You know how punters get lost in too much data or bet blindly? I break down the stats and trends so you can feel confident youâre betting with more than just gut instinct.
2026 Punchestown Gold Cup Preview
The feature on day two of the Punchestown Festival is the Punchestown Gold Cup, which is Punchestown's equivalent to Cheltenham's Gold Cup, and you usually get runners coming to this race having just run in the Gold Cup at Cheltenham. The race is a Grade 1, which is open to chasers who are five or older. It is run over a trip of three miles, half a furlong (120yds), with a total of eighteen fences standing in the way of these potential gold cup winners.
Punchestown Gold Cup Information:
- Punchestown Gold Cup Past Winners
- Punchestown Gold Cup Trainer Statistics
- Punchestown Gold Cup Jockey Statistics
If you are interested in other predictions at Punchestown, then head over to the Punchestown tips page to see which runners are being supported by the OLBG racing tipsters and also compare those predictions to the runners that make the trend shortlist when added below. We cover all of the major races at the Punchestown Festival, and below you can find links to all of the races for each of Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday & Saturday.
Best Horse Racing Betting Sites 2026
How competitive is the Punchestown Gold Cup market? When looking at the over-rounds for the last 20 renewals, the most competitive market was in 2025, when the race had an over-round of 108%. The race in 2009 was a race that was most in the bookie's favour with an over-round of 122%, whilst on average over the last 20 renewals of the Punchestown Gold Cup, the over-round has been 115%, which means the bookie expects to pay out ÂŁ100 for every ÂŁ115 which is bet.
Below you will find the 2026 Punchestown Gold Cup Trends. See which patterns have occurred over the recent renewals that you may be able to use for the next renewal. We also have a section that looks at the Punchestown Gold Cup Trend Analysis.
These are the top three quickest-run Punchestown Gold Cup races over the last 20 renewals:
- Neptune Collonges (6:09.10) in 2008
- Neptune Collonges (6:16.00) in 2007
- War Of Attrition (6:17.70) in 2006
Looking at the future form, is the winner worth following next time out? Over the past 20 renewals, if you had followed the winner of the Punchestown Gold Cup next time out, then you would have backed a total of 5 winners. Backing all 20 runners who have been out since their win at SP next time out would have returned an LSP of -2.77. Ahead of the 2026 Punchestown Gold Cup, why not head over to the racing predictions for tips on other races today?
Over the last 20 renewals, it was Neptune Collonges, trained by Paul Nicholls and ridden by R Walsh, who set the fastest winning time in the Punchestown Gold Cup. That runner won the race in a time of 6:09.10 in 2008. At the other end of the scale, it was the combination of trainer W P Mullins and jockey Davy Russell with Sir Des Champs who set the slowest winning time; the race-winning time was 6:52.80 in the 2013 renewal.
What the expert says...
Andy Powell - Horse Racing Betting Expert - OLBG.com
Punchestown Gold Cup Past Winners
Here are the Punchestown Gold Cup past winners for the last 10 renewals. Each row details the race year, the winning horse, and the horse's age & weight. The horse's trainer and the jockey at the time of winning the Punchestown Gold Cup are also displayed, along with the starting price at which the horse was sent off.
| Year | Horse | Info |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 6:19.70 | Galopin Des Champs (FR) 9yo 11-10 5/6F | Paul Townend W P Mullins (IRE) |
| 2024 6:26.70 | Fastorslow (FR) 8yo 11-10 7/2 | J J Slevin Martin Brassil (IRE) |
| 2023 6:26.10 | Fastorslow (FR) 7yo 11-10 20/1 | J J Slevin Martin Brassil (IRE) |
| 2022 6:27.70 | Allaho (FR) 8yo 11-10 6/5F | Paul Townend W P Mullins (IRE) |
| 2021 6:23.60 | Clan Des Obeaux (FR) 9yo 11-12 100/30 | Sam Twiston-Davies Paul Nicholls (GB) |
| 2019 6:25.40 | Kemboy (FR) 7yo 11-10 13/8F | R Walsh W P Mullins (IRE) |
| 2018 6:43.00 | Bellshill (IRE) 8yo 11-10 4/1 | David Mullins W P Mullins (IRE) |
| 2017 6:22.60 | Sizing John (GB) 7yo 11-10 9/10F | Robbie Power Mrs John Harrington (IRE) |
| 2016 6:21.10 | Carlingford Lough (IRE) 10yo 11-10 12/1 | Barry Geraghty John E Kiely (IRE) |
| 2015 6:22.10 | Don Cossack (GER) 8yo 11-10 5/2 | Paul Carberry Gordon Elliott (IRE) |
Where have the winning runners come from?
