Golden Ace was the shock winner in a dramatic Champion Hurdle on Tuesday, the feature race of the first day of the Cheltenham Festival, after both the previous winners Constitution Hill and State Man fell.
Winning trainer Jeremy Scott had wanted Golden Ace to run in the Mare’s Hurdle, but her owner Ian Gosden insisted on the biggest hurdling prize of all and was proved right.
Constitution Hill had been odds on to regain the crown he missed out on defending last year, but came to grief with three hurdles remaining, the first time in 11 races he has failed to win.
Photo: AP
State Man then looked set to retain his title as he approached the final hurdle, but he hit the dirt, too, jockey Paul Townend pounding the turf with his fist in frustration.
Golden Ace’s jockey Lorcan Williams was left to just guide his mount home.
“I am lost for words,” Williams said. “You dream of these moments as a kid watching on TV.”
Scott said he thought he was dreaming.
“It has been the most bizarre five minutes,” he said. “She [Golden Ace] has given me the best two days of my life apart from my wedding.”
“She is a popular winner and it is good for racing,” said Mullins, while 74-year-old Henderson admitted losing was tough, but “you pick yourself up and dust yourself down and go again.”
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