2025 Punchestown Champion Chase Tips - Favourite to excel over fresh trip

Jon Vine

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Last updated: 28 Apr 2025

Jon Vine 28 Apr 2025

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Odds and betting predictions for the 2025 Punchestown Champion Chase
This Grade One will take place on day one of the Punchestown Festival on April 29th
Fact To File is the most likely winner at 10/11

Expired

Mark Walsh riding Fact To File clears the last fence on the way to winning the Ryanair Chase. (Getty)

The opening day of the Punchestown Festival is headlined by the Punchestown Champion Chase. This two-mile Grade One has been won by many of National Hunt racing's finest chasers and two Cheltenham Festival winners are currently battling for favouritism.

Here our free guide to the 2025 Punchestown Champion Chase, including our best betting tips.

2025 Punchestown Champion Chase Odds

Name	Odds
Fact To File	10/11
Marine Nationale	2/1
El Fabiolo	9/1
Solness	10/1
Captain Guinness	20/1
Senecia	66/1

2025 Punchestown Champion Chase Entries

Despite having spent the whole season running over longer trip, Fact To File is the short-priced favourite for Tuesday's feature. Willie Mullins' John Durkan winner bounced back from two defeats to Galopin Des Champs by winning the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham, where Mark Walsh's mount slammed a strong field by nine-lengths.

Marine Nationale picked up his second Cheltenham Festival victory with an impressive triumph in the Champion Chase, and Barry Connell is looking forward to locking horns with the favourite. Joseph O'Brien's Solness was well-beaten on that occasion, but brings Grade One-winning form to the table, having struck twice at Leopardstown earlier in the season.

Willie Mullins could also be represented by El Fabiolo, who fell when jumping poorly at Aintree last time out. Henry De Bromhead's former Champion Chaser, Captain Guinness and Vincent Halley's stable star Senecia, who took down El Fabiolo to win the Webster Cup when last seen in March, complete the line-up.

2025 Punchestown Champion Chase Tips

In an interview soon after the Cheltenham Festival, Patrick Mullins was asked whether FACT TO FILE (10/11) was now ready to challenge Galopin Des Champs over three miles. To everyone's surprise, Patrick claimed that Willie's runaway Ryanair Chase winner was more likely to drop down to two miles than step up in trip again, as his fast jumping would be more of an asset over the minimum distance.

Fact To File has only run over a trip shorter than two-and-a-half miles once in his career, and that effort came in a bumper. Willie Mullins' eight-year-old won 2m5f and 3m1f Grade Ones as a novice last term, and was backed into ante-post favouritism for the Gold Cup after his reappearance victory in the John Durkan here at Punchestown.

Having failed to lay a glove on Galopin Des Champs twice around Leopardstown, Willie shelved the Gold Cup dream. Mark Walsh's mount instead entered the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham, where the 6/4 favourite destroyed a decent field with an immaculate display of speed and jumping prowess.

Energumene and El Fabiolo are past their best. Il Etait Temps doesn't seem to like Cheltenham. Gaelic Warrior was never a two-miler and top novice Majborough seems more likely to step up in distance next term.

I backed Fact To File at 14/1 for the 2026 Champion Chase after hearing Patrick's interview, and ante-post punters can still get 7/1 if they want to jump on before Tuesday's feature at Punchestown. I think he'll win this Grade One, and win it well.

Live Stream

Visit our Punchestown Champion Chase Live Stream page to watch any of Tuesday's races at Punchestown via a mobile or tablet.

Verdict

Punchestown Champion Chase 2025

Fact To File is the most likely winner of the 2025 Punchestown Champion Chase.

Fact To File

2025 Punchestown Champion Chase

@10/11 - 5 Units

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