Golden Ace was a shock winner of an incredible Unibet Champion Hurdle, in which both Constitution Hill and State Man crashed out – the latter clear as he jumped the last in front.
Constitution Hill departed relatively early on in the Cheltenham showpiece and it was Brighterdaysahead who looked set to battle it out with State Man up the hill, but Willie Mullins’ defending champion came down at the final flight, just as he appeared likely to run out an emphatic winner.
Brighterdaysahead was subsequently hampered, although she did look beaten at the time.
It was then left to the Jeremy Scott-trained Golden Ace, who did not falter when the opportunity was handed to her and she carried Lorcan Williams to victory at odds of 25/1, with Burdett Road (66/1) taking the runner-up spot.
Golden Ace bypassed the fallen State Man and Paul Townend
Scott said of his Ian Gosden-owned winner, who was triumphing at the showcase meeting for the second time after winning last year’s Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle: “I couldn’t even dream that would happen. I’ve just asked someone to thump me because I must be dreaming, it is just bizarre.
“It’s a tragedy those horses came down and it spoilt the race entirely, we looked booked for second if not third but then State Man came down so it is marred by that, but the gods have favoured us.
“My owner was not at loggerheads [with me] because he pays the bills, but he was very keen to have a runner in the Champion Hurdle and we thought we could nick a bit of prize money and we didn’t think we could beat Lossiemouth [in the Mares’ Hurdle] – it’s extraordinary how things work out.
“She is unbeaten here so she obviously likes the track. It’s interesting Willie tends not to run his mares much before Christmas so maybe that might be the way to go next year.
“Winning the Champion Hurdle is brilliant for the whole team, it’s amazing.”
Lorcan Williams kisses the Champion Hurdle trophy
Both Constitution Hill and State Man were reported none the worse, as were jockeys Nico de Boinville and Paul Townend.
Scott added: “I haven’t taken in it yet and I hope the other two are OK, it was such an odd race.
“This race wasn’t my initial thought, but it’s a horse race and anything can happen.”
A proud Gosden said of the decision to run in the Champion rather than the Mares’ Hurdle: “He who dares, wins, Rodney!
“You’ve got to be in it to win it, haven’t you? I watched every race Lossiemouth has ever had and she has never come off the bridle against a mare, the only time she has was against Constitution Hill.
“So I just thought we may as well go for it.
“Jeremy and his whole team do a superb job and this mare is something special.
“This, winning a Champion Hurdle, is beyond my dreams. Last year I was quite happy, winning at the Festival for the first time and now I’ve done this. I’ll have to come back next year now, won’t I!
“I think she might go up a bit in the weights!”
Nicky Henderson said of Constitution Hill: “He seems fine, he’s very bright and breezy. He hasn’t had a race, obviously,
and we’ll just have to think of a plan.”
Mullins added of State Man: “He’s a little bit sore and got a bang on the head I think when he was getting up, but he cantered away and trotted up sound, so we’re happy enough with him. The vets have examined him and they’ve said he’s fine to travel home this evening – that’s good news.
“It’s unfortunate, but it’s racing and that’s what makes winning over here so hard, you never know when something like that is going to happen.”
Lossiemouth untroubled in defence of Mares’ Hurdle title
Lossiemouth maintained her perfect Cheltenham record in successfully defending her Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle crown.
The six-year-old claimed the two-and-a-half-mile Grade One contest by three lengths 12 months ago and more than justified 4/6 favouritism for another impressive victory under the guidance of Townend.
Lossiemouth wins the Mares’ Hurdle at Cheltenham
The Rich Ricci-owned grey was in second place for much of the race, sitting on the shoulder of her Mullins-trained stablemate Jade De Grugy before making her move ahead of the final fence.
Jade De Grugy tried to push up the tempo, but Lossiemouth cruised past the leader before flying over the last and kicking on to seal a seven-and-a-half-length triumph and win at the Festival for the third time. Take No Chances came in third for Dan Skelton.
Plenty of the build-up to Cheltenham had surrounded whether Lossiemouth would go for the Champion Hurdle over the Mares’ Hurdle, and while two defeats this season had raised question marks, that still appeared it would be the case before a late change of heart.
Mullins said: “As a trainer and as a professional I didn’t see the work [the other day] to run her in the Champion Hurdle, which disappointed me on the day, but we had the alternative to come here and that worked.
