Ladbrokes Punchestown Gold Cup |
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| Grade 1, Punchestown 17:30 €300,000 guaranteed, 5yo plus, 3m 1f, Class 1  |
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1 Gaelic Warrior 5/6F
2
Fact To File 13/8
3 Grangeclare West 28/1
5 ran Distances: 26l, 28l, 37l
Time: 6m 31.80s (slow by 4.30s)
Cheltenham hero Gaelic Warrior is majestic in the @Ladbrokes Punchestown Gold Cup! @punchestownrace pic.twitter.com/689GGOjTSl
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) April 29, 2026
Gaelic Warrior cemented his position as the outstanding staying chaser of the season with a display of rare authority, completing a notable double following his Cheltenham triumph.
The Willie Mullins-trained eight-year-old travelled with his customary fluency throughout, the 5/6 favourite always moving ominously well in the hands of Paul Townend as the race developed into a duel with stablemate and market rival Fact To File.
That contest came to a head between the fourth-last and third-last fences, where Gaelic Warrior loomed alongside the long-time leader, before asserting his superiority. Sent on with two to jump, he quickly put daylight between himself and his rival.
From there, the race was settled in decisive fashion, Gaelic Warrior bounding clear to score by a remarkable 26 lengths, with Fact To File, who had forced the pace, left toiling in his wake.
Mullins said: “It was a huge performance. My heart was in my mouth when Paul joined him (Fact To File) between the fourth-last and the third-last. I was thinking ‘would they knock one another’ or what would they do. They were going some lick.
“Both jockeys just let fly. Over that trip Gaelic Warrior seemed to have the measure of Fact To File. Over a shorter trip it might be different. It was a hell of a horse race. It takes two horses to do it. It was great that JP (McManus) allowed Fact To File to take him on. It made for a memorable day.
“Both horses got the run of the race the way they wanted to. Fact To File got a nice time in front and Paul was able to settle his fella in. Both jockeys got to ride their horse the way they wanted to. There were no excuses.”
Reflecting on his star’s busy campaign, he added: “He started off here in November and then on to Kempton (King George), Dublin Racing Festival, Cheltenham and here.
“It’s always my philosophy that if you have the horses and the sponsors put up nice money you should go for it.
“I try to run them as much as I can when we have nice opportunities.”
This was the third meeting between Gaelic Warrior and Fact To File this season, following earlier clashes in the John Durkan at Punchestown and the Irish Gold Cup, and further encounters may yet lie ahead.
“That would look the right plan to do,” Mullins said of a potential return to the John Durkan for Gaelic Warrior next term.
Owner Rich Ricci added: “We’ve never won this race before. It was very sporting of JP to run his horse, the ground probably didn’t suit him, but he’s a fantastic horse.
“I’m so pleased to win it. I’ve not been here since Ruby (Walsh) retired in 2019. I’ve been busy and we had covid and those kind of things.
“The people here are brilliant and I’m thrilled to win the race. I couldn’t be more delighted.”
Punchestown Gold Cup
€300,000 guaranteed, 5yo plus, 3m 1f, Class 1
5 ran
Going: Yielding
Past Results
Age: 9
Wt: 11-10
Owner: Mrs Audrey Turley
Trainer: W P Mullins
Jockey: Paul Townend
Age: 8
Wt: 11-10
Owner: Sean & Bernardine Mulryan
Trainer: Martin Brassil
Jockey: J J Slevin
Age: 7
Wt: 11-10
Owner: Sean & Bernardine Mulryan
