Punchestown Champion Chase
| Grade 1 race | |
| Location | Punchestown Co. Kildare, Ireland |
|---|---|
| Race type | Steeplechase |
| Sponsor | Boylesports |
| Website | Punchestown |
| Race information | |
| Distance | 2 miles (3,219 metres) |
| Surface | Turf |
| Track | Right-handed |
| Qualification | Five-years-old and up |
| Weight | 11 st 9 lb (5yo); 11 st 12 lb (6yo+) Allowances 7 lb for mares |
| Purse | €200,000 (2016) 1st: €118,000 |
| 2016 | ||
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| God's Own | Vautour | Simonsig |
| Previous years | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | ||
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| Felix Yonger | Baily Green | Hidden Cyclone |
| 2014 | ||
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| Sizing Europe | Ballynagour | Savello |
| 2013 | ||
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| Sprinter Sacre | Sizing Europe | Days Hotel |
| 2012 | ||
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| Sizing Europe | Realt Dubh | Big Zeb |
| 2011 | ||
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| Big Zeb | Sizing Europe | Captain Cee Bee |
| 2010 | ||
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| Golden Silver | Forpadydeplasterer | Sizing Europe |
| 2009 | ||
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| Master Minded | Big Zeb | Conna Castle |
| 2008 | ||
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| Twist Magic | Natal | Mansony |
| 2007 | ||
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| Mansony | Justified | Steel Band |
| 2006 | ||
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| Newmill | Fota Island | Central House |
| 2005 | ||
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| Rathgar Beau | Moscow Flyer | Native Upmanship |
| 2004 | ||
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| Moscow Flyer | Rathgar Beau | Strong Run |
| 2003 | ||
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| Flagship Uberalles | Arctic Copper | Killultagh Storm |
The Punchestown 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 (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). Its present sponsor, Boylesports, began to support the event in 2010.
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 Sprinter Sacre in 2013.
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
Leading jockey since 1950 (5 wins):
- Pat Taaffe – Third Estate (1951), Tumble Weed (1953), Nas Na Riogh (1954), Fortria (1961), Dicky May (1966)
Leading trainer since 1950 (6 wins):
- Tom Dreaper – Fortria (1961), Dicky May (1966), Ronan (1967), Muir (1969, 1970), East Bound (1971)
Winners since 1980
- Amateur jockeys indicated by "Mr".
1 The 2001 running took place at Fairyhouse.
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
- pedigreequery.com – Kerrygold Champion Chase – Punchestown.
- racenewsonline.co.uk – Racenews Archive (April 25, 2003).