Punchestown Festival Set To End Season On High

A vintage 2005/06 jump season is set to reach its brilliant climax at Punchestown´s Irish National Hunt Festival from April 25 to 28, with a whole host of the sport´s biggest names among the entries revealed today for the nine early-closing races.

Many of the most impressive winners from Aintree are engaged while the first four home from both the Cheltenham Gold Cup and Champion Hurdle, as well as the Queen Mother Champion Chase and Ladbrokes World Hurdle winners, could be on show at the 2006 Irish National Hunt Festival, which has a record 2.289 million euros in prize money on offer.

All eyes will be on War Of Attrition, one of 16 entries in the Grade 1 PUNCHESTOWN GUINNESS GOLD CUP on Wednesday, April 26, when he will bid to follow up on last month´s brilliant totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup victory. Hedgehunter, Forget The Past and L´Ami, who respectively finished second, third and fourth at Cheltenham, are others engaged.

Hi Cloy, winner of the Grade 1 Melling Chase at Aintree on Friday, Beef Or Salmon, who bids to bounce back after two disappointing runs in Britain, the exciting In Compliance and John Smith´s Grand National fourth Nil Desperandum are others entered in the 240,000 euro race.

Asian Maze, a brilliant 17-length winner of the Scottish and Newcastle Aintree Hurdle on Saturday, could take on the first four finishers in last month´s Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle in the Grade 1 ACC BANK CHAMPION HURDLE on Friday, April 28. Brave Inca, Macs Joy, Hardy Eustace and Al Eile - the first four home at Cheltenham - are all engaged in the 200,000 euro race.

The versatile Newmill, winner of the Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham, has also been entered in the ACC Bank Champion Hurdle, although John Murphy´s stable star is among the 19 entries for the Grade 1 KERRYGOLD CHAMPION CHASE on Tuesday, April 25. The Cheltenham second Fota Island is also entered in the 200,000 euro contest.

The Nick Gifford-trained Straw Bear, winner of Aintree´s John Smith´s Imagine Appeal Top Novices´ Hurdle, is one of 24 engaged in the Grade 1 VC BET CHAMPION NOVICE HURDLE, in which the Noel Meade-trained Sweet Wake is another eye-catching entry. Foreman, who captured the John Smith´s Maghull Novices´ Chase on Saturday at Aintree, is one of 24 entries in the Grade 1 SWORDLESTOWN CUP NOVICES´ CHASE.

Detroit City, who completed a rare juvenile championship double in Cheltenham´s JCB Triumph Hurdle and Aintree´s Sportsman Anniversary 4YO Novices´ Hurdle, is one of 27 entries in the Grade 1 TOTE.IE CHAMPION FOUR YEAR OLD HURDLE on Thursday, April 27, while Nicanor, who landed last month´s Royal & SunAlliance Novices´ Hurdle at Cheltenham, is one of 43 entered in the 100,000 euro Grade 1 DUNBOYNE CASTLE HOTEL & SPA CHAMPION NOVICE HURDLE as are Paul Nicholls´ Natal and the Jonjo O´Neill-trained Refinement, both impressive winners at Aintree.

My Way De Solzen, winner of the Ladbrokes World Hurdle at Cheltenham and runner-up in last week´s Liverpool Hurdle at Aintree, is among 22 entries for the Grade 1 WHITEWATER CHAMPION STAYERS´ HURDLE in which Ambobo, owned by sponsor Sean Mulryan, could have his first start for Grand National-winning trainer Martin Brassil.

The 100,000 euro BETFAIR.COM NOVICE HANDICAP CHASE, always an ultra-competitive event, has 64 entries of which 18 are trained in Britain.

Dick O´Sullivan, General Manager at Punchestown Racecourse, said: 'It is a golden era for Irish racing and we are delighted that we will not only welcome many of our domestic champions to this year´s Punchestown Festival but also some of the best performers from Britain and France.'