New Punchestown starting times not met with universal approval

IF the Punchestown publicity machine is to be believed then just about everybody is onside regarding the new starting times for their Festival at the end of the month and into early May.

Punchestown, the biggest National Hunt meeting of the season in Ireland, starts on Tuesday, April 28 and finishes on Saturday, May 2.

Last year the first four days had a 2.30 start, but this time round they have effectively been changed to evening meetings with a 3.45 kick-off.