See Andy Newton’s Punchestown Festival tips on Friday 1st 2026, for DAY FOUR of their five-day fixture.
With the fourth day seeing three more Grade One races that include the Boodles Champion Hurdle (6:40pm) – that sees the return of the Cheltenham Champion Hurdle winner Lossiemouth.
Punchestown Horse Racing Tips (Friday 1st May, 2026): A Day Of Three Short-Priced Favourites
ReadHorseRacing’s Andy Newton thoughts on the Grade One races at Punchestown on Friday.
Plus gives his Punchestown Festival tips ‘any other business’ on the rest of the card.
4:50 – Hanlon Concrete Irish EBF Glencarraig Lady Francis Flood Mares Chase (Grade 2) (5yo+) 2m4½f RTE2
This year’s Punchestown Festival has thrown-up a few shocks already this week – but I think it will be a surprise if DINOBLUE can’t win this race for a second year running.
She powered home by 35 lengths 12 months ago and despite this race looking a bit stronger than last year, she can go in again as the top-rated (159).
Dinoblue has returned this season in good form too – winning her last three starts, including the Mares’ Chase at Cheltenham last time.
Only By Night, who chased Dinoblue home last time (1 3/4) can do best of the rest. However, she’s still got a bit to prove over this 2m 4 1/2f trip.
Kala Conti and Spindleberry can fight it out for the bronze.
🥇DINOBLUE
🥈ONLY BY NIGHT
🥉SPINDLEBERRY
6:00 – Alanna Homes Champion Novice Hurdle (Grade 1) (4yo+) 2m4½f RTE2
Four of the last five runnings of this race has seen winning favourites – all trained by Willie Mullins and all ridden by Paul Townend.
And really that run is set to continue this season with the pair teaming up with KING RASKO GREY.
He was last seen winning the Turners at the Cheltenham Festival and despite facing quicker ground here. This also looks a weaker race.
The recent Mullins winners of this race had also run well at Cheltenham earlier this season (3 winning), so Rasko fits the bill on this score too.
Saint Baco, Kiely’s Place and Jalon d’Oudairies look the main players for the other podium places.
But it will be a shock if Rasko isn’t ‘king’ again here.
🥇KING RASKO GREY
🥈SAINT BACO
🥉JALON D’OUDAIRIES
6:40 – Boodles Champion Hurdle (Grade 1) (4yo+) 2m RTE2
The last of the day four hotpots is LOSSIEMOUTH, who heads here having finally won her Champion Hurdle and looks another bomb-proof favourite on the day.
Yes, this meeting does have a habit of throwing up shocks, but Lossiemouth rarely runs a bad one and is also 3-from-3 here at Punchestown.
She’s rated 12lbs higher than the 2025 Champion Hurdle winner Golden Ace, who comes here too.
And is 7lbs higher than both William Munny and Anzadam, plus gets 7lbs off the pair too.
Lossie, who became a millionaire when winning the Champion Hurdle, can add another €176k to her tally here.
Golden Ace can follow Lossiemouth home and make it a ‘Girl Power’ 1-2.
🥇LOSSIEMOUTH (NAP)
🥈GOLDEN ACE
🥉ANZADAM
Punchestown Horse Racing Tips – Day Three: Any Other Business Thoughts
From the other races on the Punchestown Festival Friday card I think Whimsy is worth a second glance in the 7:10pm.
This 7yold fell the last time she ran over hurdles at Leopardstown in March. But has since been running well on the flat, including at Musselburgh only last Sunday.
She’s raced twice at Punchestown and been second both times.
It’s On The Line looks to bounce back in the 4:15pm Hunters’ Chase – a race he’s won for the last two seasons.
He can have most to fear from Panda Boy, who was 5th in the Cheltenham Foxhunters’.
The 5:25pm is a tough race, with many chances, but Willie Mullins has won 70% of the last 10 and has an army.
Of his bunch Paul Townend has picked Funiculi Funicula.
While in the 7:40pm – INH Flat race – this is a race the Martin Brassil yard have won twice in the last six years and so their Cityofblindinlites and Ladbroke Grove could be worth coupling up.
With the former running second to the Cheltenham Bumper winner The Mourne Rambler on Boxing Day at Leopardstown.
