Golden Ace took the title of Champion Hurdler on a day where punters were put on the ropes and bookmakers had many a laugh on Day 1 of the 2025 Cheltenham Festival.
It was a day packed with drama from start to finish, here’s the breakdown of each race from Day 1.
Michael O’Sullivan Supreme Novices’ Hurdle: Kopek Des Bordes (4/6)
The opening race of the week went to Willie Mullins and Paul Townend in an emotional success for County Cork. Owner Charlie McCarthy has beaten cancer this year – and says he’s even higher than cloud nine itself – following Kopek Des Bordes’ success at odds of 4/6.
The favourite justified such with an assured display, sweeping past Romeo Coolio and William Munny two out and holding out to score a length and three quarters in hand over Barry Connell’s William Munny – who ran a cracker in the same colours that Michael O’Sullivan himself donned when riding to glory in 2023.
Paul Townend said: “It’s the perfect start. We got into a lovely position, I was in front sooner than I wanted to be with a good jump at the second last. I thought Jack Kennedy on Romeo Coolio would bring me a little further because he’s relatively inexperienced and had a look at the stands. Even with the hood, he heard the noise and missed the last, but he picked up again and is a very good horse. I think he can improve again because he’s got so little racing done and he’s growing up all the time. He’s not the finished article yet.”
Arkle Chase: Jango Baie (5/1)
Bookmakers across both sides of the Irish Sea breathed a collective sigh of relief as Jango Baie capitalised on a blunder at the second last from short-priced favourite Majborough to take the Arkle Chase.
He traded 300/1 at one point in running but came from the clouds to land on the line to score at odds of 5/1 for Nico de Boinville and trainer Nicky Henderson.
There were just five in the field but you could’ve thrown a blanket over four at the finish as the winner narrowly saw off Only By The Night and Majborough at the line. The British on the board – somehow, in an extraordinary renewal of the Arkle.
Winning jockey De Boinville said: “They went so hard early and I thought I was riding for a place, but it sort of fell into my lap after the last and that’s when I thought I had a squeak.”
Ultima Handicap Chase: Myretown (13/2)
The Lucinda Russell-trained Myretown exemplified exactly why market support was forthcoming – going in from 12/1 to 13/2 and bowling home to win easily with 11 lengths in hand. The British have reigned supreme in every edition of the Ultima since 2008 and this time was no different – Gavin Cromwell’s Malina Girl and Henry de Bromhead’s The Short Go did sneak into the top five, but never threatened to end that domestic dominance.
Winning rider Patrick Wadge said: “He was brilliant. His jumping hasn’t been the best throughout his career but I just let him wing his fences. Just to be here on there days is amazing and this is a dream come true. I could see how much the money was coming for him and I just can’t thank everyone at home enough.”
Mares’ Hurdle: Lossiemouth (4/6)
Much was made of the decision not to run Lossiemouth in the Champion Hurdle following her horror fall at the Dublin Racing Festival – but she was as good as ever before as she won with relative ease to score at the Cheltenham Festival for the third time.
The 4/6 favourite for the Mares’ Hurdle brought up a double on the day for Willie Mullins and Paul Townend, and once she swept past Jade du Grugy – the result was simply never in doubt – it was just a case of how much, the answer being 7-and-a-half lengths.
Owner Rich Ricci said: “She’s only six, let’s see what happens next year but we had a troubled passage and I think we made the right decision. People may like it, they may not, but we act in the best interest of the horse.”
Champion Hurdle: Golden Ace (25/1)
The most drama-packed Champion Hurdle imaginable saw Golden Ace mop up and capitalise on the mistakes of others as the 25/1 shot became the most unlikely of winners.
A first three home of Golden Ace, Burdett Road and Winter Fog wasn’t on the bingo cards of many but so was the case on a day to remember for Jeremy Scott and Lorcan Williams.
All was hinged upon the battle of Constitution Hill and Brighterdaysahead – and when Constitution Hill came crashing down, it looked as if Gordon Elliott’s mare had the field at her peril.
She never picked up and it looked as if back-to-back Champion Hurdles would go the way of Paul Townend and State Man, but he hit the deck at the last and along came Golden Ace to land late for a historic win – one with the best of respect, not many would’ve seen coming.
Lorcan Williams said: “I’m lost for words. You dream of these moments watching it on the TV as a kid. She’s a fantastic mare who always turns up and runs her race. Big shout out to the Jeremy Scott team and fair play to Ian Gosden for picking the race as Jeremy probably expressed, we wanted to go for the Mares’ but I’m not complaining now.”
Fred Winter Handicap Hurdle: Puturhandstogether (17/2)
Joseph O’Brien has become somewhat of a master at training the winners of juvenile handicap hurdles and that case was no different as his Puturhandstogether donning the famous green and gold JP McManus silks landed the Fred Winter with six lengths in hands having timed their challenge to perfection.
Many were in with a chance on the approach to the last, but once hitting the front – it was never in doubt for the mount of Mark Walsh who looks an exciting prospect for the future.
11 March 2025; Puturhandstogether, with Mark Walsh up, on their way to winning the Hallgarten And Novum Wines Juvenile Handicap Hurdle on day one of the Cheltenham Racing Festival at Prestbury Park in Cheltenham, England. Photo by Harry Murphy/Sportsfile
Walsh said: “He settled perfectly today – he jumped and travelled brilliant, I just didn’t want to get there too soon. It’s great for all the stable staff, and credit to Joseph – I’m delighted they’ve got their day in the sun.”
National Hunt Chase: Haiti Couleurs (7/2)
The closing race of the day – the National Hunt Chase, posed another puzzling picture – but Haiti Couleurs offered punters some temporary reprieve as the favourite obliged impressively for Ben Jones and Scottish trainer Rebecca Curtis, never looking pestered once hitting the front.
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