Champion Hurdle Carnage As Last Two Winners State Man and Constitution Hill Fall

The 2025 Champion Hurdle had been billed as a straight match-up between the 2023 winner Constitution Hill and the new star mare on the scene Brighterdaysahead – however, in a race stacked full of high drama – it was 25/1 shot Golden Ace that landed the £253k day one Cheltenham Festival feature. Producing one of the shocking Champion Hurdle results in the history of the race.

Constitution Hill Falls In Bid To Regain Champion Hurdle Title

In the hour before the Champion Hurdle the best horse racing betting sites in the UK took a flood of money on Constitution Hill – which saw the Nicky Henderson-trained 8 year-old sent off as the red-hot 1/2 favourite.

However, despite racing up with the pace in third for the first half of the race – the 2023 Champion Hurdle winner fell four out – walking through the hurdle and giving Nico de Boinville no chance (watch below).

It was the first time the horse had been beaten in his 11-race career, but the good news is that both horse and rider got up okay.

After the race his trainer Nicky Henderson, who was clearly disappointed, alluded to possible tilt at the Punchestown Festival in April/May – providing the horse comes out of this tumble okay.

With the Punchestown Champion Hurdle on Friday 2nd May the target.

2024 Champion Hurdle Hero State Man Also Hits The Deck

With no Constitution Hill, Brighterdaysahead traded short in-play, but it was the 2024 winner State Man that was travelling the best turning for home in the first-time cheekpieces.

The pair quickly breezed past the Gordon Elliott-trained Brighterdaysahead – who started to flounder in the straight – and had the race at his mercy when 5 lengths up heading to the final flight – only to fall, in what was a similar-looking fall to Annie Power’s tumble in the Mares’ Hurdle in 2015.

Paul Townend and State Man got up okay – it was only the second time State Man had fallen in his career. With the other on his hurdles debut at Leopardstown back in Dec 2021.

All this carnage – meant Golden Ace, who is trained by Jeremy Scott was left with the race at her mercy – winning by 9 lengths in one of the craziest Champion Hurdle results horse racing fans are ever likely to see.

Golden Ace Follows Up Last Year’s Novices’ Mares’ Hurdle Win

Golden Ace was talked about as running in the Mares’ Hurdle 40 minutes earlier but her owner Ian Gosden persuaded Jeremy Scott to try their hand in the ‘big one’ – a move that paid off to the tune of £253,215 – which is 21 times what Golden Ace cost.

The 7 year-old is also now 2-from-2 at the Festival after winning the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle 12 months ago – also lowering the colours of Brighterdaysahead that day too.

Champion Hurdle Result Sees Brighterdaysahead Beaten Fair and Square

With all the carnage, the only real take out in the race is that Brighterdaysahead was beaten fair and square.

She wasn’t impacted by the Constitution Hill fall and even though she was slightly hampered by the State Man tumble – she was beaten at the time.

It will be interesting to see where her Gigginstown House Stud connections pitch her next.

2025 Champion Hurdle Result