Top billing on Punchestown Festival 2025 day 4 goes to the track’s Champion Hurdle. On Friday, 2 May, we’ll see a rematch between Constitution Hill and State Man, who both fell in the Cheltenham equivalent won by Golden Ace.
Because of these two big guns of hurdling taking tumbles, a pretty large asterisk sits next to a fortuitous victory for the Jeremy Scott mare. She crosses the Irish Sea in an attempt to prove it wasn’t a fluke. The view of bookmakers in relation to the Punchestown Champion Hurdle is that Cheltenham was without question that.
It reflects in the odds available on horse racing betting sites for Friday’s rematch, which has extra spice thrown in with County Hurdle hero Kargese also taking part. That is only the main event on the card, however, with another Grade 1 preceding the feature contest.
We also crown the Irish champion hunter chaser and there’s more graded action besides. This includes a Grade 2 mares only steeplechase where Dinoblue is the headline female. A Listed handicap chase for novices completes the best from this portion of Punchestown.
Cue our horse racing experts for their thoughts on five more races from the meeting taking place on this day. Read on and discover how they think the penultimate day unfolds and the runners of note.
Punchestown Festival 2025 Day 4 Preview for Friday, 1 May
4:15 – 3m 160y Champion Hunter Chase
David Christie may have the standout horse in this sphere once again in BIG INTEREST. Although only a six-year-old, he routed the field around Fairyhouse over Easter and is definitely a better horse racing right-handed. Big Interest looks worth forgiving his displays at Naas and Gowran on more testing ground.
Last year’s winner Its On The Line hasn’t gone in again since with two seconds and a third, so remains more reliable than most. Emmet Mullins and JP McManus is always a combination that the bookies fear. In this case you can see why.
Gordon Elliott runs two with Willitgoahead perhaps best ignored over the Grand National fences last time. Hollow Games was no match for Big Interest last time, meanwhile. Ramillies and Ontheropes have, on occasion, got in amongst the market principals this season.
4:50 – 2m 4f 55y Grade 2 Mares Chase
Last year’s winner Brides Hill chased home Dinoblue in the Cheltenham equivalent of this. Although meeting the winner on 2lb better terms now, Gavin Cromwell’s mare has plenty to find with the favourite. These are the big three and getting in amongst them, granted a clear round, looks difficult.
Allegorie De Vassy fell at Cheltenham, which benefitted Shecouldbeanything, who ran over further since. Elliott’s mare could find this comes a little soon after her Irish Grand National seventh. The other two are handicappers, but will receive prize money just for jumping round.
5:25 – Listed 2m 4f 55y Novice Handicap Chase
🏇 Theatre Native justifies favouritism, landing the @astonmartin Mares’ Novices’ Handicap Chase by a wide margin for Rachael Blackmore and Henry De Bromhead 👏
#CheltenhamRaces #AprilMeeting pic.twitter.com/thZ93rP9ze
— CheltenhamRacecourse (@CheltenhamRaces) April 17, 2025
Recently, this has gone to a 140+ rated runner on Punchestown Festival 2025 day 4, but only the top four meet that criteria. Of those framing the weights, Common Practice for Joseph O’Brien and Mullins’ chasing maiden Blizzard Of Oz look the most interesting.
Henry De Bromhead has a good hand himself, however, and it’s two of those also on the shortlist. NARA won a Grade 2 last time, so looks feasibly-handicapped off a mark of 136. Recent Cheltenham scorer THEATRE NATIVE jumped well around Prestbury Park, meanwhile, and an 8lb rise for her 10-length victory there looks fair.
Also representing the stable is Native Speaker, who could’ve been laid out for this as well. John McConnell’s Moon D’Orange did well from out of the handicap when fourth in the Cheltenham Silver Trophy, meanwhile, and can now race off his correct Irish mark of 134. Mullins saddles several more runners, but all must improve on their achievements over fences so far.
6:05 – 2m 4f 140y Grade 1 Champion Novice Hurdle
Owned by McManus, he’s won an extended Wexford bumper and up the hill on hurdling bow at Naas. Connections have no hesitation in pitching Lovely Hurling right in at the deep end. Leading form claims go to The Yellow Clay and Final Demand, who fought out the finish with The New Lion in Cheltenham.
At bigger odds, meanwhile, Mr Percy looks worth a crack at this level over the trip following a Grade 2 success when stepped up in distance around Fairyhouse. Main British raider Tripoli Flyer must brush up his jumping after a poor effort around Aintree. Mullins runs two more, but Funiculi Funicula and Belloccio lack the selection’s unexposed profile.
6:40 – 2m 45y Grade 1 Punchestown Champion Hurdle
Last of the big races on the card sees dual race winner STATE MAN seek his hat-trick. If he stood up at the final flight in at Cheltenham, then he would’ve won. Consecutive falls for Constitution Hill are a concern, however, even though Nicky Henderson has landed this before with Buveur D’Air.
State Man had Golden Ace beat when coming down in the British Champion Hurdle in March. Everything panned out in her favour, so she might not be so lucky again. Mullins also has Kargese stepping markedly up in class after landing the County Hurdle here. Like Golden Ace, she receives a 7lb sex allowance from the geldings as a mare.
A Punchestown Champion Hurdle demands more, though, and the only multiple Grade 1 course winner in this line-up is State Man. Other runners Bottler’secret and Break My Soul do little more than make up the numbers. If either can do better than fighting out last place, then it’ll take a massive career best.
