Following the thrilling conclusion to the 2024/25 National Hunt campaign at Sandown, racing fans have little time to draw breath before the next stream of highlights hurtle into view.
As April turns to May, the Irish demonstrate that they aren’t ready to wave goodbye to the jumps season just yet with the annual edition of the five-day Punchestown Festival. On the domestic front, the midweek flat action is a notch above average as the week builds to the crescendo of the Guineas Meeting at Newmarket. Who will be the opening Classic kings and queens of 2025?
Quality Midweek Flat Entertainment
The twin titans of the Punchestown Festival and Newmarket Guineas Festival dominate the racing landscape next week. However, it isn’t all about events in Suffolk and County Kildare, with several quality contests on offer elsewhere.
Tuesday sees Nottingham host one of its biggest contests of the year in the shape of the Nottinghamshire Oaks. One day later, the Ascot Trials Day fixture includes warm-up events for the Gold Cup, Commonwealth Cup, and Queen Anne Stakes.
Chelmsford keeps the Listed Class action coming on Thursday with the Chelmer Fillies Stakes, whilst Goodwood’s Friday/Saturday double bill includes the Listed duo of the Daisy Warwick Fillies’ Stakes and the William Hill Conqueror Fillies’ Stakes.
Punchestown Festival Strides Into View
Impressive as the midweek flat action is, it lies in the shadow of the Grade 1 overload from Punchestown. Kicking off on Tuesday, 29th April, and concluding on Saturday, 3rd May, this five-day bonanza features no fewer than 12 top-level events.
Day 1 sees the return of Supreme Novices’ Hurdle champ Kopek Des Bordes in the Champion Novice Hurdle, and we have a Fact To File vs Marine Nationale contest in the William Hill Champion Chase. Ballyburn will also attempt to restore his dented reputation in the Champion Novice Chase.
Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle winner Jasmin De Vaux and Champion Bumper heroine Bambino Fever are among the star attractions on Day 2, which also sees the return of two-time Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Galopin Des Champs in the Punchestown Gold Cup.
Moving onto Thursday, Majborough bids to put his Arkle Chase disappointment behind him in the big Novice Chase, and Teahupoo attempts to get back to winning ways in the Champion Stayers Hurdle.
With Constitution Hill, State Man, Lossiemouth, Brighterdaysahead, and Golden Ace all among the current entries, the Friday feature of the Boodles Champion Hurdle is boiling up to be one of the races of the season. Saturday then sees the four-year-olds and mares step into the Grade 1 glare.
Opening Classics Dominate the Weekend
With so much going on over in Ireland, it takes something special to upstage events at Punchestown. However, Newmarket pulls off that feat with the outstanding Guineas Festival. For flat aficionados, this is comfortably one of the most eagerly anticipated fixtures of the year.
The older runners grab the spotlight in the opening day feature of the Jockey Club Stakes. Held over the 1m4f trip, the Group 2 event counts the names of Marienbard, Shirocco, Defoe, and Hurricane Lane on the roll of honour.
Following that solid Friday card, the meeting explodes into life over the weekend, with the Saturday and Sunday cards spearheaded by the 2,000 Guineas and 1,000 Guineas, respectively. Will the star two-year-olds from 2024 live up to the hype? Can the trial winners deliver in the main event? Or will a surprise star emerge to claim the top spot? All will be answered over the most famous one-mile course in the land.
Gold for Gosden?
Following his electric display in the Craven Stakes, the John & Thady Gosden-trained Field Of Gold tops the market for the colts’ Classic, but dangers lurk throughout a stacked field. The unbeaten Twain represents the most successful trainer in 2,000 Guineas history, Aidan O’Brien, whilst Dewhurst Stakes hero Shadow Of Light and Ruling Court go for the boys in blue of Godolphin. Throw in regally bred sorts from the yards of Jessica Harrington, Andrew Balding, Harry Charlton, and more, and the 2025 edition of the colts’ Classic looks set to be a cracker.
Flower to Bloom on Big Stage?
Moving onto the fillies’ event, we could be in for a classic Coolmore vs Godolphin tussle. Unbeaten in four outings and reportedly flying in her homework, Charlie Appleby’s Desert Flower currently heads the betting. However, she may need to be at her peak to defy Aidan O’Brien’s Lake Victoria, who is five from five to date and has bagged Group 1 events over six furlongs, seven furlongs and a mile. Further down the list, Red Letter enjoyed no luck in her juvenile campaign and could go well for Ger Lyons, whilst the once-raced Chantilly Lace falls into the could-be-anything category for Ralph Beckett. It’s another race not to be missed in a spectacular week of action.
