Golden Ace ($73.60) recorded a shocking win in Tuesday’s Grade 1 Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham festival in western England after 1-5 favorite Constitution Hill fell four obstacles from the finish and 8-1 State Man fell at the last hurdle when he seemed en route to a win.
Golden Ace, the winner of a Grade 3 Mares’ Novices Hurdle at Cheltenham in 2024, inherited the lead after State Man’s fall and won by nine lengths over 90-1 Burdett Road. The $1 exacta combining the two longshots returned $693.20.
Constitution Hill lost for the first time in 11 starts in the $581,300 Champion Hurdle at two miles. The winner of the 2023 Champion Hurdle, Constitution Hill was well-placed in third with about six furlongs remaining when he fell, briefly hampering Golden Ace.
State Man, who was second in the 2023 Champion Hurdle and won the race last year, led by five lengths when he fell. Both Constitution Hill and State Man and their riders, Nico de Boinville and Paul Townend, were not injured.
Golden Ace, a 7-year-old mare by Golden Horn, races for trainer Jeremy Scott and jockey Lorcan Williams. Golden Ace has won 7 of 11 starts in a career that began with a win in December 2022.
Golden Ace was not the only upset winner in Tuesday’s four Grade 1 races. Jango Baie ($10.40) overcame jumping errors at two of three final fences to win the Arkle Chase for novices at two miles for de Boinville and trainer Nicky Henderson, with 1-5 Majborough third after a bad blunder two fences from the finish.
Aside from Lossiemouth, who paid a mere $2.60, the program began with a 1 3/4-length win by by Kopek Des Bordes ($2.80) in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at 2 1/16 miles.
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