William Hill Champion Chase |
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| Grade 1, Punchestown 18:05 €300,000 guaranteed, 5yo plus, 2m, Class 1  |
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Wow! 🤯
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) April 29, 2025
𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐞 and @swflanagan7 dazzle in the @WilliamHill Champion Chase @punchestownrace 🟡🔵🟡 pic.twitter.com/19O5AjMxbU
Foremost among those returning to the stage is Marine Nationale, whose spring has been one of interruption rather than progression. Last season’s Cheltenham hero was denied the chance to defend his crown at Prestbury Park, a setback arriving at an inconvenient moment rather than a decisive one. Now, with recovery complete, his campaign resumes in County Kildare, where freshness may yet prove an asset rather than a compromise.
“It was just unfortunate timing with him before Cheltenham, he’s fine now. He had an away-day at Fairyhouse after the Festival and did a nice piece of work, so he’s on track.
If you were take a positive out of missing Cheltenham I suppose it’s that he goes to Punchestown fresh. He runs well fresh and has won after big breaks before, so it’s not going to be an issue.”
🔥 IL ETAIT TEMPS back to winning ways in the Champion Chase!
— Road To Cheltenham (@RoadCheltenham) March 11, 2026
👏 Feared the worst when he fell at Ascot seven weeks ago - brilliant to see him come out on top.pic.twitter.com/7TC0xJn3c4
Waiting for him is a field that reflects the depth of the current two-mile chasing division. Chief among them is Il Etait Temps, whose victory in the Queen Mother Champion Chase has elevated him from contender to benchmark. The prospect of a rematch adds narrative weight, particularly given their shared history.
“I think we beat him (Il Etait Temps) by nine lengths in the Supreme (Novices’ Hurdle, 2024) and jumping-wise I wouldn’t say he’s a better jumper than us. I know he beat us in Leopardstown as a novice chaser, but we weren’t right on the day.
We’re happy with our horse, he has won a Champion Chase this year and we won one last year, so it’ll be a good match-up.”
Behind them, the race begins to take on its customary depth. Willie Mullins, whose influence over this meeting is both enduring and expansive, has assembled a supporting cast that includes Blood Destiny, Energumene and Majborough, each bringing a different strand of form into the equation. Energumene, a former Champion Chase winner, represents established class, while the others offer variation in profile and potential.
Elsewhere, Henry de Bromhead may rely on Captain Guinness, himself no stranger to the highest level, while British representation could come via Gidleigh Park from the yard of Harry Fry. Solness, trained by Joseph O’Brien, adds further substance following his recent efforts in Grade One company.
William Hill Champion Chase
€300,000 guaranteed, 5yo plus, 2m, Class 1
8 entries
Going:
Past Results:
Age/Wt: 8-11-12
Owner: Barry Connell
Trainer: Barry Connell
Jockey: Sean Flanagan
Age/Wt: 8-11-12
Owner: R A Bartlett
Trainer: Joseph O'Brien
Jockey: J J Slevin
Age/Wt: 9-11-12
Owner: Tony Bloom
Trainer: Willie Mullins
Jockey: Paul Townend
Age/Wt: 8-11-12
Owner: Tony Bloom
Trainer: Willie Mullins
Jockey: Paul Townend
Age/Wt: 9-12-00
Owner: E O'Connell
Trainer: Willie Mullins
Jockey: Paul Townend
(Covid-19)