Here are the countries where the winning trainers of the Punchestown Gold Cup have been based:
- IRE: 16 winners with an additional 28 placings from 123 runners
- GB: 4 winners with an additional 4 placings from 35 runners
- FR: 0 winners with an additional 0 placings from 2 runners
2025 Punchestown Gold Cup Replay
Punchestown Gold Cup Trainer Statistics
The leading trainer in the Punchestown Gold Cup over the last 20 renewals is W P Mullins, who has won the race six times, with those six winners coming from Sir Des Champs (2013), Boston Bob (2014), Bellshill (2018), Kemboy (2019), Allaho (2022) and Galopin Des Champs (2025). Other trainers who have recorded multiple wins in the Punchestown Gold Cup are Paul Nicholls (3 wins), M F Morris (2 wins) and Martin Brassil (2 wins).
Here are some of the top Punchestown Gold Cup trainer statistics over the last 20 renewals (R = Runners, W = Winners, P = Places including winners, Win LSP is based on 1pt Win and EW LSP is based on 0.5pt Win & 0.5pt Place):
| Trainer | R-W-P | Win | EW |
|---|---|---|---|
| W P Mullins | 39-6-20 | -20.84 | -11.64 |
| Paul Nicholls | 9-3-4 | +6.23 | +2.47 |
| M F Morris | 7-2-5 | +15.80 | +12.10 |
| Martin Brassil | 2-2-2 | +23.50 | +14.60 |
| Gordon Elliott | 8-1-2 | -4.50 | -2.50 |
| Oliver McKiernan | 3-1-2 | +18.00 | +11.20 |
| Philip Hobbs | 3-1-1 | +12.00 | +6.40 |
| Mrs John Harrington | 3-1-1 | -1.10 | -1.44 |
| T J Taaffe | 3-1-1 | -1.27 | -1.54 |
| J T R Dreaper | 2-1-1 | +0.88 | +0.13 |
Punchestown Gold Cup Jockey Statistics
There are two leading jockeys in the Punchestown Gold Cup over the last 20 renewals, with both Paul Townend and J J Slevin, who have both won the race two times. Paul Townend winners have been with Allaho (2022) and Galopin Des Champs (2025). J J Slevin winners have been with Fastorslow (2023 & 2024).
Here are some of the top Punchestown Gold Cup jockey statistics over the last 20 renewals (R = Runners, W = Winners, P = Places including winners, Win LSP is based on 1pt Win and EW LSP is based on 0.5pt Win & 0.5pt Place):
| Jockey | R-W-P | Win | EW |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paul Townend | 12-2-7 | -7.97 | -5.88 |
| J J Slevin | 3-2-2 | +22.50 | +14.60 |
| Sam Twiston-Davies | 1-1-1 | +3.33 | +2.08 |
| Mark Walsh | 5-0-0 | -5.00 | -4.00 |
| Mr P W Mullins | 3-0-1 | -3.00 | -2.00 |
| Jack Kennedy | 3-0-0 | -3.00 | -3.00 |
| Harry Cobden | 2-0-1 | -2.00 | -0.95 |
| Sean Flanagan | 2-0-1 | -2.00 | -1.15 |
| Danny Mullins | 2-0-0 | -2.00 | -2.00 |
| Jordan Gainford | 1-0-1 | -1.00 | +0.70 |
2026 Punchestown Gold Cup Trends
Favourites finishing positions (oldest to latest): 1, 1, 3, 1, 1, 4, PU, 3, 1, 1, 2, 4, 1, 3, 1, 2, 1, 2, 2, 1
The percentage shown is the proportion of runners who fell under that factor. High percentages are less appealing than lower ones, as you would expect them to do well.
