THE Punchestown Festival gets underway this week with day one of the action taking place on Tuesday.
Plenty of thrills and spills are expected across the week at the Kildare racecourse with the action running from Tuesday to Saturday.
Some of the biggest names in horse racing will be in action across the week with many superstars looking to back up big wins at Cheltenham.
While thousands of punters are expected to flock to Naas over the week as the festival welcomes crowds back for the first time since 2019.
There will be eight races in total taking place on the opening day of the festival with the action getting underway at 3.40 pm.
The William Hill Champion Chase is the feature race of the day and it gets underway at 5.25 pm.
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The action comes to a close on Day One with the eighth and final race of the day coming at 7.45 pm.
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We will have live coverage of every single race from across the week right here so stay tuned for all of the action from Punchestown.
You can also watch a number of races from the opening day on RTE 2 and available to stream on the RTE Player with their coverage getting underway at 4.00 pm.
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NEXT UP!
4.15pm: 2m½f (2m100y) Bective Stud Champion Novice Hurdle (Grade 1) (5yo+)
1 Dysart Dynamo (IRE) Mr Patrick Mullins
2 Gatsby Grey (FR) Barry Browne
3 Mighty Potter (FR) Jack Kennedy
4 Sir Gerhard (IRE) Paul Townend
5 Vina Ardanza (IRE) Davy Russell
- Shane O'Mahony
PARTY TIME
A great result for Gordon Elliott in the opening race of the week. Dinoblue couldn't keep the pace in the closing stages and it was a very poor showing from Grangee.
- Shane O'Mahony
PARTY CENTRAL WINS!
Davy Russell with a brilliant late showing, Instit in second and Brides Hill in third.
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PARTY CENTRAL GOES
Davy Russell pulls clear over the last!
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THE LAST
Instit ahead of Brides Hill still as Party Central comes
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SECOND LAST
Still Instit with Brides Hill and Dinoblue
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STRONG LEAD
They are very stretched out now with a group of five leaders pulling ahead. Grangee is the back marker now and out of it. Instit still leads from Brides Hill
- Shane O'Mahony
INSTIT continues to lead with Bride's Hill in second over the fourth fence.
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EARLY ERROR
Grangee has made a mistake over the 2nd and is struggling at the back.
- Shane O'Mahony
EARLY LEAD
It's Instit in the lead over the first with Dinoblue just behind.
- Shane O'Mahony
THEY'RE OFF
The 2022 Punchestown Festival is underway!!
- Shane O'Mahony
DINO DELIGHT?
Willie Mullins' Dinoblue is the favourite to get the win in the opening race of the day but expect a challenge from Grangee and Gordon Elliott's Party Central.
- Shane O'Mahony
READY TO GO
Five minutes to go until the first race and the punters have been flocking in at Naas.
26 April 2022; Racegoers study the form prior to racing during the Punchestown Festival Champion Chase Day at Punchestown Racecourse in Kildare. Photo by David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile - Shane O'Mahony
SHOWTIME
We have just over 30 minutes to go until the first race of the day at 3.40 pm – The Howden Insurance Brokers Mares Novice Hurdle.
- Shane O'Mahony
RACHAEL'SDAY
Irish superstar Rachael Blackmore will be in action on the opening day of the festival with her first ride coming at 4.50 aboard Gua Du Large.
Here's what she had to say about her opening day to BetVictor:
My week gets started with Gua Du Large, things didn’t really work out for him in the County Hurdle at Cheltenham last time out. He seems fresh and well since then; I think he can run a big race on this better ground today.
Next up is Envoi Allen in the Champion Chase he has been in great form since Cheltenham, he was well beaten there by Energumene who he faces once again along with Chacun Pour Soi who unseated before the business end of the race. It looks like it’s going to be a fantastic race, I am hoping the nicer ground should suit Envoi and get us a bit closer.
Rachael Blackmore is in action on Day One Bob Olinger in the Grade One novice chase is my last ride of the day. It was great that he won at the festival last time out, albeit we came away a bit disappointed from the race. He had a few issues after the race which Henry got sorted out. He seems in great form at home, and I just know he is a much better horse than what he showed in Cheltenham. Hopefully, we see the real Bob Olinger today.
- Shane O'Mahony
MULLINS VIEW
Sir Gerhard is fancied to back up a great Cheltenham performance in the Bective Stud Champion Novice Hurdle at 4.15pm. Here's what trainer Willie Mullins told myracing.
"I had it in the back of my mind for a really long time that I really wanted to go two miles with Sir Gerhard at Punchestown. We didn't do it at Cheltenham, but I wanted to try it here. He has plenty of speed in his pedigree and this will be a good test to see where we might head with him next year."
- Shane O'Mahony
BIG NAMES
A number of superstar horses are looking to back up their big performances at Cheltenham this week.
Here's a look at FIVE horses to keep an eye on over the week's action.
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TOP TIPS
You can check out the rest of our bankers for the week right here!
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FESTIVAL BANKERS
The Irish Sun have picked out FOUR bankers for you to consider backing this week, including one superstar in action TODAY.
Energumene
William Hill Champion Chase, 5.25, TuesdayA Shishkin no-show and a fall from Chacun Pour Soi made Energumene's task a whole lost easier in the Champion Chase at Cheltenham.
That said, the eight-year-old still won with the authority of top-class horse and it would be a serious surprise should he come unstuck at Punchestown.
Chacun Pour Soi is in the field once again and represents the biggest danger to the favourite but in reality Energumene should, and most likely will, get the job done.
- Shane O'Mahony
TV INFO
We have everything you need to know about how you can watch the action from Day One of the Punchestown Festival right here.
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