GOLDEN Ace emerged a shock winner in a truly dramatic renewal of the Unibet Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham.
Constitution Hill was sent off the hot favourite to regain the crown he won in 2023, but he was a faller long before the race began in earnest, meeting a hurdle all wrong.
It looked as though last year’s winner State Man was set for a repeat coming to the last, but he too made an uncharacteristic error, hitting the top of the final flight and crashing out.
That gifted victory to Golden Ace (25-1) who just galloped out to the line for a memorable victory for jockey Lorcan Williams and trainer Jeremy Scott. Burdett Road was second at 66-1.