As April turned to May, the racing calendar delivered top-class action for fans of both codes. County Kildare was the centre of the jumps racing world as the 2026 edition of the Punchestown Festival sprang into life. As has so often been the case, Willie Mullins was the man to follow at the five-day fixture, as the Closutton maestro wheeled out a selection of his Cheltenham Festival heroes. Away from the Mullins onslaught, one of the most compelling Punchestown storylines came from the yard of Henry de Bromhead. Making his final racecourse appearance, the much-loved Bob Olinger delighted fans with one last hurrah.
With the Punchestown Festival in full flow, Newmarket stepped into the spotlight with the three-day Guineas Festival. Home to the opening Classics of the year, the feature contests produced two brilliant winners, who seem sure to play a starring role in the 2026 campaign.
Mullins Dominates Punchestown Festival
| Day | Race | Winner |
|---|---|---|
| Tue | Killashee Hotel Handicap Hurdle (Listed) | Kalix Delabarriere |
| Tue | William Hill Champion Chase (Grade 1) | Il Etait Temps |
| Tue | Willie Coonan Memorial INH Flat Race | Delamotte |
| Wed | Ladbrokes Punchestown Gold Cup (Grade 1) | Gaelic Warrior |
| Wed | Weatherbys Mares INH Flat Race | Even Tho |
| Thu | Specialist Group Novice Hurdle | Beauvallon |
| Thu | Barberstown Castle Novice Chase (Grade 1) | Salvator Mundi |
| Fri | Glencarraig Lady Francis Flood Mares Chase | Dinoblue |
| Fri | QuinnBet Novice Handicap Chase (Listed) | Funiculi Funicula |
| Fri | Alanna Homes Champion Novice Hurdle (Grade 1) | King Rasko Grey |
| Fri | Boodles Champion Hurdle (Grade 1) | Lossiemouth |
| Sat | DAR Golf Handicap Chase | Uncle Pat |
| Sat | SBK Irish EBF Mares Champion Hurdle (Grade 1) | Place De La Nation |
As ever, the cream of the Irish National Hunt talent descended upon Punchestown for a five-day feast of action. Marking the official end of the 2025/26 Irish jumps season, this bumper fixture crammed in 12 Grade 1 contests, including Punchestown versions of the Champion Hurdle, Queen Mother Champion Chase, Stayers Hurdle, and Cheltenham Gold Cup. When all was said and done, Willie Mullins had claimed half of those top-tier contests, including three of the four signature events.
Mullins made a flying start to the meeting with an opening day hat-trick headlined by a dominant display from Il Etait Temps in the William Hill Champion Chase. Ten lengths too good for his rivals in the Queen Mother Champion Chase, he confirmed his status as the king of the two-mile division with a five-length verdict over Marine Nationale.
The Mullins tally continued to tick over on Day 2, with Gaelic Warrior the clear highlight of a double on the card. Fresh from a wonderful performance in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, the Rich Ricci star proved that it was no fluke with an equally staggering display. Having skipped his Cheltenham Festival assignment on account of the ground, Fact To File looked like a big threat on paper. That threat did not materialise on the track as Gaelic Warrior nonchalantly cruised past his stablemate to score by an incredible 26 lengths.
Following a double on Day 3, Mullins fired in a four-timer on Day 4. Dinoblue and King Rasko Grey backed up their Cheltenham Festival victories, but the star of the show was the lovable mare Lossiemouth. Having fulfilled her Champion Hurdle destiny in March, the talented grey was once again streets ahead of her rivals in the Boodles Champion Hurdle.
A final Grade 1 arrived on the closing day, as Place De La Nation unexpectedly lowered the colours of Gordon Elliott’s winning machine Wodhooh in the SBK Irish EBF Mares Champion Hurdle.
Having briefly looked in doubt, Mullins’ Punchestown performance ensured he overhauled Gordon Elliott to win the Irish Trainer’s Championship for a 02th time.
