1. art and entertainment
2. shows and events
3. festival

15
FESTIVAL 20
APRIL
MAY
28-2
ate…
make it a d
“Best race festival of the year!”
Mr. P. Berry, Merseyside
fun”
d
o
o
“Once in a lifetime experience to travel over”
g
g gall, Oxford
n
i
k
c
a
r
C
Mr. Bill Nicholls, Devon.
“ Mr. J. Dou
Everyth ing was per fect from
start to finish
ntu r e ! ”
Mr. M. Mc Grath, Stirlingsh
ire
r” “Abs olutely loved it.
a
e
y
xt
e
n
il
nt
u
it
a
w
t
n’
“Ca Mr. D. Bird, Surrey
We are conver ted ”.
“ Ye a r l y a d ve
M r. S . M or ti
mer, C he st er
“Superb racing.
Super friendly”
“We were treated like royalty when we visite
d.”
Ms. K. Squ ire, Winkleigh
Festival Visitors Guide 2015
28th April - 2nd May 2015
2
3
12 Grade 1 races, 1 brilliant atmosphere
The People Have Spoken!
Each year we strive to improve the Punchestown Festival experience and
the best way to do this is by asking for our customer’s feedback be it
good, bad or ugly! This year we surveyed first timers, long term regulars,
racing fans, corporate groups, day trippers, big spenders, cheap ‘n’
cheerful mini breakers and everything in between with the common
denominator being that they were all UK based.
We covered off the main areas that we all consider when planning a
trip – value, logistics, quality and overall experience. Even for us, our
toughest critics, the findings made for very encouraging reading. Don’t
take our word for it but rather read for yourself the comments and
feedback of those who have already made the trip to Punchestown.
Some of our top scoring areas:
1. 93% of those surveyed said they have every intention of visiting
the Punchestown festival again in the near future.
2. Our quality of racing scored an impressive 92% and why not
with the best of British and Irish racing talent on show.
BE
PART
OF IT
IN 2015
3. The famous Punchestown atmosphere and entertainment was
awarded 92%
4. Top of the class for ticket value with a 90% result
5. 85% commented that the quality and value of accommodation
on offer was very good or excellent.
Check out the front cover of this brochure for some of the
comments made by last year’s crowd should you require any further
encouragement!
Punchestown Festival 28th April – 2nd May 2015
Tuesday 28th April
Boylesports.com Champion Steeplechase
The attendance on the opening day of the festival continues to grow thanks to the top class programme of racing with no less
than three grade 1 contests. Festival Tuesday is also the VISITORS DAY meaning that all members of a racecourse in England,
Scotland and Wales can race for free simply by showing a current membership badge at the allocated turnstile.
Wednesday 29th April
Bibby Financial Services Ireland Punchestown Gold Cup
The jewel in the crown of the festival is the Bibby Financial Services Ireland Punchestown Gold Cup featuring the top staying
chasers in Ireland and Great Britain. Ruby Walsh and Willie Mullins teamed up with Boston Bob in the colours of Graham and
Andrea Wylie to land the 2014 renewal.
Thursday 30th April
Ladbrokes World Series Hurdle
The Ladbrokes World Hurdle and the Avon Ri La Touche Cross Country races are real spectator favourites. Both testing
stamina and staying power in very different ways.
Friday 1st May
Punchestown Champion Hurdle
The social highlight of the five day festival with the largest attendance and incorporating the famous Punchestown Festival Best
Dressed Award. While action in the enclosures reaches fever pitch the on track competition focuses on the epic battles staged in
the Punchestown Champion Hurdle.
Saturday 2nd May
Champion Four Year Old Hurdle
Who knew when the fifth day was added a few years ago that it would become one of the most popular race days on
the Irish calendar and a fitting grand finale for the Irish jump season. The wonderful mix of young and old, local and
overseas, racing fans and socialisers creates a very unique atmosphere.
