Punchestown delivers 19th national title for Kilkenny trainer Willie Mullins

There was a champion feel to Punchestown for Willie Mullins as the curtain came down on the 2025 festival, the biggest ever on record at the County Kildare venue.

The Closutton trainer recorded 15 winners across the five days of racing, cementing his champion trainer title. Ten of those were Grade 1s and notably, they were supplied for eight different owners.

Six different jockeys did the successful steering for the man who was crowed champion trainer for the 19th time but Paul Townend, who regained his champion jockey title to bring his tally of titles to seven, was his most successful rider, with five of the Corkman’s six triumphs for the boss at elite level.

All champions for the 2024/2025 Irish National Hunt season were announced at the final day of Punchestown.

The Champion Conditional title was an extremely close contest with Tiernan Power Roche and John Shinnick fighting it out right up to and including today, the last day of the season. Tiernan Power Roche came out on top to join Champion Owner JP McManus, Trainer Willie Mullins, Jockey Paul Townend, Lady Amateur Jody Townend, Amateur Patrick Mullins, and Mr Martin Heydon TD, Minister for Agriculture, Food, Fisheries and the Marine on the podium.

Among Mullins’ haul Galopin Des Champs, the horse labelled by his trainer, Willie Mullins as ‘one of the best chasers we have ever had’ entering the winner’s enclosure after trouncing the opposition to put his name on the Ladbrokes Punchestown Gold Cup roll of honour for the first time.

It was a second festival success and a third at the track for Audrey Turley’s equine royal, but his previous two attempts at following up Cheltenham glory at the Punchestown Festival had fallen foul of the absent Fastorslow and perhaps the endeavours of emptying the tank up that testing hill the previous month.

It is perhaps ironic, that in failing to secure a third straight Cheltenham Gold Cup triumph, that Galopin’s jockey Paul Townend may have sown the seeds for success by accepting defeat as Inothewayurthinkin galloped away.

Fastorslow wasn’t around either but King George VI winner Banbridge was. So too was dual Grade 1 novice chase victor Spillane’s Tower and Monty’s Star, just denied by Spillane’s Tower here 12 months ago. The early signs were ominous for the opposition however, as Townend was allowed point Galopin Des Champs forward and after two fences, it was obvious that they were much happier than at any point at Prestbury Park last March.

The only moment of concern was when the son of Timos, who at nine should know better, appeared to consider heading for the exit just as they began to head out to the country for the final time.

Once gotten back on an even keel, he continued to jump without fuss and out the back, the hum of the stands began to increase as the Townend went through the gears and the lead increased. Briefly, the tracking trio ate into the deficit but after the third last, when Spillane’s Tower made a mistake, it was all over bar a fall.

Townend could have afforded to take the last two in the straight safely, but he wanted his partner to show what was under the bonnet before a deserved holiday.

Each cleared jump prompted loud cheers, which hit a crescendo passing the line, with an exultant Townend saluting the crowds.

Spillane’s Tower, on his first run since disappointing in the King George VI Chase on St Stephen’s Day battled on to be second, 22 lengths in arrears, with Monty’s Star two and a quarter lengths further back in third.

“He was back to his best, he was jumping at his ease,” Mullins declared. “Paul was just full of confidence in him. To win that race by 22 lengths was awesome. To me it was awesome anyway.

“Paul wasn’t taking no for an answer at any stage. He said he wanted to put them to the sword and he did.

“Good horses deserve to run in good races and good races deserve to have good horses at big meetings like Punchestown.”

An all-time record-breaking attendance of 136,651 was recorded across the five days of the national hunt racing festival, with Ladies Day on Friday attracting the greatest numbers when 42,138 attendees turned out in their finery for the annual social and sporting highlight of the season.

“The glorious weather ensured another beano festival here at Punchestown,” said Conor O’Neill, CEO Punchestown.

“People make Punchestown and we’re so grateful to our sponsors, many stakeholders and everyone who came along to support us. I’m also delighted for everyone who played a part in making it such a great success.”