Brilliant Bob Finishes on a High
Of the four biggest events at the Punchestown Festival, the Ladbrokes Champion Stayers Hurdle was the only one to elude the Mullins grip. Mullins came close, with Jimmy Du Seuil storming home to finish a fine second, but he couldn’t quite reel in one of the most popular winners of the week.
Bob clearly read the script for that one…
What a way to finish his career, with a 5th Grade 1 in the Ladbrokes Champion Stayers Hurdle.
Thank you for everything Bob, and happy retirement🖤🩷🤍 pic.twitter.com/wMNBBPsOCW
— Henry de Bromhead (@HenrydeBromhead) April 30, 2026
A living legend at the yard of Henry de Bromhead, Bob Olinger graced the track for the final time in the Day 3 feature. While yet to win at the Punchestown Festival, the Robcour-owned star had compiled an incredible record at the Cheltenham Festival. Making four appearances at the March showpiece, Bob Olinger bagged a trio of Grade 1 wins in the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle (2021), the Turners Novices’ Chase (2022), and the Stayers’ Hurdle (2025).
Such a career deserved to end in the winners’ enclosure, and the 11-year-old appeared to have read the script. The betting market suggested he may play second fiddle to the reigning champion, Teahupoo, but Bob Olinger would not be denied his final moment of glory. Travelling well into the straight, he comfortably overhauled Teahupoo before fending off the late thrust of Jimmy Du Seuil. A fitting finale for a horse who deserves to be mentioned alongside Henry de Bromhead’s greatest performers.
Bow Hits 2,000 Guineas Target and True Love Too Good in Fillies Event
As the Punchestown Festival drew to a close, Newmarket set the stage for one of the most anticipated meetings of the British flat season. With the Epsom Derby and Oaks and the Doncaster St Leger still to come, the 2026 Classic campaign began with the Guineas Festival.
The colts were the first to tackle the famous Rowley Mile course in what looked like an open edition of the 2,000 Guineas. Aidan O’Brien’s Gstaad headed the betting and ran well to fill the runners-up position – finishing fully eight lengths clear of the third-place finisher.
2000 Guineas 2026 Result
| Pos | Horse | SP | Trainer | Jockey |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Bow Echo | 9/2 | George Boughey | Billy Loughnane |
| 2nd | Gstaad | 3/1JF | Aidan O’Brien | Ryan Moore |
| 3rd | Distant Storm | 3/1JF | Charlie Appleby | William Buick |
Unfortunately for Gstaad, this was the day that the George Boughey-trained Bow Echo announced himself as a genuine superstar. Having hinted at brilliance during a perfect juvenile campaign, the mount of Billy Loughnane travelled supremely well before quickening into the lead to win by two and three-quarters of a length. Now unbeaten in four career outings, he became the first horse since Frankel to complete the Royal Lodge Stakes and 2,000 Guineas double.
Forced to settle for second in the 2,000 Guineas, Aidan O’Brien went one better in the 1,000 Guineas on Sunday afternoon. The market suggested that Fillies’ Mile winner Precise was the one to beat, but in the end, it was the apparent Ballydoyle second-string True Love who came out on top.
1000 Guineas 2026 Result
| Pos | Horse | SP | Trainer | Jockey |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | True Love | 5/1 | Aidan O’Brien | Wayne Lordan |
| 2nd | Evolutionist | 16/1 | Karl Burke | Shane Foley |
| 3rd | Venetian Lace | 33/1 | Charlie Johnston | Jason Hart |
Travelling well throughout, the strapping daughter of No Nay Never clicked smoothly into top gear for Wayne Lordan at the furlong pole. Answering any stamina concerns, she kept up the gallop on her way to a comfortable victory by a length and three-quarters. Now a group winner at five furlongs, six furlongs, seven furlongs, and a mile, this rare talent is the one to beat in the major one-mile fillies’ events to come, including the Irish 1,000 Guineas and Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot.