Age/Wt: 11-11-12
Owner: E O'Connell
Trainer: Willie Mullins
Jockey: Paul Townend
Age/Wt: 10-11-12
Owner: E O'Connell
Trainer: Willie Mullins
Jockey: Mr P W Mullins
Age/Wt: 7-11-12
Owner: Ann & Alan Potts Limited
Trainer: C L Tizzard
Jockey: R M Power
Age/Wt: 8-11-12
Owner: Crossed Fingers P’ship
Trainer: T R George
Jockey: P J Brennan
Age/Wt: 9-11-12
Owner: Andrea & Graham Wylie
Trainer: Willie Mullins
Jockey: Danny Mullins
Age/Wt: 12-11-12
Owner: Ann & Alan Potts P’ship
Trainer: Henry de Bromhead
Jockey: Andrew Lynch
Age/Wt: 7-11-12
Owner: Mrs Caroline Mould
Trainer: Nicky Henderson GB
Jockey: Barry Geraghty
Age/Wt: 10-11-12
Owner: Ann & Alan Potts P’ship
Trainer: Henry de Bromhead
Jockey: Andrew Lynch
Age/Wt: 10-11-12
Owner: Pat Redmond
Trainer: Colm Murphy
Jockey: Barry Geraghty
Age/Wt: 8-11-12
Owner: Violet O’Leary
Trainer: Willie Mullins
Jockey: Paul Townend
Age/Wt: 6-11-12
Owner: Clive Smith
Trainer: Paul Nicholls GB
Jockey: Ruby Walsh
Age/Wt: 6-11-12
Owner: Barry Fulton, Tony Hayward, Michael Lynch
Trainer: Paul Nicholls GB
Jockey: Ruby Walsh
Age/Wt: 8-11-12
Owner: Michael Mulholland
Trainer: Arthur Moore
Jockey: Davy Russell
Age/Wt: 8-11-12
Owner: Mary Hayes
Trainer: John Murphy
Jockey: Andrew McNamara
Age/Wt: 9-11-12
Owner: One-O-Eight Racing Club
Trainer: Eamon Sheehy
Jockey: Shay Barry
Age/Wt: 10-11-12
Owner: Brian Kearney
Trainer: Jessica Harrington
Jockey: Barry Geraghty
Age/Wt: 9-12-00
Owner: J P McManus
Trainer: Philip Hobbs GB
Jockey: Richard Johnson
Age/Wt: 9-12-00
Owner: Michael McGrath
Trainer: Noel Meade
Jockey: Paul Carberry
Age/Wt: 9-12-00
Owner: Sport Racing Club
Trainer: Willie Mullins
Jockey: Ruby Walsh
Age/Wt: 9-11-06
Owner: Pioneer Heat-Treatment
Trainer: Nicky Henderson GB
Jockey: Mick Fitzgerald
Age/Wt: 8-11-09
Owner: Stamford Bridge P’ship
Trainer: Charlie Mann GB
Jockey: Richard Dunwoody
Age/Wt: 10-10-11
Owner: Ted Benfield & Bill Brown
Trainer: Nicky Henderson GB
Jockey: Mick Fitzgerald
Age/Wt: 8-12-00
Owner: Chris Jones
Trainer: Arthur Moore
Jockey: Francis Woods
Age/Wt: 7-12-00
Owner: Chris Jones
Trainer: Arthur Moore
Jockey: Francis Woods
Age/Wt: 7-11-01
Owner: Theresa McCoubrey
Trainer: Paddy Burke
Jockey: Conor O’Dwyer
Age/Wt: 8-10-12
Owner: Dermot Cox
Trainer: Homer Scott
Jockey: Kevin O’Brien
Age/Wt: 6-10-07
Owner: Roach Foods Ltd
Trainer: David Nicholson GB
Jockey: Richard Dunwoody
Age/Wt: 10-10-07
Owner: Mrs Seamus Purcell
Trainer: Michael Purcell
Jockey: Jason Titley
Age/Wt: 7-9-11
Owner: Dr Michael Smurfit
Trainer: Arthur Moore
Jockey: Charlie Swan
Age/Wt: 6-10-06
Owner: D M Murphy
Trainer: Austin Leahy
Jockey: Gerry O’Neill
Age/Wt: 9-12-00
Owner: Mrs M Marshall
Trainer: Jerry O’Neill
Jockey: Padge Gill
Age/Wt: 7-9-07
Owner: Mrs V O’Leary
Trainer: Tony Redmond
Jockey: Brendan Powell
Age/Wt: 11-10-12
Owner: Mrs Y Rock
Trainer: Billy Rock
Jockey: Conor O’Dwyer
Age/Wt: 7-9-07
Owner: S Lucey
Trainer: M McGrath
Jockey: J P Byrne
Age/Wt: 7-11-07
Owner: Mrs S Purcell
Trainer: Mouse Morris
Jockey: Tommy Carmody
Age/Wt: 7-12-00
Owner: Mrs M Kelly
Trainer: Tom Costello
Jockey: Mr Tom Costello
Age/Wt: 8-9-07
Owner: M McDonagh
Trainer: Paddy Norris
Jockey: Paul Leech
Age/Wt: 9-11-03
Owner: Exors of Patrick Downey
Trainer: Dessie Hughes
Jockey: Tom Morgan
Age/Wt: 8-10-10
Owner: Patrick Downey
Trainer: Dessie Hughes
Jockey: Frank Leavy
Age/Wt: 7-11-04
Owner: P Rooney
Trainer: Pat Rooney
Jockey: S Lynch