- 20 / 20 (78%) - No bigger than 20/1
- 20 / 20 (78%) - Ran in 11 - 28 races (Career)
- 20 / 20 (82%) - Ran in 6 - 25 races (Non-Hcps)
- 20 / 20 (83%) - Not in a G2/LST/Cl2-3 (LTO)
- 20 / 20 (85%) - Ran over 1m4f - 2m2f (Debut)
- 20 / 20 (86%) - Furthest ran 2m5f - 3m6f
- 20 / 20 (86%) - Ran in 2 - 7 races (1 Year)
- 20 / 20 (86%) - Had 7 - 19 placings (Career)
- 20 / 20 (87%) - In a field of 6 - 30 (LTO)
- 20 / 20 (88%) - No more than +3yrs (Vs Min Age)
- 20 / 20 (88%) - Fewer than 7 races (Season)
- 20 / 20 (88%) - Ran in 4 - 22 races (Chase)
- 20 / 20 (88%) - Had 4 - 18 placings (Non-Hcps)
- 20 / 20 (88%) - Carried 159 - 166lbs (LTO)
- 20 / 20 (88%) - Achieved a TS of 121+ (Last 5)
Remember to use the trends listed above, along with the Punchestown racing predictions, to see if you can find the winner of the Punchestown Gold Cup. Did you know that we have an OLBG Betting School section on OLBG? It is a place to help you improve your betting experience with articles covering numerous topics.
Are you already a member? If not, then why not? With over ÂŁ6,000 given away each month in the tipster competition, why not get involved? Remember, it is completely FREE! So, head over to the registration page to sign up today! If you are already a member, then share your thoughts on the Punchestown Gold Cup by adding a tip on the race here.
101 Ways to find Winners in Horse Racing
Punchestown Gold Cup Trend Analysis
â The trend factor, which has produced 10+ winners and shows the best LSP, an LSP of +47.44, is when runners had 4 starts in the past year.
â The worst performing factor that has failed to produce a single winner is when runners ran at Fairyhouse on debut, when backing these, the trend shows a record of 0-22.
The course which has produced the most winners of the Punchestown Gold Cup is Cheltenham; there have been a total of 12 winners of this race who ran at Cheltenham last time out. The next best course, which has produced the second most winners, is Aintree; there have been a total of 5 winners of this race who ran at Aintree last time out.
The race is open to both sexes, with male runners having produced a total of 20 winners from a total of 159 runners, while female runners have produced 0 winners from a total of 1 runner.
Looking over the past renewals, these are the stallions whose offspring have produced multiple winners of the Punchestown Gold Cup:
- Dom Alco (2 Wins)
- Kings Theatre (2 Wins)
- Presenting (2 Wins)
- Saint Des Saints (2 Wins)
These are the stallions whose offspring have not produced a winner of the Punchestown Gold Cup despite multiple attempts:
- Be My Native (0 Wins from 7 runners)
- Flemensfirth (0 Wins from 6 runners)
Looking at the winning odds over the last 20 renewals, the biggest-priced winner was Fastorslow in 2023, winning for Martin Brassil at odds of 20/1 under the guidance of J J Slevin. Looking at the runners at the head of the market over the last 20 renewals, there have been 10 winning favourites in the race. Remember to use the best racing tipsters along with the information on this page to find a bet on the 2026 Punchestown Gold Cup.
Route to the Punchestown Gold Cup
Many trainers target races as preparation for the Punchestown Gold Cup. These are the races which the recent winners ran in before coming here:
| Info | Last Race |
|---|---|
| 2025 - Galopin Des Champs Cheltenham - 2nd of 9 (8/13) | Cheltenham Gold Cup |
| 2024 - Fastorslow Cheltenham - UR of 11 (8/1) | Cheltenham Gold Cup |
| 2023 - Fastorslow Cheltenham - 2nd of 23 (7/1) | Ultima Handicap Chase |
| 2022 - Allaho Cheltenham - 1st of 7 (4/7) | Ryanair Chase |
| 2021 - Clan Des Obeaux Aintree - 1st of 9 (5/2) | Bowl Chase |
| 2019 - Kemboy Aintree - 1st of 6 (9/4) | Bowl Chase |
| 2018 - Bellshill Fairyhouse - 5th of 30 (12/1) | Irish Grand National |
| 2017 - Sizing John Cheltenham - 1st of 13 (7/1) | Cheltenham Gold Cup |
| 2016 - Carlingford Lough Cheltenham - 4th of 9 (25/1) | Cheltenham Gold Cup |
| 2015 - Don Cossack Aintree - 1st of 10 (3/1) | Melling Chase |
Schedule for Tuesday at the Punchestown Festival
The highlight on the opening day of the Punchestown Festival is the Grade 1 Champion Chase, which carries a purse of âŹ300,000. There are also two other Grade 1 races on the card with the Champion Novice Hurdle and the Champion Novice Chase.
