY, pink star, hooped cap YELLOW, red cross of lorraine and sleeves, striped cap
Moscow Flyer Rathgar Beau Strong Run
2003
Emerald green and yellow hoops, white cap Emerald green,royal blue cross sashes,royal blue sleeves,yellow cap,green spots Royal Blue and White stripes, White sleeves, striped cap
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 Energumene in 2023.

Records

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

Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer
1980 Paddy Bouler 7 S. Lynch Pat Rooney
1981 Light the Wad 8 Frank Leavy Dessie Hughes
1982 Light the Wad 9 Tom Morgan Dessie Hughes
1983 Turloughmore Lad 8 Pat Leech Paddy Norris
1984 Travelowen 7 Tom Costello[a] Tom Costello
1985 Buck House 7 Tommy Carmody Mouse Morris
1986 Another Brownie 7 Joe Byrne M. J. McGrath
1987 Eddie Wee 11 Conor O'Dwyer Billy Rock
1988 Flying Ferret 7 Brendan Powell Tony Redmond
1989 Super Furrow 9 Padge Gill Jerry O'Neill
1990 Rust Never Sleeps 6 Gerry O'Neill Augustine Leahy
1991 Good for a Laugh 7 Charlie Swan Arthur Moore
1992 The Musical Priest 10 Jason Titley Michael Purcell
1993 Viking Flagship 6 Richard Dunwoody David Nicholson
1994 Saraemma 8 Kevin O'Brien Homer Scott
1995 Strong Platinum 7 Conor O'Dwyer Paddy Burke
1996 Klairon Davis 7 Francis Woods Arthur Moore
1997 Klairon Davis 8 Francis Woods Arthur Moore
1998 Big Matt 10 Mick Fitzgerald Nicky Henderson
1999 Celibate 8 Richard Dunwoody Charlie Mann
2000 Get Real 9 Mick Fitzgerald Nicky Henderson
2001 Micko's Dream [b] 9 Ruby Walsh Willie Mullins
2002 Strong Run 9 Paul Carberry Noel Meade
2003 Flagship Uberalles 9 Richard Johnson Philip Hobbs
2004 Moscow Flyer 10 Barry Geraghty Jessica Harrington
2005 Rathgar Beau 9 Shay Barry Dusty Sheehy
2006 Newmill 8 Andrew McNamara John Joseph Murphy
2007 Mansony 8 Davy Russell Arthur Moore
2008 Twist Magic 6 Ruby Walsh Paul Nicholls
2009 Master Minded 6 Ruby Walsh Paul Nicholls
2010 Golden Silver 8 Paul Townend Willie Mullins
2011 Big Zeb 10 Barry Geraghty Colm Murphy
2012 Sizing Europe 10 Andrew Lynch Henry de Bromhead
2013 Sprinter Sacre 7 Barry Geraghty Nicky Henderson
2014 Sizing Europe 12 Andrew Lynch Henry de Bromhead
2015 Felix Yonger 9 Danny Mullins Willie Mullins
2016 God's Own 8 Paddy Brennan Tom George
2017 Fox Norton 7 Robbie Power Colin Tizzard
2018 Un de Sceaux 10 Patrick Mullins[a] Willie Mullins
2019 Un de Sceaux 11 Paul Townend Willie Mullins
no race 2020 [c]
2021 Chacun Pour Soi 9 Paul Townend Willie Mullins
2022 Energumene 8 Paul Townend Willie Mullins
2023 Energumene 9 Paul Townend Willie Mullins
2024 Banbridge 8 J. J. Slevin Joseph O'Brien
  1. ^ a b amateur rider
  2. ^ The 2001 running took place at Fairyhouse
  3. ^ The 2020 running was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Republic of Ireland

Earlier winners

  • 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

References