Punchestown Racecourse

About the course

Punchestown sits in the Kildare countryside between the R410 and R411 roads near Naas, about 35km from Dublin city centre. Horse Racing Ireland describes it as the home of Irish jump racing, and the course races over jumps only, with a season that runs from the autumn through to June. The racecourse says it stages 21 race days a year.

The track is right-handed and undulating, with separate hurdle and steeplechase courses. Punchestown also has the only cross-country banks course in Ireland, used for races such as the La Touche Cup. Racing here goes back a long way: the meeting was reorganised as the Kildare and National Hunt Steeplechases in 1861.

Big meetings and races

The highlight of the year is the five-day Punchestown Festival, usually held in late April and running from Tuesday to Saturday. It features 12 Grade 1 races, including the Punchestown Gold Cup and the Punchestown Champion Novice Hurdle and is often described as the Irish equivalent of the Cheltenham Festival.

The other big fixture is the Punchestown Premiere Weekend in November, with a Grade 1 double of the Morgiana Hurdle and the John Durkan Chase, plus graded and cross-country races.

Festival days are longer and busier than the rest of the year. There are usually seven or eight races on a card, roughly half an hour apart, so a typical race day lasts three and a half to four hours.

Getting there

• By road: use the Eircode W91 VCX4. The course is about 35km from Dublin city centre and 48km from Dublin Airport via the N7 and R410. A Garda traffic plan is in place for the festival, so follow the signs and stewards.
• By rail: Irish Rail runs trains from Dublin Heuston to Sallins, just outside Naas. A feeder bus links Sallins station with Naas town, and a shuttle runs from Sallins during the festival.
• By bus: during the festival, private coaches run from Dublin city centre, and a shuttle runs from the centre of Naas from 12.30pm each day. Book coaches in advance and check the racecourse's getting here page for the current year's times.
• By taxi: Naas has two taxi ranks, and the racecourse lists local firms on its website.

Facilities and tips for visitors

Bars include the Archive, the Loft and the Sports Bar in the Main Grandstand, and food is served in the Hay Café and the Feedroom self-service restaurant. There is Wi-Fi across the venue and contactless payment is accepted. A cloakroom opens on the ground floor of the Panoramic Stand during the festival only.

On festival days the gates open at noon. There is no formal dress code, though many racegoers dress up, and there are best dressed competitions and a shopping village with Irish-designed clothing, art, millinery and jewellery. The November weekend includes a Playroom area for children.

For accessibility, Punchestown offers free entry for one carer per person, accessible parking, lifts to upper floors, and wheelchair viewing platforms at the parade ring and main grandstand.

If this is your first time racing, our guide to your first day at the races covers the basics.

Nearby places to stay

Naas is the closest town, only minutes from the course, and the racecourse encourages visitors to stay in the surrounding towns and villages rather than in Dublin during the festival. Dublin city is also within easy reach at around 35km, which suits visitors combining the races with a city break. Book early for festival week, as demand is high.

Punchestown is close to two other Kildare courses, Naas and the Curragh.