Punchestown Gold Cup
| Grade 1 race | |
| Location |
Punchestown Co. Kildare, Ireland |
|---|---|
| Race type | Steeplechase |
| Sponsor | Coral |
| Website | Punchestown |
| Race information | |
| Distance | 3m 120y (4,938 metres) |
| Surface | Turf |
| Track | Right-handed |
| Qualification | Five-years-old and up |
| Weight | 11 st 5 lb (5yo); 11 st 10 lb (6yo+) Allowances 7 lb for mares |
| Purse |
€250,000 (2017) 1st: €147,500 |
The Punchestown Gold Cup is a Grade 1 National Hunt steeplechase in Ireland which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run at Punchestown over a distance of about 3 miles and ½ furlong (3 miles and 120 yards, or 4,938 metres), and during its running there are seventeen fences to be jumped. The race is scheduled to take place each year during the Punchestown Festival in late April or early May.
The present version of the race was introduced in 1999, when it replaced a previous version for novice chasers only. It was formerly sponsored by Heineken, and it used to be known as the Heineken Gold Cup. It was backed by Diageo between 2005 and 2011, and from 2011 to 2014 sponsored by Tote Ireland. From 2014 to 2016 the race was sponsored by Bibby Financial Services and since 2017 Coral has been the sponsor.
The Punchestown Gold Cup usually features horses which ran previously in the Cheltenham Gold Cup. The last to win both races in the same year was Sizing John in 2017.
Most successful horse (2 wins):
Leading jockey since 1999 (5 wins):
Leading trainer since 1999 (3 wins):
1 The 2001 running took place at Fairyhouse.
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