GOLDEN ACE

GOLDEN ACE’S TRAINER AND JOCKEY RELIVE HER DRAMATIC SUCCESS IN THE 2025 UNIBET CHAMPION HURDLE

Thrilling finishes are what make the Cheltenham Festival the spectacle that it is - and few are likely to ever come close to matching the drama of this year’s Unibet Champion Hurdle.

In recent seasons racegoers have been treated to some absolute crackers.

Think Champ snatching victory from the jaws of defeat in 2020 in what was then the RSA Insurance Novices’ Chase and Wichita Lineman coming from another parish to land the 2009 Festival Trophy on the line.

But none of those can match the events that unfolded in this year’s Champion Hurdle, which was won by the Jeremy Scott-trained 25-1 chance Golden Ace under Lorcan Williams.

In the build-up to the race all eyes were on Constitution Hill trying to reclaim the title he had to give up after missing the 2024 renewal from the Willie Mullins-trained State Man.

However, over the course of the three minutes and 56 seconds it took to run the 2025 renewal of the Grade One prize no one could have predicted what was about to unfold.

And although now able to reminisce fondly about the eventual outcome, Golden Ace’s place in the race was far from guaranteed according to Scott despite winning her previous start in the Bet MGM Kingwell Hurdle at Wincanton.

Scott said: “I think both Lorcan and I thought it would be more sensible for her to go to the Mares’ Hurdle as it looked a lot less competitive.

“We knew she was coming back to herself, so I was very happy with her, but it looked like she lacked speed in the Kingwell so that was also pushing us towards the Mares’ Hurdle.

“Mr Gosden (owner) wanted to go in the Champion Hurdle, but he listened to what we had to say, and what it came down to was where Lossiemouth and Brighterdaysahead were going.

“We didn’t think we would possibly beat Lossiemouth so we thought we would go for the Champion Hurdle where the prize money was better for finishing third than getting second in the Mares’ Hurdle.”

With the decision made to run Golden Ace in the Champion Hurdle a place looked the best result the daughter of Golden Horn, winner of the previous year’s Grade Two Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle, could hope for on all known form.

Williams said: “I was excited as you are riding in the Champion Hurdle, but I was probably thinking let’s try and get her to run well and hit the line well and pick up the pieces as we were going out. There was no pressure on me.

“I had in my head I wanted to be by the two of the best I felt that were in the race in Constitution Hill and State Man.

“I wanted to give her room as well as she did jump slightly right in the Kingwell, and I didn’t want to cause any carnage.

"I was very happy early doors though as she jumped well and was travelling well, I felt.”

Up until this point the race had gone as smoothly as could be expected for the seven runners with none of the major players yet to make any kind of telling move.

But, as the field hurtled down to four out, it was then that the first piece of drama unfolded as odds-on favourite, Constitution Hill, parted company with Nico de Boinville, forcing Williams into taking evasive action.

Williams said: “It all happened very quickly, and she was very quick to react herself. We were very lucky not to be brought down.

“When Constitution Hill came down, I felt our momentum stopped quite a lot as it was at the point when you are climbing up hill, so your momentum is becoming a little of drag anyway.

“That dragged me down a couple of gears and I was trying to feed her back on to the bridle at a crucial point.

“I was able to free wheel going down the hill and I was just niggling at her as I was trying to get her to fill back up as I felt we had lost a bit of energy through that matter.”

And like Williams, the Higher Holworthy Farm handler felt at that point any realistic chances of causing one of the greatest Champion Hurdle upsets had all but gone.

Scott said: “I was perfectly happy with where we were alongside Constitution Hill, but unfortunately for him, he took off at the same time as Brighterdaysahead did at four out and was far too far away and landed halfway up the hurdle.

“Fortunately, he rolled the right way for us, but at that point she came off the bridle a bit and going down the hill we were slightly on the backfoot.

“We were still there, but only because Lorcan was vigorously pushing her along and at that point we thought the favourite had gone and realistically we thought if she gallops up the hill, we will get third.”

But for Williams that feeling quickly changed as the race began to unfold heading towards the penultimate flight.

He added: “Jumping two out, that was when I started to feel her motor to be honest.

"All that was going through my head at the time when I turned the bend was my next target was Brighterdaysahead as State Man had gone and kicked on.

“It was never a thought in my head that we were going to catch State Man and it was now a case, I felt, of trying to make sure we finished second.”

At this point victory appeared to be going the way of State Man with Paul Townend appearing to hold all the aces out in front with only the last flight standing between the reigning champion from successfully defending his crown.

But in a matter of seconds the race was turned on its head as State Man parted company with Townend leaving Golden Ace in a clear lead with just the hill to climb.

Williams said: “When State Man came down, I was able to react to it. It wasn’t like when Constitution Hill came down and I was on his girth as I had enough time to swerve left.

“I’ve said this so many times, but it felt like the whole world has stopped. It was so weird. You could hear the crowd go ‘ooh’.

“I quickly got the revs back on as I heard Jack Tudor, Lewis Piper and Jonjo O’Neill (Jnr), who were stood at the last, shouting at me to kick on.

“Once I was in the clear all I was thinking was that I hope I don’t get caught. I was unaware of the drama of everybody crashing into each other after the last.”

While Williams was unaware of Burdett Road, Winter Fog and the weakening Brighterdaysahead coming together after the last, Scott, although scarcely believing what he had just seen, could see the race was in safe keeping from his position in the paddock.

Scott said: “When you saw the carnage in behind at the last hurdle, unless something drastic happened to us, we weren’t going to get caught.

“At the time I was just focussing on our mare and almost not looking at everybody else. I was looking at her to the point in almost disbelief that this has happened.

“It was as if I had gone to bed and was about to wake up and I was having this dream on the eve of the Champion Hurdle that all these horses fell and suddenly we win the Champion Hurdle.

“I felt this can’t be happening. It was a delight, but it took a long time to sink in. I don’t think in any conversation for one moment did we think we were going to win before the race.”

And although no stranger to winning at the Festival for Williams, what he had just achieved had left him dumbfounded.

Williams said: “That hill is so long. When you jump the last it is the longest climb to the line as winning races at Cheltenham is the pinnacle.

“I put my arm out thinking what the hell has just happened and a few strides past the line I put my hands on my head as I couldn’t believe what had happened.

“To win the race was great, but to do it for Jeremy was brilliant as he is my mate and I see him as somebody I trust.”

However, it is fitting that the last word on a race that will live long in the memory goes to Scott, for whom the victory shows that with a bit of luck, anything is possible, and that the size of a stable really doesn't matter.

Scott said: “I didn’t know what reception we would get in the winner’s enclosure as so many people had done their money on Brighterdaysahead, Constitution Hill or State Man.

“I kind of felt that a lot of the general public would have been disappointed with the result, but they were very gracious. and it was great when everyone started chanting. It was the most amazing feeling.

“The best thing that came out of it was that it gave everyone a bit of hope that the little guy and less fashionable horse can come out on top.

“It is one of the joys of National Hunt racing that massive surprises can be sprung and we were lucky to be that surprise.”