Punchestown Festival 2024
As with tradition, the Punchestown Festival kicks off on the final Tuesday of April, which this year means a true spring festival from Tuesday April 30 – Saturday May 4.
The Punchestown team commit to progress each season but this year have introduced some dynamic changes to the five-day sport, corporate and social highlight. The four-step plan has evolved from customer feedback, business analysis, market research and consultation.
EARLIER START TIMES
The first two days of the 2024 Punchestown Festival will revert to a more traditional 2.30pm start, which means the final race will go to post at 6.30pm. Thursday and Friday remain at a 3.40pm start time with Saturday staying with 2.30pm start.
REDUCED TICKET PRICES
No deals, no promos, no gimmicks, just great value pre-booked tickets from just €30 – €40 for top-class racing action and entertainment. It will cost more to pay on the day. The new €35 Choice Ticket allows entry on either Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday. Group discounts available on pre-booked tickets, and seniors and students concessions are available on the day. As always, children under 14 years can attend the races for free.
REFRESHED LAYOUT
There will be an improved customer experience as the entire Punchestown site will be optimised. There will be no separate traditional ‘reserved enclosure’, however – the same great bars, shops, music venues and viewing lawns outside the hospitality areas will be available to all.
ENHANCED AND IMPROVED RACE DAY EXPERIENCE
This point is neither new nor dynamic as the pursuit of excellent customer experience is an ongoing process with Punchestown. The enhancement of the race day visit will go hand-in-hand with the new layout. The Punchestown demographic is a diverse one, with varied tastes and requirements for a memorable customer experience. Alongside catering and service partners, Punchestown aims to deliver a selection of great quality food and beverage options with efficient, friendly service in comfortable surroundings. Conor O’Neill, CEO, Punchestown, explains the theory behind the proposed plan: “If we’re not improving, we’re going backwards – it’s as simple as that – and in the current climate that is not something any business can afford to do. Each year we commit to making two or three improvements to either service, facilities or both. Customer feedback, good and bad, is what shapes policy and strategy and we look forward to our customers supporting and embracing what we’ve done.”
BOODLES ADDS SPARKLE TO FESTIVAL FRIDAY
A major new addition to the festival sponsorship line-up is the introduction of luxury jeweller Boodles as sponsor of festival Friday feature race the Champion Hurdle. This three-year deal takes in the €300,000 Grade 1 Boodles Champion Hurdle and celebrates 20 years of business in the Boodles Grafton Street Store. Along with the race, the Boodles Bar on the private suite level will showcase some of the award-winning collection including the recently launched horse racing themed Lucky Collection. Whilst Boodles is currently involved with Cheltenham, Chester and York race courses in the UK, its Punchestown agreement is its exclusive Irish activation.
HOMECOMING OF CHAMPIONS AND UK RECRUITMENT DRIVE
Fresh from the Cotswolds, the Irish raiders return from Cheltenham with an impressive bounty of 18 wins – half of which were landed by the record-breaking Willie Mullins. This result feeds nicely into Irish racing’s grand finale at Punchestown as the homecoming of champions, which will feature many of the stars from throughout the season all, vying for a piece of the €3.4m prize fund. In a refreshed bid to attract more UK-based runners, the Punchestown team launched The Full Circle Series with five UK and five Irish qualifiers in recent months. Aimed at mid-level hurdlers, the Full Circle Final is worth travelling for, with €60,000 on offer on the opening day of the festival.
IT’S A SELL OUT!
The hospitality team are operating a waiting list for festival hospitality packages.
It is an ever-changing landscape, so please make sure to register your interest by email on hospitality@punchestown.com, call +353 45 897704 or visit www.punchestown.com
