Day one of the 2026 Punchestown Festival features a trio of Grade One contests, but the highlight is undoubtedly the €300,000 Champion Chase at 18:05.
Moscow Flyer, Master Minded, Sizing Europe, Sprinter Sacre and Un De Sceaux all appear on a stellar roll of honour for this two-mile contest.
This year’s renewal features two former winners and we’ve ranked all five runners in reverse order:
Betting Odds
Punchestown Champion Chase 2026 Odds
Horse | Odds | Chance |
|---|---|---|
Il Etait Temps | EVS | 50.0% |
Marine Nationale | 9/4 | 30.8% |
Majborough | 5/2 | 28.6% |
Energumene | 28/1 | 3.4% |
Blood Destiny | 80/1 | 1.2% |
*Prices are subject to fluctuation
Punchestown Champion Chase Tips
Punchestown Champion Chase Tips: All Five Runners Ranked
5. Blood Destiny
5. Blood Destiny – 80/1
Willie Mullins has won this race a record eight times but has three other stronger entries this season than this rank outsider, who has been in solid form but has over 20lb to find with our selection on official ratings.
4. Energumene
4. Energumene – 28/1
This valiant veteran has been a magnificent servant for Mullins, posting 14 victories from 22 outings under Rules, including 2022 and 2023 triumphs in this event.
A six-length defeat of Blood Destiny at Fairyhouse earlier this month showed Energumene’s spirit is still as willing as ever, but his exploits over the previous 18 months suggest it will be a surprise if he can live with the big three here at the age of 12.
3. Marine Nationale
3. Marine Nationale – 9/4
On his best form, Barry Connell’s charge is more than capable of gatecrashing the Mullins party, with last season’s comfortable success in this race having followed on from a wide-margin triumph in the Cheltenham equivalent.
Marine Nationale was only a moderate second to Majborough when last seen in action at the Dublin Racing Festival and had to miss Cheltenham due to a setback, but the big question is whether that will prove a blessing in disguise.
“I think spring ground and going there fresh are all positives for him,” insisted Connell, who is hoping the application of cheekpieces might give his stable star an added edge at the start. “He’s won off long breaks before and he’s probably the easiest horse in the yard to get fit.”
Il Etait Temps
2. Il Etait Temps – EVS
Having looked just a little bit below elite level early on in his career, the eight-year-old has flourished over fences, despite a significant injury setback that kept him off for almost a year.
Il Etait Temps signed off his novice chasing campaign by beating Gaelic Warrior over this course and distance and then bounced back from a lengthy lay-off to brush aside Jonbon in the Celebration Chase at Sandown around this time last term.
There has been just one blip during the current campaign, when suffering a tired fall at Ascot in January, but he emphatically erased those memories by hacking up in the Champion Chase at Cheltenham, so can’t be opposed lightly.
Majborough
1. Majborough – 5/2
Cut a forlorn figure at Cheltenham as the Prestbury Park obstacles proved his undoing for the second straight season and there is always a question mark over his sketchy jumping.
However, the 2024 Triumph Hurdle hero has a huge engine and is fancied to redeem his lofty reputation if getting into a smooth rhythm over these more straightforward fences.
Last year’s Punchestown Festival Arkle triumph was impressive despite jumping left on occasions, while a 19-length demolition of Marine Nationale to make it back-to-back DRF victories showcased Majborough’s incredible talent to the full.
“There’s certain days he looks fantastic and other days he doesn’t – we haven’t got the finished product yet,” admitted Mullins, but we feel this set-up suits the six-year-old well enough.
Betting Tips
Punchestown Champion Chase Prediction
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