“You have to look at Rich Ricci’s team – he hasn’t had a great year this year and we all sort of gauge ourselves by Cheltenham. I’m not sure he has another live chance of a winner this week and she was a live chance of a winner in this race.
“It was disappointing to change our minds from a two-year plan, but it was the correct decision for the connections, I think.
“For these owners that we have, it’s all about coming here and having a winner, and Paul wasn’t going to ride this mare in the Champion Hurdle. When Paul said he wasn’t going to ride her in the Champion Hurdle, that was enough of a pointer for most people.
“I was happy with where our horses were placed in the race. Danny (Mullins) said he was going to make the running on Jade De Grugy, she ran a cracker as well and there’s more big days in her, too.”
On whether Lossiemouth will be aimed at the Champion Hurdle next season, Mullins added: “I’m not going to open my mouth again!
“This is her third win in Cheltenham, which puts her in a different league from a lot of other horses, and if we want to see that battle [with the geldings] they can come to Ireland and take her on, or we might go to Liverpool for the Aintree Hurdle. It doesn’t have to be all about one day here, there are other opportunities to meet those type of horses.
“She is a mare with a nice pedigree. At the moment Rich probably has mares for racing rather than breeding. If a breeder owned her she’d probably be retired to stud, but I’d say the fact that she’s in the pink and green spots means she’ll probably race for another season at least.”
Dan Skelton was proud of Take No Chances, who fared best of the British back in third.
“I’m very very happy with her and I have been all season to be honest, she’s run brilliantly,” said Skelton.
“You run that race a million times and the best we could be was second and we nearly were, Lossiemouth is just in a different league but we’re very proud.
“She could run again, we’ll consider Sandown and we may even enter for the mares’ race at Punchestown.”
Skelton admitted that had he trained Lossiemouth, a Champion Hurdle bid would not have been on his radar.
He said: “As controversial as it is that Lossiemouth didn’t run in the Champion Hurdle, she’s run in the race she’s most likely to win so from a professional perspective you can’t knock it. If she were mine, to be honest I’d probably have never considered the Champion Hurdle!
“I always knew we’d outrun our odds and two weeks ago when it looked like Lossiemouth wasn’t running, I even had it in my head she could go off second favourite and have a squeak of winning and it has worked out like that.
“This was my first Grade One winner at the Festival, this race, and I have a strong opinion that this race should stay.
“Saying it should go is definitely not the way forward, it has to stay, maybe in a different guise but it would be a big step backwards for the industry and the breed to lose the mares’ races.”
Russell continues Ultima domination with Myretown
Myretown produced a brilliant front-running performance at Cheltenham to earn trainer Lucinda Russell her third victory in the Ultima Handicap Chase from the last four runnings.
The eight-year-old, wearing the same silks and by the same sire in former Arc hero Dylan Thomas as Russell’s stable stalwart Ahoy Senor, looked comfortable in the hands of Patrick Wadge in taking the early lead.
Myretown, the winner of the Ultima Handicap Chase
It was an advantage Myretown did not relinquish and a fantastic jump at the final fence saw him burst clear of Joe Tizzard’s The Changing Man before streaking clear to romp home by 11 lengths as the 13/2 favourite. Malina Girl was third for Gavin Cromwell.
Russell said: “I wasn’t keen on running him, but the owners said ‘come on, let’s have a go’ and he was well handicapped if he jumped round, I just didn’t know if he’d be man enough, but it looks like he is.
“I’ve just remembered I own half of him so it’s just got even better. He’s phenomenal and I always thought he might be another Ahoy Senor – we bought him because he looks like Ahoy Senor.
“He’s a bit different to Corach Rambler who jumps so exuberantly and Corach was a star, but just a different type of horse.
“This is a brilliant horse and I’m delighted for Patrick, it wasn’t a bad ride for his first Festival winner was it! It was really brave.”
Wadge added: “I couldn’t believe jumping three out I couldn’t hear anyone near me and I just hoped I hadn’t gone too quick. I gave him a squeeze on the bend and he took off – I think he could have gone round again. I can’t thank Lucinda, Scu (Peter Scudamore) and the owners for letting me ride him, to get a sit on this lad was phenomenal. The faith they had in me was amazing.
“I don’t know how good he could be, but he’s the best I’ve ever sat on and he could be the best I ever will sit on.”
