Punchestown Festival 2026 Day 2 Tips - Best Bets & Predictions for Wednesday
Day two of the 2026 Punchestown Festival is packed with competitive racing, headlined by the Punchestown Gold Cup. Key tips include backing Minella Post at 16/1 in the 2:30pm Adare Manor Opportunity Series Final Handicap Hurdle, and Begorra Man at 5/1 in the 3:40pm Louis Fitzgerald Hotel Hurdle. Zanoosh at 11/2 is recommended for the 4:15pm Channor Real Estate Group Novice Hurdle. In the 5:25pm Colm Quinn BMW Handicap Chase, Classic Getaway at 12/1 could offer good value. Each race promises thrilling action for enthusiasts and bettors alike.
- Free tips for day two of the 2026 Punchestown Festival
- The Punchestown Gold Cup headlines Wednesday's card
- Begorra Man and Zanoosh feature in our selections
- Punchestown Festival Day 2 Card
- 2:30pm Punchestown - Adare Manor Opportunity Series Final Handicap Hurdle Tips
- 3:40pm Punchestown - Louis Fitzgerald Hotel Hurdle Tips
- 4:15pm Punchestown - Channor Real Estate Group Novice Hurdle Tips
- 5:25pm Punchestown - Colm Quinn BMW Handicap Chase Tips
- 6:05pm Punchestown - Punchestown Gold Cup Tips
Punchestown Day 2 Tips
Free tips for day two of the 2026 Punchestown Festival, which begins on Wednesday 29th April.
The Punchestown Festival continues on Wednesday, where the Punchestown Gold Cup headlines another excellent card. Here are my best betting tips for day two of the 2026 Punchestown Festival.
Punchestown Festival Day 2 Card
| Time | Title |
|---|---|
| 2:30pm | Adare Manor Opportunity Series Final Handicap Hurdle (Class 2) 2m3½f |
| 3:05pm | Connolly's RED MILLS Irish EBF Auction Hurdle Series Final (Class 2) 2m3½f |
| 3:40pm | Louis Fitzgerald Hotel Hurdle (Class 2) 2m3½f |
| 4:15pm | Channor Real Estate Group Novice Hurdle (Grade 1) 3m |
| 4:50pm | Race & Stay At Punchestown Champion I.N.H. Flat Race (Grade 1) 2m½f |
| 5:25pm | Colm Quinn BMW Handicap Chase (Grade 3) 2m4½f |
| 6:05pm | Ladbrokes Punchestown Gold Cup (Chase) (Grade 1) 3m1f |
| 6:35pm | Weatherbys General Stud Book Irish EBF Mares INH Flat Race (Grade 3) 2m½f |
Punchestown Festival Day 2 Tips
2:30pm Punchestown - Adare Manor Opportunity Series Final Handicap Hurdle Tips
In a competitive but fairly low-quality opener, it could be worth taking a chance on MINELLA POST (16/1), who makes his return after a 450-day absence.
Tom Gibney's seven-year-old finished on the tail of Will The Wise and Jacob's Ladder in a bumper here at Punchestown in 2024, and went on to run well in several strong novice hurdles. Minella Post was held up on all of his hurdles starts, keeping on well to finish fifth behind James's Gate, Forty Coats and McLaurey here at Punchestown, and fifth again at Leopardstown behind The Enabler, I Am Lorenzo, McLaurey and Bossofthebrownies.
Most of the horses mentioned in the paragraph above are now rated 130+. Minella Post will make his return off a mark of just 116 on Wednesday, and talented apprentice James Smith comes in for the ride.
3:40pm Punchestown - Louis Fitzgerald Hotel Hurdle Tips
I don't fancy the Willie Mullins or Gordon Elliott runners in this conditions hurdle, so I'll chance my arm with BEGORRA MAN (5/1). Gavin Cromwell's six-year-old finished fifth behind Kopek Des Bordes on his racecourse debut in a bumper, before losing out narrowly to Gameofinches on his second start on the level.
After a year off the track, Begorra Man went close behind a decent young horse of Gordon Elliott's in Soul Asylum in another bumper here at Punchestown this February. On his belated hurdles debut at Navan last time out, Keith Donoghue's mount bumped into another good one, finishing second to the classy front-runner Kilgame.
