Punchestown Gold Cup

The Punchestown Gold Cup 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 3 miles and ½ furlong (3 miles and 120 yards, or 4,938 metres), and during its running there are seventeen fences to be jumped. The race is scheduled to take place each year during the Punchestown Festival in late April or early May.

Punchestown Gold Cup
Grade 1 race
LocationPunchestown
Co. Kildare, Ireland
Race typeSteeplechase
SponsorCoral
WebsitePunchestown
Race information
Distance3m 120y (4,938 metres)
SurfaceTurf
TrackRight-handed
QualificationFive-years-old and up
Weight11 st 5 lb (5yo);
11 st 10 lb (6yo+)
Allowances
7 lb for mares
Purse€300,000 (2019)
1st: €177,000
Punchestown Gold Cup
2019
Kemboy Al Boum Photo The Storyteller

The present version of the race was introduced in 1999, when it replaced a previous version for novice chasers only. It was formerly sponsored by Heineken, and it used to be known as the Heineken Gold Cup. It was backed by Diageo between 2005 and 2011, and from 2011 to 2014 sponsored by Tote Ireland. From 2014 to 2016 the race was sponsored by Bibby Financial Services and since 2017 Coral has been the sponsor.

The Punchestown Gold Cup usually features horses which ran previously in the Cheltenham Gold Cup. The last to win both races in the same year was Sizing John in 2017.

Records

Most successful horse (2 wins):

  • Neptune Collonges – 2007, 2008

Leading jockey since 1999 (6 wins):

  • Ruby Walsh – Imperial Call (1999), Commanche Court (2000), Neptune Collonges (2007, 2008), Boston Bob (2014), Kemboy (2019)

Leading trainer since 1999 (5 wins):

  • Willie Mullins - Florida Pearl (2002), Sir Des Champs (2013), Boston Bob (2014), Bellshill (2018), Kemboy (2019)

Winners since 1999
Year
 Winner
 Age
 Jockey
 Trainer
1999 Imperial Call 10 Ruby Walsh Raymond Hurley
2000 Commanche Court 7 Ruby Walsh Ted Walsh
2001 Moscow Express [lower-alpha 1] 9 Barry Geraghty Frances Crowley
2002 Florida Pearl 10 Barry Geraghty Willie Mullins
2003 First Gold 10 Thierry Doumen François Doumen
2004 Beef or Salmon 8 Timmy Murphy Michael Hourigan
2005 Kicking King 7 Barry Geraghty Tom Taaffe
2006 War Of Attrition 7 Conor O'Dwyer Mouse Morris
2007 Neptune Collonges 6 Ruby Walsh Paul Nicholls
2008 Neptune Collonges 7 Ruby Walsh Paul Nicholls
2009 Notre Pere 8 Andrew Lynch Jim Dreaper
2010 Planet of Sound 8 Richard Johnson Philip Hobbs
2011 Follow the Plan 8 Tom Doyle Oliver McKiernan
2012 China Rock 9 Barry Geraghty Mouse Morris
2013 Sir Des Champs 7 Davy Russell Willie Mullins
2014 Boston Bob 9 Ruby Walsh Willie Mullins
2015 Don Cossack 8 Paul Carberry Gordon Elliott
2016 Carlingford Lough 10 Barry Geraghty John Kiely
2017 Sizing John 7 Robbie Power Jessica Harrington
2018 Bellshill 8 David Mullins Willie Mullins
2019 Kemboy 7 Ruby Walsh Willie Mullins
  1. The 2001 running took place at Fairyhouse

Earlier winners
  • 1960 – Oberstown
  • 1961 – Jungle Cry
  • 1962 – Coniston
  • 1963 – Arkle
  • 1964 – Fort Leney
  • 1965 – Clusium
  • 1966 – Crown Prince
  • 1967 – White Abbess
  • 1968 – Herring Gull
  • 1969 – Kings Sprite
  • 1970 – Glencaraig Lady
  • 1971 – Dim Wit
  • 1972 – Ebony Lad
  • 1973 – Tartan Ace
  • 1974 – Lough Inagh
  • 1975 – Fort Fox
  • 1976 – No Hill
  • 1977 – Artistic Prince
  • 1978 – Jack of Trumps
  • 1979 – Jack's the Buoy
  • 1980 – Pillar Brae
  • 1981 – Owens Image
  • 1982 – Single-U-Jay
  • 1983 – Whistling Senator
  • 1984 – By the Way
  • 1985 – Cerimau
  • 1986 – Over the Last
  • 1987 – Darkorjon
  • 1988 – Vulgan's Pass
  • 1989 – Carvill's Hill
  • 1990 – Mixed Blends
  • 1991 – Local Whisper
  • 1992 – Second Schedual
  • 1993 – Fissure Seal
  • 1994 – Merry Gale
  • 1995 – Butches Boy
  • 1996 – Billygoat Gruff
  • 1997 – Noyan
  • 1998 – Mahler

See also

References
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