| Race | Last Winner | Info |
|---|---|---|
| Killashee Hotel Handicap Hurdle | Ascending Lark (GB) 7yo - 8/1 | Harry Derham Paul O'Brien |
| Champion Novice Hurdle | Irancy (FR) 7yo - 18/1 | W P Mullins Mark Walsh |
| Punchestown Champion Novice Chase | Champ Kiely (IRE) 9yo - 22/1 | W P Mullins Danny Mullins |
| Goffs Defender Bumper | Wonderful Everyday (IRE) 4yo - 16/1 | W P Mullins Miss R Dudfield |
| Punchestown Champion Chase | Marine Nationale (IRE) 8yo - 2/1 | Barry Connell Sean Flanagan |
Schedule for Wednesday at the Punchestown Festival
The Punchestown Gold Cup is the feature on day two of the festival. This Grade 1 is worth âŹ300,000 and is one of three G1 races on the card, with the Channor Novice Hurdle and Champion I.N.H. Flat Race being the others.
| Race | Last Winner | Info |
|---|---|---|
| Channor Group Novice Hurdle | Jasmin De Vaux (FR) 6yo - 13/8 | W P Mullins Paul Townend |
| Champion INH Flat Race | Bambino Fever (IRE) 5yo - 11/8 | W P Mullins Miss J Townend |
| Punchestown Handicap Chase | James Du Berlais (FR) 9yo - 7/1 | W P Mullins J J Slevin |
| Punchestown Gold Cup | Galopin Des Champs (FR) 9yo - 5/6 | W P Mullins Paul Townend |
Schedule for Thursday at the Punchestown Festival
Two Grade 1 races feature on day three, the highlight of those two being the âŹ300,000 Champion Stayers Hurdle, the other is the Barberstown Castle Novice Chase.
| Race | Last Winner | Info |
|---|---|---|
| Conway Piling Handicap Hurdle | Jeriko Du Reponet (FR) 6yo - 13/2 | Nicky Henderson James Bowen |
| Frontline Security Handicap Chase | Petit Tonnerre (FR) 7yo - 16/1 | Jonjo & A J O'Neill Richie McLernon |
| Barberstown Castle Novice Chase | Majborough (FR) 5yo - 4/11 | W P Mullins Mark Walsh |
| Champion Stayers Hurdle | Teahupoo (FR) 8yo - 5/4 | Gordon Elliott Sam Ewing |
Schedule for Friday at the Punchestown Festival
The Champion Hurdle is the feature on the Saturday; this Grade 1 is worth âŹ300,000 and is one of two Grade 1s on the card, with the Champion Novice Hurdle being the other.
| Race | Last Winner | Info |
|---|---|---|
| Punchestown Listed Novice Handicap Chase | Sea Music (IRE) 7yo - 28/1 | Emmet Mullins Donagh Meyler |
| Punchestown Champion Novice Hurdle | Final Demand (IRE) 6yo - 7/4 | W P Mullins Paul Townend |
| Punchestown Champion Hurdle | State Man (FR) 8yo - 9/4 | W P Mullins Paul Townend |
Schedule for Saturday at the Punchestown Festival
The final day of the Punchestown Festival sees a couple of Grade 1 races, which both carry purses of âŹ125,000, and those are the Irish EBF Mares Champion Hurdle and the Champion Four Year Old Hurdle.
| Race | Last Winner | Info |
|---|---|---|
| Irish EBF Mares Champion Hurdle | Jade De Grugy (FR) 6yo - 1/1 | W P Mullins Paul Townend |
| Champion Four-Year-Old Hurdle | Lulamba (FR) 4yo - 11/10 | Nicky Henderson James Bowen |
| Punchestown Listed Handicap Hurdle | Hey Sunshine (IRE) 6yo - 11/2 | W P Mullins Paul Townend |
Article Contributor Information
We are fortunate to have an excellent team of specialists and experts at OLBG. Contributing to the creation and maintenance of this Punchestown Gold Cup Preview are Andy and Darren. They both work on the Horse Racing Tips team, overseeing the tipsters and managing the tip settlement, while also creating and managing all the horse racing event previews for National Hunt Racing.
Darren Brett
Expert Guide
Andy Powell
Expert Guide
Other Principal Races at the Punchestown Racecourse
Here are some other notable races at the Punchestown racecourse throughout the racing season that you may be interested in.
