The Champion Stayers Hurdle headlines the Punchestown Festival 2025 day 3 card with Teahupoo out to retain his crown from 12 months ago. It’s another absorbing card on Thursday, 1 May in Ireland as the end of jumps season extravaganza continues.
Elsewhere on the card, the Barberstown Castle Novice Chase is the other Grade 1 race. Supporting action includes two Listed handicaps and a famous event over the banks. The La Touche Cup is the longest distance race of any under Rules in the Emerald Isle.
Punters should also look out for a Listed mares only novice hurdle, so there’s plenty of variety as we reach the halfway point of this five-day Festival. Guiding you through the best of the action are our experts.
We sat them down and had them assessing form and prices from horse racing betting sites in search of value for the Thursday fixture. With six races of interest in all, read more about the runners to follow over banks, fences and hurdles here.
Punchestown Festival 2025 Day 3 Preview for Thursday, 1 May
🍾Champagne Mahler shines @GowranPark1 in the Handicap Chase for @HenrydeBromhead – another impressive win for Derby Sale graduates today 💪
Sold for €22,000 by The Island Stables to Aidan Kennedy #DerbySale
Congrats to all connections 👏— Tattersalls Ireland (@Tattersalls_ie) March 8, 2025
3:05 – Listed 2m 75y Handicap Chase
Henry De Bromhead runs five and most interesting of those is CHAMPAGNE MAHLER. Third to last year’s winner Pinkerton, who went on to Galway Plate glory, he’s found form over fences in recent weeks. Champagne Mahler beat subsequent Wexford winner and Fairyhouse Grade 2 fourth Rebel Gold at Gowran Park in March.
An 11lb higher mark, given the exploits of the runner-up, shouldn’t be insurmountable by any means. Leading form claims probably belong to Gavin Cromwell’s Midnight It Is after his Grand Annual third. That yard is also mob-handed with this one the pick of three runners. Midnight It Is finished in front of Jasko Des Dames at Cheltenham, but both should go well again as the latter is 2lb lower now.
Last time out winners Mirazur West and A Law Of Her Own are worth closer looks too. The former represents Willie Mullins, who also has topweight Tullyhill – still a maiden over fences. Paul Townend rides, but this looks a big ask. An Peann Dearg should be happier back over this trip for Paul Nolan, meanwhile.
Of the British raiders, Warren Greatrex’s Keep Running looks best. He runs well right-handed and, like Jasko Des Dames, actually runs off a 2lb lower mark here than across the Sea. That helps his cause and UK champion jockey Sean Bowen, fresh from bet365 Gold Cup success and riding the Irish Grand National winner, is on board.
3:40 – 4m 1f La Touche Cup Cross Country Chase
Last year’s runner-up THREE BY TWO goes well over the banks and runs off bottom weight. Denis Murphy’s mare has been laid out for this on Punchestown Festival 2025 day 3 and likes the better ground she has in springtime than earlier on in the season. Three By Two faces old rival Vanillier, who must bounce back from a poor performance over the Grand National fences for Cromwell.
If returning to his earlier banks and Cross Country form, however, he’s a threat. Another notable danger is Stealthy Tom for banks master handler Enda Bolger. He meets Vanillier off 15lb better terms than their last encounter. It’s a huge swing in weight, but still leaves him with something to find with Three By Two from their Risk Of Thunder meeting.
Relative discipline newcomer The Goffer shapes like he has a race in him over this wide variety of obstacles, meanwhile. Posting a better finishing position with each run either over these banks, the Cheltenham Cross Country or Grand National course, he is definitely one for the shortlist for Gordon Elliott.
4:15 – Listed 2m 7f 110y Handicap Hurdle
Park Of Kings shapes as though he will get the trip on a more testing track. The still lightly-raced Beckett Rock commands respect up in distance for De Bromhead, meanwhile, off a 2lb lower mark than his Coral Cup sixth. At the revised weights, he has every chance of reversing form with Harry Fry’s Beat The Bat.
Gigginstown House Stud’s Ballybow is an interesting handicap debutant for Elliott off 9lb lower than his Albert Bartlett rating. Course and distance second Karl Des Tourelles looks better than his Pertemps Final seventh for Philip Fenton and worth another chance. Custom Taylor seeks a hat-trick, meanwhile, and goes well under Kevin Sexton.
Monbeg Park has an 18lb lower mark over hurdles than fences, so could exploit that after a spell of novice and handicap chasing. Sean Doyle’s horse has back form that includes a defeat of Spillane’s Tower during this meeting two years ago. Nicky Henderson pair Doddiethegreat and Jeriko Du Reponet aren’t the most reliable.
4:50 – Listed 2m 94y Mares Novice Hurdle
Next best from the Dawn Run was Karoline Banbou, but she saw tables turned by fellow Mullins mount Karamoja over further around Fariyhouse on Easter Sunday. Both have claims again on Punchestown Festival 2025 day 3, though. Mozzies Sister has plenty of runs at a higher level under her belt, meanwhile, so it’s a case of if dropping back in trip suits her.
Henderson sends the penalised Timetoshine over after a hat-trick of minor wins. Also carrying 3lb more than the rest of the field are Joseph O’Brien runner Cottesloe Sunshine and Andrew Slattery’s Royal Hollow. That doesn’t do either any favours in this contest with official ratings in the 120s.
5:25 – 2m 75y Grade 1 Barberstown Castle Novice Chase
Cromwell’s mare Only By Night again receives 7lb from him on Punchestown Festival 2025 day 3, but there isn’t much between them on their Cheltenham encounter. Granted a clear round by both, the others are playing for third place at best with Rubaud returning to a clockwise track for Harry Cobden and Paul Nicholls.
He’s a better horse right-handed and could bounce back from Aintree disappointment over further dropped down in distance. Anthony Honeyball’s Brookie finished much closer to old rival Kalif Du Brelais on Merseyside than earlier in the season, so may have improved and he’s no stranger to saddling winners here.
6:00 – 2m 7f 110y Grade 1 Champion Stayers Hurdle
Declan Queally has young pretender Rocky’s Diamond running in the Punchestown Festival 2025 day 3 feature. It might be too soon for the five-year-old to score at the highest level. O’Brien runs Home By The Lee, meanwhile, who hasn’t had the luck of earlier in the campaign this spring.
Crambo comes over from the UK and just prevailed over Hiddenvalley Lake by a diminishing head in the Long Walk around Ascot before Christmas. He hasn’t matched that form since, however. Jessica Harrington mare Jetara finished third to the selection at Aintree, but ran well and hit the frame during this meeting 12 months ago.