LET
THE
GAMES
BEGIN
Punchestown Festival 28th April – 2nd May 2015
4
5
Easy on the Pocket
Free Day
Easy Going
for Members of UK Racecourses
Members Go Free
We all like to get a good deal and there is no denying that the ticket prices at Punchestown are easy on the pocket. We keep
enclosures to a minimum and therefore have a small variety of tickets all of which are very keenly priced. The Punchestown
Festival is very easy going so you can dress up or dress down, book a VIP package or simply purchase a couple of tickets
the choice is yours.
We are delighted to invite members of overseas tracks
to join us for the opening day of the festival free of
charge. Participating racecourses are listed below
however, more may have joined since going to print
so please check the membership section of www.
punchestown.com.
Flexi Ticket. As the name suggests this ticket is flexible and allows the holder to attend on the day of their choice.
Reserved Enclosure. Access to parade ring, grand stand, shopping village, public eateries plus the trackside viewing,
bars and what is really the hub of the Festival atmosphere in the reserved enclosure.
To avail of this offer simply present your valid 2015
membership badge at the allocated turnstile on Tuesday
28th April 2015.
General Admission. Access to the parade ring, grandstand, shopping village, public bars and eateries.
Party Pack. Consider this a starter pack for a great race day. Tailored for groups of 10 upwards.
The Party Pack includes: • admission • racecard • €5 Betting Voucher • €5 Beverage Voucher.
Bangor On Dee / Carlisle / Cheltenham / Chepstow /
Doncaster / Exeter / Ffos Las / Haydock / Huntingdon
/ Kelso / Ludlow / Mussleburough / Newbury / New
Market / Nottingham / Stratford / Taunton / Uttoxeter /
Wincanton / Worcester
Panoramic Restaurant, Festival and Punchestown Pavilions. Punchestown offers a splendid choice of exquisite
settings where racegoers enjoy the quintessential Punchestown experience in a world of definitive hospitality.
FESTIVAL DAY
TUES
WED
THUR
FRI
SAT
Flexi Ticket
£27
£27
£27
£27
£27
Reserved Enclosure
£25
£25
£28
£35
£25
General Admission
£17
£17
£20
£26
£20
OAP / Student
£12
£12
£14
£19
£12
Party Pack** (Groups of 10 or more, details below)
£17
£19
£20
£26
£20
Panoramic Restaurant
£160
£169
£169
£199
£109
Punchestown Pavilion
£129
£145
£145
£169
£89
Festival Pavilion
N/A
N/A
£209
£239
N/A
Sterling Prices are approximate and based on October 2014 exchange rate. Hospitality prices subject to VAT.
Punchestown Festival 28th April – 2nd May 2015
Become A Member to Save at Home &
Away
MEMBERS
GO
FREE
It makes sense to purchase Punchestown membership
whether you live in Ireland or not because our reciprocal
programme is so good. From just £150 or £86 for
seniors or students you can enjoy all 17 Punchestown
meetings including the festival together with up to 54
brilliant fixtures throughout Ireland and the UK.
For full information on the benefits of membership,
the reciprocal programme and pricing please visit the
membership section
www.punchestown.com
Punchestown Festival 28th April – 2nd May 2015
6
7
Hospitality at Punchestown
Party Packs for Groups from £17pp
Maximum fun and minimum cost
More affordable than you think
Punchestown has always been Ireland’s leading sports hospitality event and with good reason. Packages are all inclusive,
very reasonably priced and ideal for special occasions or just as a treat for any racing fan.
Punchestown is famous for the personal service delivered to our clients. Please do not hesitate to contact the hospitality
team to tailor and discuss your Punchestown hospitality package.
Panoramic Package from £109 plus VAT
Reserved car parking • Admission • Reserved enclosure badge • Four Course Lunch served by Dobbins Hot • Afternoon
Snacks • Racecard • Celebrity Tipster • Private Betting Facilities
Punchestown Pavilion from £89 plus VAT
At this stage we have established that Punchestown is a ‘must see’ for the racing fan and that’s before we even venture
into the social side of the festival! If you can gather up nine like-minded folk who really enjoy great atmosphere, top class
sporting action, super socialising and can appreciate the good times then the Party Pack is for you. From as little as just
£17 groups of ten people or more can avail of a top notch deal including admission, racecard, €5 betting voucher and €5
beverage voucher. That’s pretty much the ingredients required to kick start a memorable day!
