The Grade 1 action on day three of the Punchestown Festival in 2026 was made up of the Barberstown Castle Novice Chase and Ladbrokes Champion Stayers Hurdle which provided a top-tier double act. Late drama unfolded in the first of those events as red-hot favourite Kopek Des Bordes fell at the final fence, with the race at his mercy. However, it was the three-mile hurdle contest that produced the most compelling storyline.
Making his debut in a Turtulla Point-to-Point back in 2019, Bob Olinger has served trainer Henry De Bromhead and owner Brian Acheson with distinction for seven seasons. However, all good things must come to an end, and ahead of the Punchestown Festival, Acheson announced that Bob Olinger would dance his last dance in the Day 3 feature event.
Going Out with a Bang
Without a win in the current season and pulled up on his only previous appearance at the Punchestown Festival, the veteran looked to have a lot on his plate to master his owner-mate Teahupoo. Bidding for a third successive win in the race, the Gordon Elliott star started as the 5/4 favourite. However, the horse named in honour of the frontier lawman, best known as the final victim of Billy the Kid, wasn’t about to be outgunned on his final racecourse appearance.
That said, the signs were ominous when the field turned for home, with Teahupoo opening up a three-length advantage approaching the last. That lead evaporated in the blink of an eye. With the market leader running out of steam, Bob Olinger began to stay on resolutely under Darragh O’Keeffe. Grabbing the lead over the final hurdle, the 4/1 chance quickly mastered Teahupoo and had enough in the locker to repel the late charge of Jimmy Du Seuil. Coming home three-quarters of a length clear of the Willie Mullins-trained runner, Bob Olinger raised the Punchestown roof as his fans paid tribute one last time.
Punchestown Champion Stayers Hurdle 2026 Result
| Positon | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Bob Olinger | Henry De Bromhead | Darragh O’Keeffe | 4/1 |
| 2nd | Jimmy Du Seuil | Willie Mullins | Paul Townend | 9/1 |
| 3rd | Teahupoo | Gordon Elliott | Jack Kennedy | 5/4 |
Five Grade 1s and Cheltenham Festival Heroics
For a horse that has achieved so much, it was only fitting that Bob Olinger should go out on a high. It was also refreshing to see racing provide a happier script for the De Bromhead team, following the tragic loss of Envoi Allen mere minutes after his final outing in the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
This last hurrah represented Bob Olinger’s 11th win from 22 career appearances. Amassing £825,250 in prize money for connections, he struck five times in Grade 1 company during his glittering career. Held in the highest regard from the moment he set foot on the track, the talented performer endeared himself to fans by displaying his talent where it mattered most. In four appearances at the Cheltenham Festival, the good-looking bay registered three Grade 1 triumphs:
2021 Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle
Arriving at his first Cheltenham Festival on the back of a six-and-a-half-length success in the Grade 1 Lawlor’s of Naas Novice Hurdle, Bob Olinger started as the 6/4 favourite in the opening event on Day 2. Going in the hands of Rachael Blackmore, the market leader nosed into the lead over the second and strode more than seven lengths clear of Gaillard Du Mesnil to post a famous success.
2022 Turners Novices’ Chase
If Bob Olinger’s first Cheltenham Festival victory oozed class, his second was more than a little fortunate. Only four went to post in the 2022 edition of this Day 3 contest, with the market making it a two-horse race between Bob Olinger and future Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Galopin Des Champs. With Blackmore again in the saddle, Bob Olinger looked booked for a well-beaten second, only for Galopin Des Champs to fall when ten lengths clear at the final fence. Avoiding such mishaps, Bon Olinger picked up the pieces to score by 40 lengths.
2025 Stayers’ Hurdle
Having missed the Cheltenham Festival in 2023 and 2024, Bob Olinger made his first appearance in one of the championship contests in 2025. Yet to score over 3m under rules, he was only the fifth choice in the market ahead of the 2025 Stayers’ Hurdle. However, he once again came alive at the March meeting. Given an excellently timed ride by Blackmore, he began his charge approaching the final hurdle to spring past Teahupoo and forged on for a brilliant triumph by just shy of two lengths.
What would be Bob Olinger’s final Cheltenham Festival appearance came in the 2026 Stayers’ Hurdle. While losing his unbeaten Festival record, he again ran with credit to finish a fine third in the defence of his crown.
Connections Pay Tribute
With Bob Olinger’s racing career now at an end, the horse has cemented himself as one of Henry de Bromhead’s greatest ever runners. Speaking in the aftermath of his Punchestown success, the delighted trainer stated:
“This is one to savour. You dream that they could go out like that, so it is phenomenal.”
Owner Brian Acheson added his voice to the clamour when summing up the horse he refers to as “his third child”, saying:
“Special horses don’t come along too often, and this fellow is just the horse that keeps on giving.”