The Champion INH Flat Race is a Grade 1 National Hunt flat race in Ireland for amateur riders which is open to racing horses aged four to seven years. It is run at Punchestown over a distance of about 2 miles and ½ furlong (2 miles and 70 yards, or 3,283 metres), and it is scheduled to take place each year during the Punchestown Festival in late April or early May.
The event was sponsored by the bookmaker Paddy Power from 1999 to 2011, by betchronicle.com in 2012, Betdaq in 2013, attheraces from 2014 to 2016 and the Racing Post from 2017 to 2019. The current sponsor is Race and Stay. It was formerly open to horses aged four or older, but an upper age limit of seven was introduced in 2007.
The field usually includes horses which ran previously in the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham, and both races were won by Cousin Vinny in 2008. The feat was repeated the following year by Dunguib, but he was later disqualified from the Irish version after testing positive for a banned substance. Three other horses have won both races; Fayonagh in 2017, Facile Vega in 2022 and A Dream To Share in 2023.
Records Leading jockey since 1992 (5 wins): Patrick Mullins - Cousin Vinny (2008), Lovethehigherlaw (2011), Champagne Fever (2012), Bellshill (2015), Facile Vega (2022)
Leading trainer since 1992 (13 wins): Willie Mullins - Maringo (1995), Cousin Vinny (2008), Lovethehigherlaw (2011), Champagne Fever (2012), Shaneshill (2014), Bellshill (2015), Blow By Blow (2016), Tornado Flyer (2018), Colreevy (2019), Kilcruit (2021), Facile Vega (2022), Redemption Day (2024), Bambino Fever (2025)
Winners since 1992 All amateur jockeys. Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer 1992 Tiananmen Square 4 Tim Hyde Noel Meade 1993 Dramatic Touch 5 David Marnane Liam Browne 1994 Aries Girl 5 Eoghan Norris Patrick J. "Pat" Flynn 1995 Maringo 6 Tony Martin Willie Mullins 1996 Noble Thyne 6 Tom Mullins Paddy Mullins 1997 Arctic Camper 5 Robert Thornton David Nicholson 1998 King's Road 5 Gordon Elliott Nigel Twiston-Davies 1999 Our Bid 8 Philip Carberry Kevin Prendergast 2000 Liss A Paoraigh 5 Paul Crowley John Kiely 2001 Like-A-Butterfly 7 J. T. McNamara Christy Roche 2002 Supreme Developer 5 Pat Murphy Tony Mullins 2003 Royal Rosa 4 Aidan Fitzgerald Nicky Henderson 2004 Geill Sli 6 Alan Crowe Noel Meade 2005 Refinement 6 Alan Berry Jonjo O'Neill 2006 Leading Run 7 Nina Carberry Noel Meade 2007 Mick the Man 6 Nina Carberry Noel Meade 2008 Cousin Vinny 5 Patrick Mullins Willie Mullins 2009 Sweeps Hill 5 J. P. Magnier John Kiely 2010 Hidden Universe 4 Robbie McNamara Dermot Weld 2011 Lovethehigherlaw 5 Patrick Mullins Willie Mullins 2012 Champagne Fever 5 Patrick Mullins Willie Mullins 2013 The Liquidator 5 Jane Mangan David Pipe 2014 Shaneshill 5 Jamie Codd Willie Mullins 2015 Bellshill 5 Patrick Mullins Willie Mullins 2016 Blow By Blow 5 Katie Walsh Willie Mullins 2017 Fayonagh 6 Jamie Codd Gordon Elliott 2018 Tornado Flyer 5 Richie Deegan Willie Mullins 2019 Colreevy 6 Jamie Codd Willie Mullins no race 2020 2021 Kilcruit 6 Derek O'Connor Willie Mullins 2022 Facile Vega 5 Patrick Mullins Willie Mullins 2023 A Dream To Share 5 John Gleeson John Kiely 2024 Redemption Day 7 Jody Townend Willie Mullins 2025 Bambino Fever 5 Jody Townend Willie Mullins 2026 With Nolimit 5 Josh Halford Gordon Elliott
See also Horse racing in Ireland List of Irish National Hunt races
References Racing Post: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , pedigreequery.com – Champion INH Flat Race – Punchestown. racenewsonline.co.uk – Racenews Archive (April 25, 2003).