The schedule for the 2026 Punchestown Festival is beginning to take shape, with racegoers given a clearer picture of start times for one of Ireland’s biggest racing events.

The five-day festival, which runs from April 28 to May 2, will once again deliver a packed programme of top-class National Hunt racing at Punchestown Racecourse.

Organisers are expected to stick with a familiar structure for race times across the week, with the first race typically going off at 2:30pm on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday.

Friday — traditionally the busiest day of the festival — will feature a later start time, with the opening race scheduled for approximately 3:40pm to accommodate increased attendance and demand.

Each race day is expected to feature between three-and-a-half and four hours of live racing, giving fans a full afternoon of action across the festival.

The Punchestown Festival remains one of the highlights of the Irish racing calendar, drawing huge crowds and showcasing many of the top horses from the Cheltenham Festival and beyond.

Among the standout races expected across the week are the William Hill Champion Chase, the Punchestown Gold Cup, and the Boodles Champion Hurdle — all of which traditionally attract elite-level runners and provide thrilling finishes.

With consistent start times and a proven format, the 2026 edition is shaping up to deliver another memorable week for racing fans.

Racegoers are advised to check official channels closer to the event for confirmed racecards and any potential changes to the schedule.

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The sale that boasts Honeysuckle as its most famous graduate saw another potential future star take her turn in the ring as Colin Bowe’s Qualimita (Lot 14), a four-year-old daughter of Muhtathir sell to Mags O’Toole for €500,000. The mare put up one of the performances of the season when winning on her debut at Fairyhouse last Friday.

Histrionic (Lot 19), a son of Walk In The Park, from Denis Murphy’s Ballyboy Stables, fresh from an impressive 4YO maiden win at Tralee last weekend, sold to Tom Malone and Paul Nicholls for €450,000, also surpassing the previous record Punchestown price of €370,000 by some margin.

Almost half the catalogue sold for €200,000 or more, and among the other highlights were Lough Owel (Lot 5), another maiden winner from Fairyhouse last weekend that sold to Aidan O’Ryan and Gordon Elliott for €255,000.

Elliott also went to €235,000 for Bleu De Vassy (Lot 20) from Patrick Turley’s Kingsfield Stables who finished a close runner up at Necarne on Saturday nine lengths clear of the rest of the field, and paid €200,000 for Baltimore House Stables’ The Enabler (Lot 4), a son of Walk In The Park from the family of Denman who impressed when runner up at Curraghmore.

Top class breeding prospect Dolcita (Lot 1) by Saint des Saints was first into the ring and set the tone for an evening of spectacular trade, as the Willie Mullins-trained black type performer and Irish Grand National fourth sold to Cyril Crowe for €240,000.

Sam Curling’s Boston Boy (Lot 15) was runner up to Histrionic at Tralee last Friday and caught the eye of Stroud Coleman and Jonjo O’Neill who went to €230,000 for the son of Black Sam Belamy, and O’Neill also signed for Dromahane 4YO maiden winner Fortunate Man (Lot 6) from Moate Stables for €210,000.

Goffs Punchestown Sale 2023:

Offered: 22
Sold: 20 (91%)
Aggregate: €3,940,000 (+37%)
Average: €197,000 (+23%)
Median: €170,000 (+26%)
Top price: €500,000

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