The Punchestown Champion Chase, currently known for sponsorship purposes as the William Hill Champion Chase, is a Grade 1 National Hunt steeplechase in Ireland which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run at Punchestown over a distance of about 2 miles and half a furlong (3,219 metres) and during its running there are eleven fences to be jumped. The race is scheduled to take place each year during the Punchestown Festival in late April.
It was formerly a handicap race, and for much of the 1990s and early 2000s it was usually sponsored by BMW. It became a conditions race in 1999, and it was subsequently backed by Betdaq (2004) and Kerrygold (2005–09) and Boylesports (2010–19). The present sponsor, William Hill, began to support the event in 2021.
The field usually includes horses which ran previously in the Queen Mother Champion Chase, and the last to win both races in the same year was Il Etait Temps in 2026.
Records Most successful horse since 1950 (2 wins): Shower of Silver – 1955, 1956 Muir – 1969, 1970 Skymas – 1972, 1973 Light the Wad – 1981, 1982 Klairon Davis – 1996, 1997 Sizing Europe - 2012, 2014 Un de Sceaux - 2018, 2019 Energumene- 2022, 2023
Leading jockey since 1950 (6 wins): Paul Townend - Golden Silver (2010), Un de Sceaux (2019), Chacun Pour Soi (2021), Energumene (2022,2023), Il Etait Temps (2026)
Leading trainer since 1950 (9 wins): Willie Mullins - Micko's Dream (2001), Golden Silver (2010), Felix Yonger (2015), Un de Sceaux (2018,2019), Chacun Pour Soi (2021), Energumene (2022,2023), Il Etait Temps (2026)
Winners since 1980 Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer 1980 Paddy Bouler 7 S. Lynch Pat Rooney 1981 Light the Wad 8 Frank Leavy Dessie Hughes 1982 Light the Wad 9 Tom Morgan Dessie Hughes 1983 Turloughmore Lad 8 Pat Leech Paddy Norris 1984 Travelowen 7 Tom Costello Tom Costello 1985 Buck House 7 Tommy Carmody Mouse Morris 1986 Another Brownie 7 Joe Byrne M. J. McGrath 1987 Eddie Wee 11 Conor O'Dwyer Billy Rock 1988 Flying Ferret 7 Brendan Powell Tony Redmond 1989 Super Furrow 9 Padge Gill Jerry O'Neill 1990 Rust Never Sleeps 6 Gerry O'Neill Augustine Leahy 1991 Good for a Laugh 7 Charlie Swan Arthur Moore 1992 The Musical Priest 10 Jason Titley Michael Purcell 1993 Viking Flagship 6 Richard Dunwoody David Nicholson 1994 Saraemma 8 Kevin O'Brien Homer Scott 1995 Strong Platinum 7 Conor O'Dwyer Paddy Burke 1996 Klairon Davis 7 Francis Woods Arthur Moore 1997 Klairon Davis 8 Francis Woods Arthur Moore 1998 Big Matt 10 Mick Fitzgerald Nicky Henderson 1999 Celibate 8 Richard Dunwoody Charlie Mann 2000 Get Real 9 Mick Fitzgerald Nicky Henderson 2001 Micko's Dream 9 Ruby Walsh Willie Mullins 2002 Strong Run 9 Paul Carberry Noel Meade 2003 Flagship Uberalles 9 Richard Johnson Philip Hobbs 2004 Moscow Flyer 10 Barry Geraghty Jessica Harrington 2005 Rathgar Beau 9 Shay Barry Dusty Sheehy 2006 Newmill 8 Andrew McNamara John Joseph Murphy 2007 Mansony 8 Davy Russell Arthur Moore 2008 Twist Magic 6 Ruby Walsh Paul Nicholls 2009 Master Minded 6 Ruby Walsh Paul Nicholls 2010 Golden Silver 8 Paul Townend Willie Mullins 2011 Big Zeb 10 Barry Geraghty Colm Murphy 2012 Sizing Europe 10 Andrew Lynch Henry de Bromhead 2013 Sprinter Sacre 7 Barry Geraghty Nicky Henderson 2014 Sizing Europe 12 Andrew Lynch Henry de Bromhead 2015 Felix Yonger 9 Danny Mullins Willie Mullins 2016 God's Own 8 Paddy Brennan Tom George 2017 Fox Norton 7 Robbie Power Colin Tizzard 2018 Un de Sceaux 10 Patrick Mullins Willie Mullins 2019 Un de Sceaux 11 Paul Townend Willie Mullins no race 2020 2021 Chacun Pour Soi 9 Paul Townend Willie Mullins 2022 Energumene 8 Paul Townend Willie Mullins 2023 Energumene 9 Paul Townend Willie Mullins 2024 Banbridge 8 JJ Slevin Joseph O'Brien 2025 Marine Nationale 8 Sean Flanagan Barry Connell 2026 Il Etait Temps 8 Paul Townend Willie Mullins
Earlier winners
1950 – Melman 1951 – Third Estate 1952 – Clonfert 1953 – Tumble Weed 1954 – Nas Na Riogh 1955 – Shower of Silver 1956 – Shower of Silver 1957 – Jack's the Boy 1958 – Hern's Gift 1959 – Marchioness Bay 1960 – Some Other Day 1961 – Fortria 1962 – Highfield Lad 1963 – Scottish Memories 1964 – Flying Wind 1965 – Belle Artiste 1966 – Dicky May 1967 – Ronan 1968 – Black Ice 1969 – Muir 1970 – Muir 1971 – East Bound 1972 – Skymas 1973 – Skymas 1974 – Tingle Creek 1975 – Our Albert 1976 – High School 1977 – Simaroon 1978 – Shining Flame 1979 – Scottish Maid
See also Horse racing in Ireland List of Irish National Hunt races
References Racing Post: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
pedigreequery.com – Kerrygold Champion Chase – Punchestown. racenewsonline.co.uk – Racenews Archive (April 25, 2003).