Begorra Man's form looks solid and, being a maiden, he'll get six pounds from most of the field. Cromwell's gelding is a full brother to 139-rated jumper Fingle Bridge, and he's bred to improve over this longer distance.
4:15pm Punchestown - Channor Real Estate Group Novice Hurdle Tips
I think it would be dangerous to underestimate ZANOOSH (11/2) going into this competitive contest. Ciaran Murphy's mare has won her last five starts, including an impressive Grade One triumph at Fairyhouse earlier this month.
Murphy decided to skip Cheltenham to focus on Fairyhouse, despite entering Zanoosh in most of the Grade One novice races and the handicap hurdles at the meeting. Brian Hayes' mount claimed a cosy victory in Grade Three company during Cheltenham week, and was then far too classy for a strong field in the Honeysuckle Mares' Novices' Hurdle.
I loved the way Zanoosh travelled throughout that Grade One, and how she rallied after being blocked by Place De La Nation down the home straight. Murphy's mare has already proven her stamina over three miles, and should mount a strong challenge again if she handles the quicker ground.
5:25pm Punchestown - Colm Quinn BMW Handicap Chase Tips
Willie Mullins has won this handicap with highly-rated runners before, and CLASSIC GETAWAY (12/1) interests me most at a reasonable price.
A former Grade Two winner, Danny Mullins' mount has only had one previous handicap start, losing out by six lengths to Riskintheground in the 2025 Silver Trophy Handicap at Cheltenham off a mark of 157. Since then, Classic Getaway has been beaten in three high-profile chases over three miles, and finished third of four behind Impaire Et Passe in the Red Mills Chase at Gowran Park.
Harry Cobden was in the saddle when Classic Getaway finished last of three in the Bar 1 Chase at Cork last month, where he made the running but again failed to see out three miles. Danny Mullins returns to Classic Getaway's saddle as he returns to this more suitable trip. With that run at Cork under his belt, Classic Getaway can make an impact in this handicap off a career-low mark of 148.
6:05pm Punchestown - Punchestown Gold Cup Tips
Read our free guide to the 2026 Punchestown Gold Cup to find out who we've backed in Wednesday's feature.
Visit our Punchestown Gold Cup Live Stream page if you want to watch any of Wednesday's races from Punchestown via a mobile or tablet.
Verdict
Punchestown Day 2 Tips:
Begorra Man
3:40pm Punchestown
@5/1 - 5 Units
Bet £10 Get £40
in free bets
18+. New UK customers (Excluding NI) only. Min Deposit £10. Min stake £10. Min odds Evs. Free bet applied on 1st settlement of any qualifying bet. 30 days to qualify. Free bets expire in 7 days. Cashed out/Free Bets won’t apply. Account & Payment method restrictions apply. 1 Free Bet offer per customer, household & IP Address only. 18+. T&Cs apply.
Zanoosh
4:15pm Punchestown
@11/2 - 5 Units
Bet £10 Get £30
with bonus code NEWBONUS
Available to new customers only. Make a qualifying deposit of £5 or more and claim the offer within 30 days of registering your account to qualify for 300% of that amount in Bet Credits, up to a maximum of £30 in Bet Credits. Once released, your Bet Credits will be held in your account balance and are non-withdrawable. Min deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of qualifying bets. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Registration required. Time limits and T&Cs apply. The bonus code NEWBONUS can be used during registration but does not change the offer amount in any way. #ad
Classic Getaway E/W
5:25pm Punchestown
@12/1 - 5 Units
Bet £20 Get £10
Use promo code NEWBONUS
18+ New customers only. Bet £20 (or more) EVS (2.0) or greater Get 2 x £5 Free Bets. 1 x £5 Free Bet paid automatically & following £5 Free Bet after 24hrs. Min Free Bet odds 4/1 (5.0) on accumulators Trebles & upwards. Expires after 24hrs. Full T&Cs apply. GambleAware.org
Minella Post E/W
2:30pm Punchestown
@16/1 - 5 Units
£30 Free Bet
Use promo code NEWBONUS
Claim £30 free bet & 20 Free Spins. Use the promo code NEWBONUS. New Hollywoodbets account holders. 18 years or older. United Kingdom residents only. T&Cs apply.
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