The Punchestown Gold Cup is a Grade 1 National Hunt

National Hunt racing

National Hunt racing is the official name given to the sport of horse racing in the United Kingdom, France and Ireland in which the horses are required to jump over obstacles called hurdles or fences...

 chase in Ireland

Ireland

Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...

 which is open to horses

Horse racing

Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...

 aged five years or older. It is run at Punchestown

Punchestown Racecourse

Punchestown Racecourse is located in the parish of Eadestown, between the R410 and R411 regional roads near Naas, County Kildare, in Ireland. It is home of the National Hunt Festival of Ireland....

 over a distance of about 3 miles and 1 furlong (5,029 metres), and during its running there are seventeen fences to be jumped. The race is scheduled to take place each year during the Punchestown Festival in late April or early May.

The present version of the race was introduced in 1999, when it replaced a previous version for novice

Novice (racehorse)

A novice in National Hunt horse racing is a horse which has not won in a particular type of race prior to the start of the current season. A novice hurdler has not won a hurdle race before the start of the current season, while a novice chaser has not won a steeplechase before the start of the...

 chasers only. It was formerly sponsored by Heineken, and it used to be known as the Heineken Gold Cup. It has been backed by Diageo

Diageo

Diageo plc is a global alcoholic beverages company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the world's largest producer of spirits and a major producer of beer and wine....

 since 2005, and its sponsored title now promotes Guinness

Guinness

Guinness is a popular Irish dry stout that originated in the brewery of Arthur Guinness at St. James's Gate, Dublin. Guinness is directly descended from the porter style that originated in London in the early 18th century and is one of the most successful beer brands worldwide, brewed in almost...

.

The Punchestown Gold Cup usually features horses which ran previously in the Cheltenham Gold Cup

Cheltenham Gold Cup

The Cheltenham Gold Cup is a Grade 1 National Hunt chase in the United Kingdom which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run on the New Course at Cheltenham over a distance of about 3 miles and 2½ furlongs , and during its running there are twenty-two fences to be jumped...

. The last to win both races in the same year was War of Attrition in 2006.

Records

Most successful horse (2 wins):

• Neptune Collonges – 2007, 2008

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Leading jockey

Jockey

A jockey is an athlete who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing.-Etymology:...

 since 1999 (4 wins):

• Ruby Walsh
  Ruby Walsh
  Ruby Walsh is the reigning Irish National Hunt champion jockey. He is the second child, and eldest son, of former champion amateur jockey Ted Walsh and his wife Helen.-Success:...
  
   – Imperial Call (1999), Commanche Court (2000), Neptune Collonges (2007, 2008)

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Leading trainer

Horse trainer

In horse racing, a trainer prepares a horse for races, with responsibility for exercising it, getting it race-ready and determining which races it should enter...

 since 1999 (2 wins):

• Paul Nicholls
  Paul Nicholls (horse racing)
  Paul Nicholls is a British National Hunt horse trainer with stables at Ditcheat, Somerset. A relatively successful jump jockey, Nicholls has become the leading National Hunt trainer of his generation, finishing the 2007-2008 season with 155 winners and a record £4 million in prize money...
  
   – Neptune Collonges (2007, 2008)