Trainer: Martin Brassil
Jockey: J J Slevin
Age: 8
Wt: 11-10
Owner: Cheveley Park Stud
Trainer: W P Mullins
Jockey: Paul Townend
Age: 9
Wt: 11-12
Owner: Mr & Mrs P K Barber, G Mason & Sir A Ferguson
Trainer: Paul Nicholls
Jockey: Sam Twiston-Davies
Status: Covid-19
Age/Wt: 7-11-10
Owner: Kemboy/Brett Graham/Ken Sharp Syndicate
Trainer: Willie Mullins
Jockey: R Walsh
Age/Wt: 8-11-10
Owner: Andrea & Graham Wylie
Trainer: Willie Mullins
Jockey: DJ Mullins
Age/Wt: 7-11-10
Owner: Ann & Alan Potts Limited
Trainer: Mrs J Harrington
Jockey: R M Power
Age/Wt: 10-11-10
Owner: J P McManus
Trainer: John Kiely
Jockey: Barry Geraghty
Age/Wt: 8-11-10
Owner: Gigginstown House Stud
Trainer: Gordon Elliott
Jockey: Paul Carberry
Age/Wt: 9-11-10
Owner: Andrea & Graham Wylie
Trainer: Willie Mullins
Jockey: Ruby Walsh
Age/Wt: 7-11-10
Owner: Gigginstown House Stud
Trainer: Willie Mullins
Jockey: Davy Russell
Age/Wt: 9-11-10
Owner: Michael O’Flynn
Trainer: Mouse Morris
Jockey: Barry Geraghty
Age/Wt: 8-11-10
Owner: Redgap Partnership
Trainer: Oliver McKiernan
Jockey: Tom Doyle
Age/Wt: 8-11-10
Owner: Charles Lloyd-Baker
Trainer: Philip Hobbs GB
Jockey: Richard Johnson
Age/Wt: 8-11-10
Owner: Tilly Conway
Trainer: Jim Dreaper
Jockey: Andrew Lynch
Age/Wt: 7-11-10
Owner: John Hales
Trainer: Paul Nicholls GB
Jockey: Ruby Walsh
Age/Wt: 6-11-12
Owner: John Hales
Trainer: Paul Nicholls GB
Jockey: Ruby Walsh
Age/Wt: 7-11-12
Owner: Gigginstown House Stud
Trainer: Mouse Morris
Jockey: Conor O’Dwyer
Age/Wt: 7-11-12
Owner: Conor Clarkson
Trainer: Tom Taaffe
Jockey: Barry Geraghty
Age/Wt: 8-11-12
Owner: Joe Craig
Trainer: Michael Hourigan
Jockey: Timmy Murphy
Age/Wt: 10-12-00
Owner: J P McManus
Trainer: Francois Doumen FR
Jockey: Thierry Doumen
Age/Wt: 10-12-00
Owner: Violet O’Leary
Trainer: Willie Mullins
Jockey: Barry Geraghty
Age/Wt: 9-12-00
Owner: John Corr
Trainer: Frances Crowley
Jockey: Barry Geraghty
Age/Wt: 7-11-09
Owner: Dermot Desmond
Trainer: Ted Walsh
Jockey: Ruby Walsh
Age/Wt: 10-11-09
Owner: Lisselan Farms Ltd
Trainer: Raymond Hurley
Jockey: Ruby Walsh
Age/Wt: 8-10-12
Owner: English Badminton P’ship
Trainer: Nigel Twiston-Davies GB
Jockey: Carl Llewellyn
Age/Wt: 7-11-01
Owner: C H McGhie
Trainer: Richard Fahey GB
Jockey: Norman Williamson
Age/Wt: 7-11-03
Owner: Peter Cooper
Trainer: David Nicholson GB
Jockey: Richard Johnson
Age/Wt: 6-10-07
Owner: Bridget Kennedy
Trainer: Pat Fahy
Jockey: Francis Woods
Age/Wt: 6-12-00
Owner: Herb M Stanley
Trainer: Jim Dreaper
Jockey: Kevin O’Brien
Age/Wt: 7-11-01
Owner: Delton Syndicate
Trainer: Harry de Bromhead
Jockey: Graham Bradley
Age/Wt: 7-11-00
Owner: Hugh McMahon
Trainer: Arthur Moore
Jockey: Richard Dunwoody
Age/Wt: 7-10-07
Owner: Mrs Chris Harrington
Trainer: Arthur Bunyan
Jockey: Tommy Carmody
Age/Wt: 8-11-00
Owner: J Spearman
Trainer: Mouse Morris
Jockey: Charlie Swan
Age/Wt: 9-11-09
Owner: Mrs M Marshall
Trainer: Jerry O’Neill
Jockey: Padge Gill
Age/Wt: 12-10-07
Owner: E Morrissey
Trainer: Paddy Mullins
Jockey: Conor O’Dwyer
Age/Wt: 7-10-13
Owner: Brigadier B Fowler
Trainer: John Fowler
Jockey: Anthony Powell
Age/Wt: 8-10-01
Owner: N Coburn
Trainer: Paddy Mullins
Jockey: Tony Mullins
Age/Wt: 8-10-01
Owner: Miss A Collen
Trainer: Miss A Collen
Jockey: M Cummins
Age/Wt: 7-9-09
Owner: Mrs M Farrell
Trainer: Paddy Mullins
Jockey: Tony Mullins
Age/Wt: 7-10-08
Owner: William W Brainard Jnr
Trainer: Paddy Mullins
Jockey: Tony Mullins
Age/Wt: 7-10-09
Owner: M Aherne
Trainer: Francis Flood
Jockey: Frank Berry
Age/Wt: 7-10-01
Owner: John Brophy
Trainer: Paddy Mullins
Jockey: T V Finn
Age/Wt: 11-9-07
Owner: Mrs Charmian Hill
*Run at Fairyhouse
