Golden Ace (25/1) became the seventh mare to win the Unibet Champion Hurdle today as both the 2023 winner Constitution Hill and defending champion State Man came adrift. It was at the fifth fence that Constitution Hill parted company with Nico de Boinville while State Man (8/1) looked to have the race in the bag when falling at the last. Both horses and jockeys were reported to be fine.

Golden Ace was left to come home nine lengths clear of Burdett Road (66/1).

Seven mares have taken Champion Hurdle honours on a total of eight occasions – African Sister (1939), Dawn Run (1984), Flakey Dove (1994), Annie Power (2016), Epatante (2020), Honeysuckle (2021 and 2022) and Golden Ace (2025).

As expected, it was Gordon Elliott's King Of Kingsfield (Danny Gilligan) who took the field along at an even pace, followed by stablemate Brighterdaysahead (Jack Kennedy) three lengths away with 1/2 favourite Constitution Hill (Nico de Boinville and Nicky Henderson) a further two lengths back.

There was a shock at the fourth last hurdle when Constitution Hill took a fall, leaving Brighterdaysahead in the lead.

State Man (Paul Townend and Willie Mullins) followed up strongly to move into the lead looking like he had the race for his taking before the final flight when he took a fall of his own there.

Brighterdaysahead was hampered and effectively out of the race and €12,000 purchase Golden Ace, trained by Jeremy Scott, came to pick up the pieces, supplying jockey Lorcan Williams with his first Grade 1 victory.

Jeremy Scott – 2 Festival wins

Lorcan Williams – 3 Festival wins

Winning trainer Jeremy Scott said: “I think my team at home will be as flabbergasted as I am - they’ll be watching it at home now and they’ll definitely be reaching for the drinks cabinet. Amazing, absolutely amazing. I hope both Constitution Hill and poor old Stateman are alright.

“We’re lucky, we can give our horses time; my wife and family are all involved. Camilla does a lot of the work at home and she has the patience of a saint and she’s the genius, rather than me.

“Lorcan is part of the team and we work really well together. He’s not had an easy season, as we haven’t, really, and he’s just such a good horseman and he’s a good mate, so it’s really nice to do this. Give me a pinch and make sure this isn’t a dream!

“I couldn’t even dream it - for God’s sale thump me, because I must be fast asleep at the moment! It’s a real tragedy those two horses came down; it spoilt the race entirely, but we looked certainly booked for second or third before Stateman came down, so it’s marred by that, really, but I’m just delighted that the gods have favoured us. My owner and I were not at loggerheads, because ultimately he pays the bills, but he was very keen to have a runner here today, we thought we could nick a little bit of prize-money, and we didn’t feel we could possibly beat Lossiemouth, so it’s extraordinary how things work out.

“That’s her unbeaten here, so she obviously likes the track. It’s interesting that Willie doesn’t tend to run his mares until after Christmas, so maybe we get it all wrong by trying to run them before Christmas. Maybe next year we’ll hang fire a bit.

“It’s brilliant for the whole team - just amazing.”

Lorcan Williams said: “Literally, I cannot believe it. She wasn’t travelling as well as I wanted in the latter part of the race; all I was thinking was that we could do with a bit further, then I thought, ‘We’re staying on well for second’, and things happened started to happen. I hope they’re alright - they’re iconic horses - but we were there to pick up the pieces. I’m absolutely thrilled for the Jeremy Scott team; it’s a massive team effort to come here and I’m lost for words as to what a pleasure it is to get it done.

“Fair play to the owner - we were pushing for the Mares’ Hurdle massively, but I got his point of view from the sense that we could go for the Mares’ next year because she’d be a little bit older and would see the trip out. On good ground I definitely think she’d see the trip out. Massive call and I’m just glad he did it.

“Getting to the line, I was just thinking, ‘I hope it comes pretty soon!’ I promise you, I did not know what to expect and nothing compares to how I am feeling now. I hope this day will never end. I’m shell shocked - every time I have come here and got a winner, it’s been a dream come true for me. To be a part of it is one thing - to end up winning here is another. I’m just grateful to be a part of it.

“I’m a small part of the team back home. The horses get so much TLC - it’s only a small yard and they get a lot of time and effort; they want the performances and they’re getting them. If they’ve got the horses they get the results, and we’ve shown that over the past few years. Hopefully people can see that, and they get sent a few more horses.”

Gordon Elliott, trainer of Brighterdaysahead (4th) said: “She was well beaten even with nearly getting brought down at the last. Jack said she never picked up for him at all and she normally picks up.

“He said she whinnied crossing the line as well so that would be a worry so we will have to get her checked out and see how she is.

“Jack said when she whinnied she was very distressed. You couldn’t say they went too fast, but we will get her checked out and see how she is.

“Last year she finished her race out, but there today we were walking going to the last.”

Willie Mullins, trainer of State Man, said: “He was just long at it and popped the top of it, but these things happen.

“At least we made the right decision (as to which race to run the horses in), but the hurdles are there to be jumped.

“We don’t need any chat with Paul to see what happened. I’m just delighted he is okay.”

Nicky Henderson, trainer of Constitution Hill, said: “He seems fine. He is very bright and breezy, but of course he hasn’t had a race. I don’t know what can you say. He ran two miles, even if he didn’t have Nico on at the end.

“He has been in terrific form I have got to say, but poor old State Man as well. You couldn’t believe those two old silly old fools have gone and done what they have done today.

“When you are jumping as fast as they jump you have got to get it deadly accurate. You would like to see the replay of it, but it doesn’t really matter what he did.

“They will do these silly things. It is tough, and we have to live with it, as we know what we are playing with. That is the game, you have to take these things, but it is difficult when it is on a day like this.

“You never like to see them fall, but he is okay and walking around there he is as fresh as you could see. We will just have to think of a plan.

“State Man had the race in the bag. I can’t say we would have won as that would be stupid, but everything was great. They didn’t go as quickly as I thought they would do.

“Somebody said that (the hurdle sprung back on him), but you know what I can see!

“You have to live with these things, but it is cruel as we waited two years to get him back here.”