If you would like to ‘Super Size’ the occasion an extra £7 gains reserved enclosure admission and that’s where the
magic happens! Extra bars and venues located literally metres from the winning straight means this is a great location
to base your group for the day. To chat through your group options and create a tailor made package please contact the
Punchestown team on [email protected] or call +353 (0)45 897704.
Admission • Reserved enclosure badge • Four Course Lunch • Racecard • Celebrity Tipster • Live cctv action
Hot Afternoon Snacks • Betting facilities • Après racing live music.
Party Packs from just £17pp
Festival Pavilion from just £209 plus VAT (Available Thursday & Friday)
Admission • Racecard • €5 Betting Voucher • €5 Beverage Voucher
Reserved car parking • Admission & reserved enclosure badge • Drinks reception on arrival • Four course served lunch •
Complimentary bar • Afternoon tea • Racecard • Tipster service • Private betting facilities.
Private Suite Hire from just £850 plus VAT
For a truly intimate festival experience why not upgrade your group to one of our private suites.
*Prices subject to change and based on October 2014 exchange rate.
For further information please contact our UK Hospitality Partners:
Telephone 01 825760065
www.corporateentertainmentco.co.uk
Telephone: 01 484 539432
www.arevents.co.uk
Punchestown Festival 28th April – 2nd May 2015
FOR
YOU
AND
YOUR
FRIENDS
UNRIVALLED
HOSPITALITY
Punchestown
Festival 28th April – 2nd May 2015
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9
Where to stay
Where to stay
Outstanding value packages
Outstanding value packages
Louis Fitzgerald Hotel
Avon Ri
Killashee House Hotel & Spa
Telephone: +353 (0)1 4033300
Email: [email protected]
Visit: www.louisfitzgeraldhotel.com
Telephone: +353 (0)45 900 670
Visit: www.avonri.com
Telephone: +353 (0)45 879277
Luxury self-catering houses
overlooking the Blessington Lakes just
a 10 minute drive from Punchestown.
Perfect for groups.
Just two miles from the track the 4*
Killashee House is set in 280 acres of
gardens and parkland.
A modern 4* hotel located just 20
minutes from the track. The ‘Louis
Fitz’ is the ideal base if you wish to
visit Dublin city at any stage during
your trip.
2015 Punchestown Package:
•
•
•
•
•
2 Nights Bed and Breakfast
1 two course evening meal
Transfers on both days to
Punchestown
Copy of racing post on both days.
A €5.00 Bet
Prices from £106pp
2015 Punchestown Package:
•
•
•
•
Houses sleep 6 people.
Breakfast & evening meals are
available in the club house
Live entertainment each night
Transfers to and from racing
Prices start from
£142 per house per night
Palmerstown House Estate
The K Club Hotel, Spa and Golf Club
Telephone: +353 (0)45 906901
Email: [email protected]
Visit: www.palmerstownhouse.com
Telephone: +353(0)1 6017200
Email: [email protected]
Visit: www.kclub.ie
The beautiful Palmerstown House offers luxury
accommodation and very affordable prices just minutes
from Punchestown
2015 Punchestown Package:
Visit: www.killasheehouse.com
2015 Punchestown Package:
•
•
•
•
4* Country House Hotel, Spa &
Leisure Centre
Transfers to the racecourse
Apres racing entertainment in
Jacks Bar
Casual and formal dining options
Package Prices Available
on request. Please contact
reservations.
