Flying start to Punchestown by Kildare trainers
They came early and they came in their thousands from far and near and further afield as Punchestown Festival 2026 got underway at Ireland’s 2025 Racecourse of the Year on Tuesday afternoon. It may have been dull and overcast with a biting wind whipping round the plains of Punchestown but that didn’t deter the punters who came to enjoy a festival of racing and a renewal of some of the great racing rivalries from Cheltenham, Fairyhouse, Aintree and elsewhere. There were plenty of shocks but the punters got plenty of value for money over the seven-race card on the day.
While his wonder horse, Marine Nationale, had to settle for second place behind Willie Mullins’ star, It Etait Temps in the feature William Hill Champion Steeplechase in the second last race of the day, Curragh based trainer, Barry Connell, had plenty to smile about as his horse, Eachtotheirown, had over four lengths to spare in capturing the opening Grade 1 race of Punchestown 2026, The PRL Champion Novice Hurdle under Sean Flanagan. Speaking to The Kildare Nationalist after the race Barry Connell said he was confident that the horse would claim the victory. “
The only scare was at the first where he landed a bit steep. He did the same in Thurles; he just has a lot of push from behind. After that it was an easy watch, he got an uncontested lead. He jumped great, maybe give a little bit of air. He jumps more like a chaser,” he said. Looking to the future Connell said, “He’s an Arkle horse for next year all day long. That was going to be his last run over hurdles, no matter what. He has plenty of speed and he settles away in front but he just didn’t settle in Cheltenham. He was way too keen.”
Concluding the co-owner of Eachtotheirown along with Tim O’Driscoll said, “It’s fantastic. We were lucky enough to win the Grade 1 with Marine (Nationale) here last year and we have three runners this week, all in good Grade 1’s. We thought this guy had a very good each way chance and I think the other two will run very well as well.”
A very popular winner always at Punchestown Festivals is Jessica Harrington and the Moone based trainer didn’t disappoint in the Albert Bartlett Triple Crown Series Final Handicap Hurdle. She saddled the 9/1 JP McManus owned, Powerful to a half a length victory over 2m 3 ½ F with Simon Torrens on board. “I’m absolutely delighted with that victory,” Mrs Harrington told The Kildare Nationalist after the race. “It kind of was in the plan but you know the best laid plans sometimes don’t work out but he looked very good. He jumped super and did everything right. It’s brilliant. I love it. It’s my home track. It means everything to me and they do a great job here.”
The opening race on Day 1 of Punchestown 2026 went the way of Kildangan based trainer Ian McCarthy. His horse, Fountain House, was a very popular winner of the popular Kildare Hunt Club Cross Country Steeplechase for the Ladies Cup, a 9/4 favourite. Speaking to The Kildare Nationalist Galway native and former jockey, McCarthy said, “I’m very happy. He was very impressive. It was the plan all year to come here and it has worked out. I didn’t think he’d do it that easy but he’s a proper horse. Hopefully we’ll get him home and you might see him later in the week.” Fountain House returned to the winners’ enclosure to a rousing reception. “Look he’s a family-owned horse,” Ian McCarthy told us.
“Eoin Mahon, his regular rider, unfortunately was injured so he just missed out but it was him that got me to buy him and he hasn’t looked back since we got him.” McCarthy described his own work at his Kildangan base as “mainly breaking and pretraining but we keep a couple of these for the enjoyment. You’ll see him here maybe Friday or Saturday, we’ll see, we’ll get him home first.”
Nurney based trainer, Martin Brassil, has won many big races in his time including the Thyestes Stakes in Gowran Park and the Aintree Grand National but his victory with Abbeyglen in the Goffs Defender Bumper on Day 1 of Punchestown 2026 gave him as much satisfaction as some of those bigger achievements. Owed by Ballymore’s Sean and Bernadette Mulryan the horse came home in style at 11/2 second favourite under teenage jockey, John Gleeson. “The race opened up lovely for his,” Martin Brassil told The Kildare Nationalist afterwards. “He’s just a big long striding horse and he travelled into the race well.” “He’s very honest, has a good mind and he stayed well. Everyone likes to win a race like this and when you buy a horse at those sales you try and find out within six months or so if he can turn up and take part,” Martin Brassil said of the horse that was bought last June and has been in training for five months.
“He’ll be a lovely horse to go jumping with and that’s where his future will lie,” the Clare native and Nurney based trainer told us.
“Punchestown is probably my favourite track and it’s so good to have a winner here, especially at the Festival.”
Looking ahead to the remainder of the week Martin Brassil said, “I have another maybe five runners including Desertmore House in the Le Touche on Thursday and I have three in the Bumper on Friday. They all have bits of chances and I have a nice four-year-old, Bartholomew, in the Four-Year-Old Champion Hurdle on Saturday that might have an outside chance of getting in the money.”