Winners since 1999

Year	Winner	Age	Jockey	Trainer
1999	Imperial Call	10	Ruby Walsh Ruby Walsh Ruby Walsh is the reigning Irish National Hunt champion jockey. He is the second child, and eldest son, of former champion amateur jockey Ted Walsh and his wife Helen.-Success:...	Raymond Hurley
2000	Commanche Court Commanche Court Commanche Court is an Irish thoroughbred racehorse trained in Ireland by Ted Walsh. The son of Commanche Run gave his trainer his one and only Cheltenham Festival winner when landing the 1997 Triumph Hurdle under Norman Williamson.In 2000 he gave Ted Walsh and his son Ruby Walsh a first Irish...	7	Ruby Walsh Ruby Walsh Ruby Walsh is the reigning Irish National Hunt champion jockey. He is the second child, and eldest son, of former champion amateur jockey Ted Walsh and his wife Helen.-Success:...	Ted Walsh Ted Walsh Ted Walsh is an amateur jockey turned racehorse trainer, based in Kill, County Kildare, Ireland. He was born and raised in Co. Cork. As a rider, one of his most important wins was on Attitude Adjuster in the 1986 Cheltenham Festival Foxhunter Chase...
2001	Moscow Express	9	Barry Geraghty Barry Geraghty Barry Geraghty is an Irish jockey.Geraghty rode his first winner in January 1997, three years later he became the Irish Champion jump jockey for the first time. He rode his first Cheltenham winner on the Jessica Harrington trained Moscow Flyer in the 2002 Arkle Chase.He won the Grand National in...	Frances Crowley
2002	Florida Pearl Florida Pearl Florida Pearl is an Irish-bred race horse, who raced in the late 1990s and early 2000s. He was owned by Mrs Violet O'Leary and trained by Willie Mullins...	10	Barry Geraghty Barry Geraghty Barry Geraghty is an Irish jockey.Geraghty rode his first winner in January 1997, three years later he became the Irish Champion jump jockey for the first time. He rode his first Cheltenham winner on the Jessica Harrington trained Moscow Flyer in the 2002 Arkle Chase.He won the Grand National in...	Willie Mullins Willie Mullins Willie Mullins is an Irish racehorse trainer and former jockey. He is based at Closutton, Bagenalstown, Co Carlow, Ireland...
2003	First Gold First Gold (horse) First Gold was a National Hunt racehorse that was trained by François Doumen.The horse won the 2000 King George VI Chase race by a distance of 10 lengths when ridden by Thierry Doumen, beating Florida Pearl into second place. At the time of the win the horse was owned by the Marquesa de...	10	Thierry Doumen	François Doumen François Doumen François Doumen is a French racehorse trainer currently based at Boucé, Orne. From 1956 to 1970 he was an amateur jockey, and he then worked as an assistant trainer to his father Jean. He obtained his own training licence in 1977....
2004	Beef or Salmon Beef or Salmon Beef or Salmon was a multiple Grade 1 winning National Hunt racehorse. He was trained in Ireland by Michael Hourigan and owned by B J Craig. He was most famous for never winning a race outside of Ireland and for defeating three Cheltenham Gold Cup winners in Best Mate, Kicking King and War of...	8	Timmy Murphy Timmy Murphy Timothy James Murphy , commonly known as Timmy Murphy, is a National Hunt jockey who overcame difficult personal problems to win the 2008 John Smith's Grand National at Aintree Racecourse on the horse Comply or Die. He recorded his 1,000th winner at Taunton on 21 January 2010.- References :...	Michael Hourigan
2005	Kicking King Kicking King Kicking King is a National Hunt racehorse trained in Ardclough, Co. Kildare, Ireland, by Tom Taaffe. He is best known for his victory in the 2005 Cheltenham Gold Cup, the major Chase run at the Cheltenham Festival...	7	Barry Geraghty Barry Geraghty Barry Geraghty is an Irish jockey.Geraghty rode his first winner in January 1997, three years later he became the Irish Champion jump jockey for the first time. He rode his first Cheltenham winner on the Jessica Harrington trained Moscow Flyer in the 2002 Arkle Chase.He won the Grand National in...	Tom Taaffe Tom Taaffe Tom Taaffe is an Irish horse trainer based at Portree Stables, Boston, Straffan, in County Kildare.He began training in 94/95 jumps season, having had a successful career as a professional jump jockey for the Arthur Moore stable....
2006	War Of Attrition War Of Attrition (horse) War Of Attrition is a National Hunt racehorse and winner of the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 2006....	7	Conor O'Dwyer	Mouse Morris Mouse Morris Michael 'Mouse' Morris is an Irish racehorse trainer and former jockey.As a jockey he rode Skymas to win the Queen Mother Champion Chase in 1976 and 1977 and Billycan to win the 1977 Irish Grand National, while his most notable successes as a trainer have come with Buck House in the 1983 Supreme...
2007	Neptune Collonges Neptune Collonges Neptune Collonges is an French Thoroughbred racehorse, born to sire, Dom Alco and dam, Castille Collonges. He is owned by John Hales and is trained by Paul Nicholls...	6	Ruby Walsh Ruby Walsh Ruby Walsh is the reigning Irish National Hunt champion jockey. He is the second child, and eldest son, of former champion amateur jockey Ted Walsh and his wife Helen.-Success:...	Paul Nicholls Paul Nicholls (horse racing) Paul Nicholls is a British National Hunt horse trainer with stables at Ditcheat, Somerset. A relatively successful jump jockey, Nicholls has become the leading National Hunt trainer of his generation, finishing the 2007-2008 season with 155 winners and a record £4 million in prize money...
2008	Neptune Collonges Neptune Collonges Neptune Collonges is an French Thoroughbred racehorse, born to sire, Dom Alco and dam, Castille Collonges. He is owned by John Hales and is trained by Paul Nicholls...	7	Ruby Walsh Ruby Walsh Ruby Walsh is the reigning Irish National Hunt champion jockey. He is the second child, and eldest son, of former champion amateur jockey Ted Walsh and his wife Helen.-Success:...	Paul Nicholls Paul Nicholls (horse racing) Paul Nicholls is a British National Hunt horse trainer with stables at Ditcheat, Somerset. A relatively successful jump jockey, Nicholls has become the leading National Hunt trainer of his generation, finishing the 2007-2008 season with 155 winners and a record £4 million in prize money...
2009	Notre Pere	8	Andrew Lynch	Jim Dreaper
2010	Planet of Sound	8	Richard Johnson Richard Johnson (jockey) Richard Johnson is an English National Hunt jockey.-Background:Johnson comes from a racing family with his father being an amateur jockey and his mother, Sue Johnson, a successful trainer.-Jockey career:...	Philip Hobbs Philip Hobbs Philip Hobbs is a British racehorse trainer specializing mainly in National Hunt racing. He is based at stables near Minehead, Somerset....
2011	Follow the Plan	8	Tom Doyle	Oliver McKiernan

The 2001 running took place at Fairyhouse

Fairyhouse Racecourse

Fairyhouse Racecourse is one of Ireland's premier horse racing venues. Situated in the parish of Ratoath in County Meath, on the R155 regional road, 3 km off the N3. It is the home of the Irish Grand National. The first race meet was held in 1848...

.