14 horses have been entered for the 2026 edition of the Punchestown Gold Cup. The feature race of the concluding meeting of the Irish jumps season takes place on Wednesday 29 April.
Among them is Gaelic Warrior, who could seek to complete a famous Cheltenham-Punchestown double. The eight-year-old was an emphatic winner of the Cheltenham Gold Cup in March. He was Willie Mullins’ only representative in the blue riband event, but that is very unlikely to be the case at the Punchestown festival.
Stablemate Fact To File beat him in the Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown. It was widely rumoured that the JP McManus-owned gelding would be supplemented for the Cheltenham version. However, he was declared for the Ryanair Chase as planned, only to miss that engagement due to quick ground on the Thursday.
Mullins is responsible for half of the 14 runners in all. 2025 Grand National winner Nick Rockett could reappear here having missed the 2026 renewal. Grangeclare West, who unseated at the first in the National, is also a potential runner in this race, as is Champ Kiely, eighth in the big handicap at Aintree.
The final pair of possible runners for Closutton are Impaire Et Passe and Lecky Watson. The former fell when in contention for the Aintree Bowl, while the latter remains out of form after pulling up in the Grand National.
British challengers add depth and intrigue
Two horses who disappointed at Cheltenham could emerge as contenders for British trainers in the Punchestown Gold Cup.
The Jukebox Man faded to eighth behind Gaelic Warrior in the Gold Cup, while Sean Bowen ultimately pulled up Haiti Couleurs. Rebecca Curtis’ charge was also down the field under a big weight in the Grand National, but has previous on Irish soil. He won the 2025 Irish Grand National, while The Jukebox Man beat Gaelic Warrior in the King George.
Four Irish trainers aside from Willie Mullins could field runners too. Gavin Cromwell may send 2025 Gold Cup winner Inothewayurthinkin here after he was third in this year’s race. Jimmy Mangan’s Spillane’s Tower is also owned by JP McManus and may look to rebound from a lacklustre showing in the Aintree Bowl.
Joseph O’Brien has nominated Banbridge for the race if fit from unseating in the Grand National. Gordon Elliott’s pair of Firefox and Gerri Colombe complete the set of 14.
2026 Punchestown Gold Cup Runners
| Number | Horse | Trainer |
| 1 | Banbridge | Joseph O’Brien |
| 2 | Champ Kiely | Willie Mullins |
| 3 | Fact To File | Willie Mullins |
| 4 | Firefox | Gordon Elliott |
| 5 | Gaelic Warrior | Willie Mullins |
| 6 | Gerri Colombe | Gordon Elliott |
| 7 | Grangeclare West | Willie Mullins |
| 8 | Haiti Couleurs | Rebecca Curtis |
| 9 | Impaire Et Passe | Willie Mullins |
| 10 | Inothewayurthinkin | Gavin Cromwell |
| 11 | Lecky Watson | Willie Mullins |
| 12 | Nick Rockett | Willie Mullins |
| 13 | Spillane’s Tower | Jimmy Mangan |
| 14 | The Jukebox Man | Ben Pauling |