Punchestown Festival tips: best bets from the On The Wire team

Top tips for the 2026 Punchestown Festival!

In the latest episode of On The Wire, in association with BOYLE Sports, and the penultimate show of the season, Andrew Blair White is joined by Dan Overall, Mark Boylan and Donn McClean to preview the stellar action at the Irish venue (April 28-May 2), live on Racing TV.

As ever, our top team have got you covered with their expert insight and best bets across the five days.  Andrew, Dan, Mark and Donn guide you through each day, and will hopefully give you a helping hand with finding a few winners. Top tips, each-way fancies, and some opinions that may raise a few eyebrows all feature in this show!Spoiler alert: each member of our team reveal their naps across the week towards the end of the show, so make sure you stay tuned as some interesting angles are revealed. You can find a few selections below, but  full show features the full lowdown from our experts.Our thanks to BOYLE Sports for their ongoing support of On The Wire (all runners and prices correct at the time of recording).

Horses: Kargese and Le Labo. 

"I think Kargese should be chalked up at shorter odds against Kopek Des Bordes (Barberstown Castle Novice Chase), and I also think Le Labo has gone under the radar in the PRL Champion Novice Hurdle."

Donn also reveals his strongest fancy in the handicaps, which is a British raider owned by JP McManus! "Whichever race he runs in, he's my pick...I'm sure they've had this meeting in mind for him for a while," says Donn. 

Horses: Teahupoo and Barnahash Prince.

"Teahupoo is one of the favourites I will be with this week, and in the Race & Stay At Punchestown Champion I.N.H. Flat Race, Barnahash Prince is one to note. There are no prices available, at the time of recording, but I'm hoping he will offer some value. The Jonathan Sweeney yard is a yard I have a lot of time for, and his charge won really impressively at Cork on debut. That wasn't a deep race, and this will be a much sterner test, but some of the contenders who ran at Cheltenham and Aintree might take a while to get over those exertions, and Barnahash Prince arrives here fresh. I think he could outrun his odds."

Mark also gave strong mentions to two other contenders - one in the Weatherbys General Stud Book Irish EBF Mares INH Flat Race, a youngster who produced a "really taking performance" at Limerick recently and has "proper Grade One potential", as well as a 14-1 chance in the Albert Bartlett Triple Crown Series Final Handicap Hurdle. Watch the full show above to find out more!

Horses: Khrisma and Shuffle The Deck.

"Khrisma has been declared for the Killashee Hotel Handicap Hurdle. She's just so well handicapped, and Harry Cobden is booked for the ride. She's very interesting here. I also like the chances of Shuffle The Deck in the QuinnBet Novice Handicap Chase. I don't think two miles was ever going to suit him last time out, but he ran really well, and that form has already been boosted since. He's very lightly-raced, and stepping back up in trip will suit." 

Which contender is Dan's "strongest fancy of the week"? Our man reveals this and much more throughout the show. 

Horse: Grey Jude.

"Grey Jude is my best bet of the week in the Connolly's RED MILLS Irish EBF Auction Hurdle Series Final on Wednesday. A bit of nicer ground should suit him, and I'm hoping he will reverse Leopardstown form with Vitorio Piel."