2025 Champion Hurdle Result - Golden Ace wins as Constitution Hill and State Man fall
- Full result for the 2025 Champion Hurdle
- Golden Ace won an incredible race on day one at Cheltenham
- Watch a replay of the Champion Hurdle here
Golden Ace (right) wins the Champion Hurdle. (Getty)
Having been forced to miss the defence of his crown 12 months ago, Constitution Hill made his triumphant return to the Cheltenham Festival on Tuesday.
Nicky Henderson's star carried an odds-on price into his second Champion Hurdle, after victories at Kempton and here at Cheltenham earlier in the season. Gordon Elliott's mare, Brighterdaysahead lined up in opposition, with many predicting the Morgiana and Savills Hurdle winner would be good enough to cause an upset.
Defending Champion State Man had been beaten by Brighterdaysahead twice earlier in the season, but returned to Cheltenham on the back of a welcome victory at the Dublin Racing Festival. King Of Kingsfield acted as pacemaker for Brighterdaysahead at Leopardstown and was expected to do the same on Tuesday. Burdett Road, Golden Ace and Winter Fog also featured in the field.
2025 Champion Hurdle Result
| Position | Name | SP |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Golden Ace | 25/1 |
| 2nd | Burdett Road | 66/1 |
| 3rd | Winter Fog | 150/1 |
2025 Champion Hurdle Replay
As soon as the starter dropped his flag, King Of Kingsfield moved into the lead. Brighterdaysahead travelled on the leader's tail, with Constitution Hill running a bit keen back in third.
Golden Ace accompanied State Man in the early stages. Burdett Road jumped markedly out to his right at the second flight, but wasn't too far adrift in sixth, with Winter Fog sitting at the rear.
The early fractions were by no means rapid. Down the back straight, Brighterdaysahead moved onto the shoulder of King Of Kingsfield, presumably to make the leader go a little quicker.
The first big shock came at the fourth-last, where Constitution Hill took a crashing fall. Luckily, the horse was up on his feet fairly quickly, quicker than Nico De Boinville, who stayed on the Cheltenham turf to lick his wounds.
King Of Kingsfield began to drop away, leaving Brighterdaysahead in the lead. Paul Townend and State Man moved stealthily onto the leader's shoulder and was soon pushed out into a commanding lead.
Just when he seemed to have the field covered, State Man crumpled upon landing the final flight and sent Paul Townend crashing to the ground. That left the stage clear for Golden Ace who, like last season, passed the flagging Brighterdaysahead going into the last and strode clear to claim an unlikely Cheltenham Festival success.
Brighterdaysahead paid the price for being so close to the pace. Gordon Elliott's mare was out on her feet, and couldn't prevent Burdett Road and Winter Fog from completing the places.
Thankfully, both of the fallen Champions will live to fight another day. We're used to shocks at the Cheltenham Festival, but that really takes the biscuit.
2025 Champion Hurdle Replay
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