2 April 2008

Punchestown Racing Facts

 Record Prize Fund of €2,535,000
 Over €250,000  INCREASE in prize fund on last years Festival
 11 Grade 1 Races, cumulative value in excess of €1.62 million

 FEATURE RACES:
 Tues, April 24th - KERRYGOLD Champion Chase, 2 Miles, €200,000
 Wed April 25th -  Punchestown GUINNESS Gold Cup 3 Miles 1 f,  €250,000
 Thursday, April 26th – DUNBOYNE CASTLE HOTEL & SPA Champion Stayers Hurdle 3 Miles €200,000
 Friday, April 27th - ACCBank Champion Hurdle 2 Miles €200,000

 Leading Trainer and Jockey Prizes, worth €5,000 each, sponsored byConway Keane Auctioneers
 Leading Overseas Trainer Award,of5 tonnes of any Gain Horse Feed, generously sponsored by Gain Horse Feeds
 New Title Sponsors are Dunboyne Caslte Hotel and Spa
 New Race Sponsors include Gain Horse Feeds, Osberstown Developments, Ulster Bank, three.ie, Barrack Homes, Eventus & Newbridge Silverware
 Fresh Ground The Festival Chase track has been rested for 6 months and the Festival Hurdle track has been rested for 12 months
 6 yards of fresh ground will be provided each day
 Going is currently GOOD.  The ground has been Good or Good to Yielding throughout the past four festivals.
 Umbilical watering system is being utilised as in 2005 and 2006  to ensure that Good ground and no firmer will be provided at the Irish National Hunt Festival
 Between 300,000 and 500,000 gallons of water are being put on the track daily
 There are 50 staff working on the track throughout the meeting
 100 Security personnel will work on site each day
 80,000 square feet of temporary structures built for the festival
 10,000 seats between temporary and permanent structures
 Double Decker Marquee - the facility will hold 1,100 people per day
 55,000 meals will be served in Punchestown throughout the festival
 1000 catering staff on site for the week
 70 chefs will be working at Punchestown throughout the festival in 12 kitchens
 7,000 Bottles of Moët will be consumed
 2,000 Kegs of Lager and Stout will be consumed
 1,000 Sides of Smoked Salmon, 5,000 kgs of Beef and 1,000 racks of Lamb will be served
 A number of British Racecourse members will gain free admission to Punchestown  on Tuesday, April 24thon production of their annual members badge
 VIP Hospitality for connections of Cheltenham and Aintree Winners and Placed Grade 1 horses participating at the festival.
 Overseas Staff Accommodation will be provided  by Punchestown on a 1 groom per horse basis
 Complimentary Lunch for 2 people connected to each runner at the Festival in O&T each day
 133 Overseas Runners at the past three festivals with 36% of these runners finishing in the prize money
 15 Overseas Winners at the past three festivals including 12 Gr. 1 Winners
 Newbridge SilverwareBest Dressed Lady Competition will be held over all four days of the Punchestown Festival.  There is a daily prize of €5,000
 The final of the Best Dressed Lady Competition takes place on Friday, April 27th. Five finalists will be selected to compete for the €30,000 overall prize and will be judged by International supermodel Yasmin le Bon
 The Irish National Hunt Festival is Ireland’s biggest annual Corporate Event with 28,000 corporate covers
 2,000 UK & Irish based companies entertain at the festival