William Hill Champion Chase
 AutoUpdating 150x150 Gif
Grade 1, Punchestown 17:25
 €300,000 guaranteed,
5yo plus,
2m, Class 1   
Tuesday 29th April 2025

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The Ryanair Chase hero Fact To File could be set for a fascinating drop back in trip at the Punchestown Festival, with connections revealing the William Hill Champion Chase is firmly on the table.

Brilliant at Cheltenham, the Willie Mullins-trained gelding finds himself in a tactical conundrum with no ideal middle-distance option in County Kildare.

That leaves two possibilities—either stepping up to contest the Punchestown Gold Cup or taking on the speedsters over two miles in the Champion Chase.

Much will hinge on whether owner JP McManus sends his Gold Cup winner Inothewayurthinkin to the three-mile showpiece. If he does, Fact To File could be rerouted to the shorter contest, where he may well clash with another McManus-owned Festival winner, Dinoblue—herself a stylish Mares’ Chase scorer at Cheltenham.

Speaking at Limerick on Sunday, McManus’ racing manager Frank Berry confirmed the decision is still up in the air: "Inothewayurthinkin isn’t going to Liverpool, so it'll either be Punchestown or nowhere. He wants safe ground, and the same goes for Fact To File, who has the two-mile and three-mile options. It depends if the other fella runs, but dropping back to two miles is very much on the cards."

Dinoblue, meanwhile, is likely to line up in the Champion Chase, increasing the possibility of a high-class McManus one-two in the race. Before Punchestown, the attention shifts to Aintree, where last year’s Grand National hero I Am Maximus will carry the famous green and gold.

The Mullins-trained stayer has yet to hit top form this season, but Berry issued a positive update: "The reports are good, and Willie is happy with him. I’d be surprised if Paul (Townend) doesn’t ride, but we’ll see." With decisions looming and Festival winners set to cross paths once again, Punchestown promises to be another thrilling battleground.

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William Hill Champion Chase
€300,000 guaranteed, 5yo plus, 2m, Class 1
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Past Results:

Year Horse Age/Wt/Owner Trainer Jockey
2024 Banbridge 6/1 8-11-12
R A Bartlett		 Joseph O'Brien J J Slevin
2023 Energumene 2/7F 9-11-12
Tony Bloom		 Willie Mullins Paul Townend
2022 Energumene 4/7F 8-11-12
Tony Bloom		 Willie Mullins Paul Townend
2021 Chacun Pour Soi 6/5F 9-12-00
E O'Connell		 Willie Mullins Paul Townend
2020 Abandoned
(Covid-19)		      
2019 Un De Sceaux 11/4 11-11-12
E O'Connell		 Willie Mullins Paul Townend
2018 Un De Sceaux 9/2 10-11-12
E O'Connell		 Willie Mullins Mr P W Mullins
2017 Fox Norton 5/2 7-11-12
Ann & Alan Potts Limited		 C L Tizzard R M Power
2016 God's Own 9/1 8-11-12
Crossed Fingers P’ship		 T R George P J Brennan
2015 Felix Yonger 5/1 9-11-12
Andrea & Graham Wylie		 Willie Mullins Danny Mullins
2014 Sizing Europe 7/1 12-11-12
Ann & Alan Potts P’ship		 Henry de Bromhead Andrew Lynch
2013 Sprinter Sacre
1/9 Fav		 7-11-12
Mrs Caroline Mould		 Nicky Henderson GB Barry Geraghty
2012 Sizing Europe
 8/13 Fav		 10-11-12
Ann & Alan Potts P’ship		 Henry de Bromhead Andrew Lynch
2011 Big Zeb
9/4		 10-11-12
Pat Redmond		 Colm Murphy Barry Geraghty
2010 Golden Silver
 12/1		 8-11-12
Violet O’Leary		 Willie Mullins Paul Townend
2009 Master Minded 30/100 Fav 6-11-12
Clive Smith		 Paul Nicholls GB Ruby Walsh
2008 Twist Magic
 6/4 Fav		 6-11-12
Barry Fulton, Tony Hayward, Michael Lynch		 Paul Nicholls GB Ruby Walsh
2007 Mansony 13/2 8-11-12
Michael Mulholland		 Arthur Moore Davy Russell
2006 Newmill 5/4 Fav 8-11-12
Mary Hayes		 John Murphy Andrew McNamara
2005 Rathgar Beau 8/1 9-11-12
One-O-Eight Racing Club		 Eamon Sheehy Shay Barry
2004 Moscow Flyer 4/11 Fav 10-11-12
Brian Kearney		 Jessica Harrington Barry Geraghty
2003 Flagship Uberalles 8/1 9-12-00
J P McManus		 Philip Hobbs GB Richard Johnson
2002 Strong Run 4/1 9-12-00
Michael McGrath		 Noel Meade Paul Carberry
*2001 Micko’s Dream 5/1 9-12-00
Sport Racing Club		 Willie Mullins Ruby Walsh
2000 Get Real 3/1 9-11-06
Pioneer Heat-Treatment		 Nicky Henderson GB Mick Fitzgerald
1999 Celibate 7/1 8-11-09
Stamford Bridge P’ship		 Charlie Mann GB Richard Dunwoody
1998 Big Matt 16/1 10-10-11
Ted Benfield & Bill Brown		 Nicky Henderson GB Mick Fitzgerald
1997 Klairon Davis 11/10 Fav 8-12-00
Chris Jones		 Arthur Moore Francis Woods
1996 Klairon Davis 5/2 7-12-00
Chris Jones		 Arthur Moore Francis Woods
1995 Strong Platinum 3/1 Fav 7-11-01
Theresa McCoubrey		 Paddy Burke Conor O’Dwyer
1994 Saraemma 16/1 8-10-12
Dermot Cox		 Homer Scott Kevin O’Brien
1993 Viking Flagship 5/4 Fav 6-10-07
Roach Foods Ltd		 David Nicholson GB Richard Dunwoody
1992 The Musical Priest 8/1 10-10-07
Mrs Seamus Purcell		 Michael Purcell Jason Titley
1991 Good For A Laugh 8/1 7-9-11
Dr Michael Smurfit		 Arthur Moore Charlie Swan
1990 Rust Never Sleeps 14/1 6-10-06
D M Murphy		 Austin Leahy Gerry O’Neill
1989 Super Furrow 12/1 9-12-00
Mrs M Marshall		 Jerry O’Neill Padge Gill
1988 Flying Ferret 8/1 7-9-07
Mrs V O’Leary		 Tony Redmond Brendan Powell
1987 Eddie Wee 11/2 Jt Fav 11-10-12
Mrs Y Rock		 Billy Rock Conor O’Dwyer
1986 Another Brownie 6/1 7-9-07
S Lucey		 M McGrath J P Byrne
1985 Buck House 11/10 Fav 7-11-07
Mrs S Purcell		 Mouse Morris Tommy Carmody
1984 Travelowen 6/4 Fav 7-12-00
Mrs M Kelly		 Tom Costello Mr Tom Costello
1983 Turloughmore Lad 7/1 8-9-07
M McDonagh		 Paddy Norris Paul Leech
1982 Light The Wad 3/1 9-11-03
Exors of Patrick Downey		 Dessie Hughes Tom Morgan
1981 Light The Wad 6/1 8-10-10
Patrick Downey		 Dessie Hughes Frank Leavy
1980 Paddy Bouler 7/4 Fav 7-11-04
P Rooney		 Pat Rooney S Lynch

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