Champion INH Flat Race

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.

Champion INH Flat Race
Grade 1 race
LocationPunchestown
County Kildare, Ireland
Race typeNational Hunt flat race
SponsorRace and Stay
WebsitePunchestown
Race information
Distance2m ½f (3,219 metres)
SurfaceTurf
TrackRight-handed
QualificationFour to seven years old
geldings and mares
Weight11 st 6 lb (4yo);
12 st 2 lb (5–7yo)
Allowances
7 lb for mares
Purse100,000 (2021)
1st: €59,000
Champion I.N.H. Flat Race
2024
Royal blue, light green star and sleeves, light green star on cap White and emerald green chevrons, red cap Yellow, dark blue sash, dark blue cap, yellow star
Redemption Day The Yellow Clay William Munny
Previous years
2023
Emerald green and orange hooped, white cap Red, white sash, royal blue cap Maroon, white star and armlet, maroon cap, white star
A Dream To Share Tullyhill King Of Kingsfield
2022
Red, royal blue sleeves, red cap, royal blue star Royal blue, light green star and sleeves, light green star on cap White and emerald green chevrons, red cap
Facile Vega Redemption Day American Mike
2021
Royal blue and emerald green diamonds, emerald green sleeves, striped cap Emerald green, dark green sleeves, dark green cap, emerald green spots Red, white sash, royal blue cap
Kilcruit O'toole Sir Gerhard
2020-2011
2019
Blue, white birds eye, white cap Maroon, white star and armlet, maroon cap, white star Maroon, white star and armlet, white cap
Colreevy Abacadabras Beacon Edge
2018
Emerald green and white diamonds, emerald green cap Red, red and white hooped sleeves, white cap, red star Royal blue and emerald green diamonds, emerald green sleeves, striped cap
Tornado Flyer Blackbow Carefully Selected
2017
Emerald green, white chevron, white sleeves, emerald green armlet, red cap Maroon and white stripes, maroon cap, white hoop Maroon, white star and armlet, maroon cap, white star
Fayonagh Paloma Blue Poli Roi
2016
Maroon, white star and armlet, maroon cap, white star Dark green, red cross sashes, dark green and beige striped sleeves, dark green cap, red star Black, yellow stars, yellow sleeves, black stars, yellow cap, black stars
Blow By Blow Moon Racer Bacardys
2015
Beige and black halved, black chevrons on sleeves, beige cap Maroon, white star and armlet, maroon cap, white star Royal blue and white diamonds, white sleeves, royal blue armlet, royal blue and white quartered cap
Bellshill Disko Modus
2014
Beige and black halved, black chevrons on sleeves, red cap Purple, yellow cross of lorraine, yellow cap Black and orange (quartered), black sleeves, orange stars, quartered cap
Shaneshill Silver Concorde Value At Risk
2013
Light blue and pink chevrons, light blue sleeves, light blue cap, pink star Orange, royal blue star, yellow and royal blue check sleeves, yellow and royal blue quartered cap Cerise
The Liquidator Gilt Shadow Apache Stronghold
2012
Pink, light green spots, pink sleeves and cap Dark blue, light blue inverted triangle, light blue armlet, check cap Dark blue, yellow chevron, diabolo on sleeves, quartered cap
Champagne Fever Melodic Rendezvous Mozoltov
2011
Maroon, white star and armlet, maroon cap, white star Emerald green and orange hooped, white cap Orange, black star , black and orange hooped sleeves, orange cap, black star
Lovethehigherlaw Waaheb Jenari
2010-2003
2010
Purple, yellow cross of lorraine, yellow cap Light green, dark blue diamond, light green cap Emerald green, orange hoop, hooped sleeves, orange cap
Hidden Universe Oilily Tornedo Shay
2009
White, black diamond and sleeves, check cap Emerald green and orange hooped, white cap Royal blue, yellow stars, yellow sleeves, striped cap
Dunguib Sweeps Hill Luska Lad
2008
YELLOW, black braces, yellow cap PURPLE, yellow cross of lorraine, yellow cap PINK, grey stars, pink sleeves, pink cap, grey star
Cousin Vinny Endless Intrigue Academy Sir Harry
2007
GREY AND PINK CHECK, grey sleeves and cap ROYAL BLUE and LIGHT BLUE DIABOLO, royal blue sleeves, white cap Black, yellow diamond, yellow diamonds on sleeves, yellow diamond on cap
Mick The Man Woodbine Willie Shirley Casper
2006
YELLOW, red cross of lorraine and sleeves, striped cap PURPLE, emerald green diamond, emerald green diamond on cap YELLOW, royal blue epaulettes, yellow cap, royal blue star
Leading Run Hairy Molly Lord Over
2005
ROYALBLUE, Orange disc, Royal Blue sleeves and Orange striped, Royal Blue cap and Orange striped Light blue and white stripes, dark green sleeves, white armlets, white cap Purple, gold sleeves, hooped cap
Refinement The Cool Guy Nicanor
2004
White and emerald green chevrons, white sleeves, yellow cap blue, white spots, white cap Royal Blue, White cross belts, Black cap
Geill Sli Blazing Liss Augherskea
2003
Emerald green and red diabolo, white sleeves, emerald green diamonds, white cap, red diamond Dark green, beige epaulets and armlets, white cap, beige star DARK GREEN, dark green cap, light green star
Royal Rosa Royal Alphabet Kildare
 

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

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Leading jockey since 1992 (4 wins):

  • Patrick Mullins - Cousin Vinny (2008), Lovethehigherlaw (2011), Bellshill (2015), Facile Vega (2022)

Leading trainer since 1992 (12 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)

Winners since 1992

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  • 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 [a] 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 [b] 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 [c]
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
  1. ^ The 2001 running took place at Leopardstown
  2. ^ Dunguib finished first in 2009, but he was subsequently disqualified after testing positive for a banned substance
  3. ^ The 2020 running was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Republic of Ireland

See also

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References

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