 Punchestown races 2009 | |
| Location | County Kildare, Ireland |
|---|---|
| Date opened | 1875 |
| Course type | National Hunt |
| Notable races | Boylesports.com Champion Chase; Punchestown Gold Cup; Ladbrokes.com World Series Hurdle; Rabobank Champion Hurdle; AES Champion 4YO Hurdle |
| Official website | |
Punchestown Racecourse is located in the parish of Eadestown, between the R410 and R411 regional roads near Naas, County Kildare, in Ireland. It is known as the home of Irish Jumps Racing and plays host to the annual Punchestown Irish National Hunt Festival. The racecourse itself is right-handed with an undulating hurdle and steeplechase track. The hurdle course is one mile six furlongs in distance while the chase course is 2 miles. Punchestown Racecourse also has the only cross country banks course in Ireland.
As well as horse racing, Punchestown has hosted several music events, including the annual Oxegen festival which ran from 2004-2011 and then again in 2013, while AC/DC, Bon Jovi and Eminem are among the artists to have played sold out concerts on the racecourse. In 1982 Rory Gallagher played to over 16,000 people supported by U2, Phil Lynott, and Simple Minds. this was part of Hot Press fifth Anniversary.[1] Dick O'Sullivan has been General Manager since 2003.[2]
- ^ "Flashback: Phil Lynott, Rory Gallagher & Bono on stage 35 years ago". independent. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
- ^ richard forristal. "Dick O’Sullivan’s remarkable journey has taken him from Tralee to Punchestown via Mexico, and he’s always walked on the sunny side of the street". Irish Independent. 19 April 2010.