If you’re having a punt at Punchestown today, be warned: this will be a brutal test of equine endurance. Ireland’s premier National Hunt track is already a severe examination, but with the ground officially described as soft-heavy on the chase course and heavy on the hurdles course, today’s racing elevates into a specialist’s game.
The unique combination of deep, sapping ground, the track’s severe undulations, and its famously stiff uphill finish places a massive premium on three key assets: stamina, balance, and jumping.
Forget the flashy speedsters; today is all about grinders. Here’s a breakdown of the profile you need to be looking for, and more importantly, the type of horse to avoid.
Who to Back: The Ideal Profile
1. The Genuine Stayer (The “Slogger”)
This is the number one requirement. The heavy ground will make this a “slog,” and Punchestown’s architecture is designed to find any weakness. The track is a galloping, undulating course that finishes with a relentless uphill climb to the line.
When that deep ground is added to that stiff finish, the race becomes an extreme test of a horse’s engine.
What to look for: Horses with proven form over longer distances, especially on soft or heavy ground. Look for runners who are “closers”—those who do their best work at the very end of a race. Form from fast, flat tracks is next to useless here; you need a horse that digs deep.
2. The Balanced Specialist (The “Course Horse”)
Punchestown is not a simple, flat oval. It’s famous for its “severe undulations,” which demand exceptional balance and coordination, especially at racing speed.
On today’s tiring ground, many horses will struggle to keep their footing and rhythm as they navigate the rises and falls.
What to look for: Horses with proven course form are a massive plus. Failing that, look for form at other tricky, undulating tracks. This track is also right-handed, so runners who have shown a tendency to “hang” or drift on left-handed courses will be at a severe disadvantage.
3. The Proven Jumper (Especially for the Chase Course)
This is crucial. The two courses present different jumping challenges:
On the Chase Course: The fences at Punchestown are renowned for being stiff and fair. They are proper Grade 1 obstacles that punish mistakes, and the track has a high casualty rate to prove it. On deep ground, horses tire, and their jumping technique falters. Only horses with proven, accurate, and scopey jumping ability will cope.
On the Hurdle Course: The hurdles themselves are more standardized. The challenge here is less about the obstacle and almost entirely about stamina. You are looking for a horse that can maintain a rhythm over the flights while battling fatigue on the heavy ground and powering up that final climb.
🚩 Who to Avoid: The Red Flags
Steering clear of the wrong horse is just as important as finding the right one. Put a line through any runners that fit this description:
The Flat-Track Bully: Horses whose best form is on fast ground at flat, sharp tracks. They will almost certainly lack the stamina and grit for today’s slog.
The Stamina Doubt: Any horse stepping up to this trip for the first time, or one that has a history of fading in the finish, is a major risk. Today’s conditions will find them out.
The Sloppy Jumper (Chase): Do not back a novice or a horse with a clumsy jumping record on the chase course. The stiff fences and tiring ground are a recipe for disaster, and errors are almost guaranteed.
The Unbalanced Runner: Horses that look awkward or uncoordinated, or those who have only ever run on flat tracks, will likely struggle with the severe undulations.

The Mud-Larkers
In the handicap hurdle at 2:45, Marelly is a name that jumps off the page. He is a specialist who explicitly “thrives in the mud,” with his best form coming on testing ground.
Likewise, in the 3:48, Without Exception demands respect. He has already proven he can handle this specific test, having won over this same 2m4f course on heavy ground last season. Great Island also fits this bill, with a previous wide-margin win on heavy ground at Gowran suggesting these are his ideal conditions.
The Well-Handicapped Stayers
Today’s ground can often bring a well-handicapped stayer to the fore. In the 11:55 Handicap Chase, Duffys Hodey presents an intriguing profile. He was highly progressive over hurdles last season and runs in this 3-mile test off a modest chase mark, suggesting he could be extremely well-treated if his stamina holds out.
In the 3:48, Spanish John is another to note. He arrives following a recent win on soft ground on the Flat and is running off what looks like a lenient hurdles mark. He’s expected to handle the conditions and could prove a tough nut to crack.
The Emerging Talent
Even the novice races will require bottomless stamina. In the 1:35 3-Y-O Hurdle, French import Mode Avion catches the eye, having already won on “very soft” ground. Keep an eye on Sopelana in the same race, who is expected to relish this more testing test of endurance.
In short, when looking for a winner at Punchestown today, class is only part of the equation. The deciding factor will be guts, and these are the horses who have already shown they have it.