Punchestown Festival Day 5 Trends 2026

The final day of the Punchestown Festival falls on a Saturday with the Mares’ Champion Hurdle and the Champion Four Year Old Hurdle the feature races.

There are also 3 valuable handicaps on the card and an informative bumper before the week closes with a Charity Race.

14:30 – The HOWDEN Cross-Country Chase 3m½f

8 of the last 10 winners were NOT the favourite
8 of the last 10 winners had already raced at the festival this week
8 of the last 10 winners did NOT win last time out
7 of the last 10 winners were aged 9 or older
6 of the last 10 winners were ridden by a Jockey claiming 7lbs
6 of the last 10 winners had NOT won at Punchestown (all had run here)

15:05 – The DAR Golf Handicap Chase 3m7f

9 of the last 10 winners carried no more than 10-12
9 of the last 10 winners were rated no higher than 131
9 of the last 10 winners had NOT won over further than exactly 3 miles
9 of the last 10 winners had RUN at further than exactly 3 miles
7 of the last 10 winners placed Top 3 last time out (1^st (3), 2^nd (1), 3^rd (3))
7 of the last 10 winners were aged either 7 or 8 (7yo’s profitable to back blind)
7 of the last 10 winners had run at Punchestown

15:40 – The SBK Irish EDF Mares Champion Hurdle (Grade 1) 2m4f

9 of the last 10 winners were aged no older than 7
8 of the last 10 winners were sent off 7/2 or shorter
8 of the last 10 winners had been beaten that season
8 of the last 10 winners were trained by Willie Mullins (10% ROI)
8 of the last 10 winners last ran at Cheltenham in the Mares Hurdle
8 of the last 10 winners had WON at Punchestown
8 of the last 10 winners had already won a Grade 1

16:15 – The Palmerstown House Pat Taaffe Listed Handicap Chase 3m½f

ALL of the last 10 winners had run over 3m½f or further before now
of the last 10 winners carried at least 10-09
7 of the last 10 winners held an OR of at least 135
7 of the last 10 winners were aged either 8 or 9
7 of the last 10 winners had 4 to 6 runs that season (profitable blind)

16:50 – The Ballymore Champion Four-Year-Old Hurdle (Grade 1) 2m

ALL of the last 10 winners placed Top 3 last time out (1^st (5), 2^nd (3), 3^rd (2))
9 of the last 10 winners were sent off 11/4 of shorter
8 of the last 10 winners were sent off as favourite (92% ROI)
7 of the last 10 winners had either 3 or 4 runs that season (excluding French races)
7 of the last 10 winners were trained by Willie Mullins (not profitable blind)
7 of the last 10 winners last ran at Cheltenham (4) or Fairyhouse (3)
BOTH of Nicky Hendersons runners from the last decade won

17:30 – The Lawlors of Naas Listed Handicap Hurdle 2m4½f

ALL of the last 10 winners held an OR of 130 to 149
ALL of the last 10 winners were NOT the favourite (last favourite was 2002)
ALL of the last 10 winners did NOT run Aintree, Cork or Punchestown (63 tried)
8 of the last 10 winners were aged 6 or 7
8 of the last 10 winners last ran at Cheltenham (4) or Fairyhouse (4)
7 of the last 10 winners were aged either 5 or 6
7 of the last 10 winners were carried at least 10-12
7 of the last 10 winners last ran between 31 and 60 days ago (+£17.50 to £1 stakes)
6 of the last 10 winners were trained by Willie Mullins (+£35.50 to £1 stakes)

18:00 – (Pro-Am) Flat Race 2m

8 of the last 10 winners were aged 5
8 of the last 10 winners were sent off 13/2 or shorter
7 of the last 10 winners carried 12-00
6 of the last 10 winners were trained by Emmet Mullins (2), Gavin Cromwell (2) or Willie Mullins (2)
6 of the last 10 winners came from Point-To-Points

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