2015 Punchestown Package:
•
•
•
•
4* Luxury country house accommodation
Transfers Available
Club house formal and casual dining
18-hole championship Golf Course
Prices from from just £70pp BB
•
•
•
•
5* World Resort member
Recently Voted Top 10 Golf Resorts in the World
Convenient for Dublin city, airport and Punchestown
cid:3496993779_21036691 Racecourse
Transfers available
Prices: 1 Night Stay B&B – £259 per room
2 Night Stay, with dinner on one evening
and 2 tickets to Punchestown – £307pp.
For our full accommodation directory please visit www.punchestown.com
Punchestown Festival 28th April – 2nd May 2015
Punchestown Festival 28th April – 2nd May 2015
10
11
Come for the racing
Easy to get to
Stay for the craic
Worth the trip
Punchestown is located in Co. Kildare and is about 40
minute drive from Dublin. The festival spills over into the
local towns and villages of Naas (2 miles) , Ballymore
Eustace (6 miles) and Kilcullen (8 miles).
What’s on in Kildare during the Festival
The Punchestown Festival is the focus of activity in the county with festivities spilling
over into the neighbouring towns and villages. In fact, the festival marks the start
of summer and even the sunshine is referred to as “Punchestown weather”. Kildare
is known as the Thoroughbred County due to the high population of racehorses and
training facilities and is home to the Irish National Stud which is worth a visit.
(www.irish-national-stud.ie )
Stallions 2014
Dining and Shopping
Punchestown is located just two miles from the town
of Naas which is bursting with wonderful restaurants,
charming pubs and excellent boutiques. The towns and
villages surrounding the course have plenty to offer.
Flying to Dublin
Ryanair, our official airline partners fly from 16 different
locations throughout the UK:
• Birmingham • Bournemouth • Bristol • Doncaster •
East Midlands • Edinburgh • Glasgow (Prestwick) • Leeds
Bradford
• Liverpool • London Gatwick • Luton • London Stansted •
Manchester • Newcastle
Visit www.ryanair.com for more information.
Driving / Ferry
Golf and Activities
County Kildare was the venue for the 2006 Ryder Cup and the
county continues to boast some of the country’s finest golf
courses including The K Club, Palmerstown House, Dunmurray
Springs and Craddockstown.
For tours of the finest country houses and gardens to the history
and heritage of the region please visit www.kildare.ie\
If you would like to try horse power of a different kind Mondello
Park, Ireland’s international racing circuit, is only 10 minutes
away and offers brilliant group packages at the Mondello
Racing School. (www.mondello.ie).
Punchestown Festival 28th April – 2nd May 2015
Hollyhead to Dublin City Port – 40mins from the track;
Hollyhead to Dun Laoghaire – 45mins from the track
Pembroke to Rosslare Harbour – 2hrs from the track;
Stranraer to Larne, Belfast – 3hrs from the track
Transport Links to Punchestown
Coach Service
Marathon Travel are an official transport partner of the
Punchestown Festival. They supply coach transfers and
private coach hire from Dublin city centre and various
locations surrounding Punchestown.
For further information:
call +353 (0)1 4755010
email [email protected]
visit www.bushiredublin.net
Airport Transfer
There are numerous airport transfer services available from
Dublin Airport to the local town of Naas.
See www.aircoach.ie
or www.jjkavanagh.ie
A taxi journey from Dublin airport to Punchestown will take
about 45 minutes and cost about £60.
Visit www.directferries.ie for more information.
Hotel Transfer
Rail Service
Car Hire
Naas/Sallins is the closest railway station to Punchestown
and during the Festival a shuttle service is available to
transfer direct to the racecourse. Contact Iarnród Éireann
See www.dublinairportcarrental.com
For details and timetables call +353 (0)1 8366222
or www.irishrail.ie
Punchestown Festival 28th April – 2nd May 2015
PRINTED BY PRINT PROCUREMENT IRELAND
SEE YOU
AT THE
TRACK
GENERAL ENQUIRIES: [email protected]
HOSPITALITY ENQUIRIES: [email protected]
Punchestown Racecourse, Naas, Co. Kildare. Ireland.
t 00353 45 897704 f 00353 45 897319 w www.punchestown.com
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