The Alanna Homes Champion Novice Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race in Ireland which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Punchestown over a distance of about 2 miles and 4 furlongs (4,023 metres), and during its running there are twelve hurdles to be jumped. The race is for novice hurdlers, and it is scheduled to take place each year during the Punchestown Festival in late April or early May.
Previous sponsors of the race have included Menolly Homes, Dunboyne Castle Hotel and Land Rover. Swordlestown Stud, sponsored the race from 2010 to 2012 and it was named in memory of the stud's former owner Cathal Ryan. Tattersalls Ireland sponsored the race from 2013 to 2017 while Profile Systems were the 2018 sponsors. The current sponsor, Alanna Homes, began sponsoring the race in 2019.
The field usually includes horses which ran previously in the Gallagher Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham, and the last to win both races was King Rasko Grey in 2026.
Records Leading jockey since 1995 (8 wins): Ruby Walsh – Davenport (2002), Nobody Told Me (2003), Sadlers Wings (2004), Nicanor (2006), Glencove Marina (2007), Mikael d'Haguenet (2009), Vautour (2014), Nichols Canyon (2015)
Leading trainer since 1995 (15 wins): Willie Mullins – Davenport (2002), Nobody Told Me (2003), Sadlers Wings (2004), Glencove Marina (2007), Mikael d'Haguenet (2009), Un Atout (2013), Vautour (2014), Nichols Canyon (2015), Bacardys (2017), Gaillard Du Mesnil (2021), State Man (2022), Impaire Et Passe (2023), Ballyburn (2024), Final Demand (2025), King Rasko Grey (2026)
Winners since 1995 Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer 1995 Treble Bob 5 Richard Dunwoody Dermot Weld 1996 Castlekellyleader 7 Tommy Treacy Paddy Mullins 1997 Istabraq 5 Charlie Swan Aidan O'Brien 1998 Ballygowan Beauty 6 Conor O'Dwyer Michael Hourigan 1999 Native Upmanship 6 Tommy Treacy Arthur Moore 2000 What's Up Boys 6 Richard Johnson Philip Hobbs 2001 Colonel Braxton 6 Kieran Kelly Dessie Hughes 2002 Davenport 6 Ruby Walsh Willie Mullins 2003 Nobody Told Me 5 Ruby Walsh Willie Mullins 2004 Sadlers Wings 6 Ruby Walsh Willie Mullins 2005 Asian Maze 6 Paul Carberry Tom Mullins 2006 Nicanor 5 Ruby Walsh Noel Meade 2007 Glencove Marina 5 Ruby Walsh Willie Mullins 2008 Tranquil Sea 6 Andrew McNamara Edward O'Grady 2009 Mikael d'Haguenet 5 Ruby Walsh Willie Mullins 2010 Reve de Sivola 5 Daryl Jacob Nick Williams 2011 Spirit of Adjisa 7 Richard Johnson Tim Vaughan 2012 Dedigout 6 Davy Russell Tony Martin 2013 Un Atout 5 Davy Russell Willie Mullins 2014 Vautour 5 Ruby Walsh Willie Mullins 2015 Nichols Canyon 5 Ruby Walsh Willie Mullins 2016 Jer's Girl 4 Barry Geraghty Gavin Cromwell 2017 Bacardys 6 Patrick Mullins Willie Mullins 2018 Dortmund Park 5 Jack Kennedy Gordon Elliott 2019 Reserve Tank 5 Robbie Power Colin Tizzard no race 2020 2021 Gaillard Du Mesnil 5 Paul Townend Willie Mullins 2022 State Man 5 Paul Townend Willie Mullins 2023 Impaire Et Passe 5 Paul Townend Willie Mullins 2024 Ballyburn 6 Paul Townend Willie Mullins 2025 Final Demand 6 Paul Townend Willie Mullins 2026 King Rasko Grey 6 Paul Townend Willie Mullins
See also Horse racing in Ireland List of Irish National Hunt races
References
Racing Post: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , pedigreequery.com – Dunboyne Castle Champion Novice Hurdle – Punchestown. pedigreequery.com – Land Rover Champion Novice Hurdle – Punchestown. racenewsonline.co.uk – Racenews Archive (April 25, 2003).