Boodles Champion Hurdle |
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| Grade 1, Punchestown 18:40 €300,000 guaranteed, 4yo plus, 2m, Class 1  |
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Constitution Hill remains firmly on course for a crack at the Punchestown Festival on Friday after pleasing Nicky Henderson in a Sunday schooling session over fences at Seven Barrows.
The eight-year-old, on something of a repair mission after high-profile falls in both the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham and the Aintree Hurdle, showed all the right signs as he limbered up under James Bowen.
Henderson was quick to share his delight, posting on X: "Constitution Hill jumped four fences on our Canter Carpet schooling strip this morning with James Bowen on board. Everything went extremely well and I couldn’t be happier with his condition."
The green light for Punchestown had already been flashed last Friday, Henderson confirming he was happy for his star turn to line up in the Boodles Champion Hurdle — provided no alarms emerged from the weekend's work.
One eyebrow-raiser, however, was the choice to school over fences rather than hurdles, especially with Bowen deputising for the injured Nico de Boinville. But Henderson was quick to pour cold water on any ideas of a chasing career:
"Nothing whatsoever should be read into the fact he schooled over fences — he is definitely NOT going chasing. After discussing it with Nico, Michael (Buckley, owner) and James, we felt this was the best approach. It was a brave call, but they were only baby fences and we hope it pays off." State Man, Lossiemouth, Brighterdaysahead, and the new queen of Cheltenham, Golden Ace, could all lie in wait.
DRAMA IN THE BIG ONE! 😲
— CheltenhamRacecourse (@CheltenhamRaces) March 11, 2025
Golden Ace wins the @UnibetRacing Champion Hurdle after both Constitution Hill and State Man fall 🤯 pic.twitter.com/P1VnlHSPXs
Meanwhile, Jeremy Scott is under no illusions about the circumstances surrounding Golden Ace’s Champion Hurdle win, but remains proud – and hopeful – ahead of her trip to Kildare.
“She came out of Cheltenham really well,” Scott said. “We’ve never had a Punchestown winner, although we’ve gone close, so we’re excited.”
Golden Ace capitalised on the chaos left behind by the falls of Constitution Hill and State Man, and Scott is refreshingly honest in his assessment.
“We were probably fortunate winners,” he admitted. “Had we finished a close second to State Man, it might’ve almost felt more satisfying. But you don’t say no to a Champion Hurdle win, do you?
“This trip is a bonus – the pressure’s off. If she runs well, we’ll be delighted. But to be involved in a race of this calibre, assuming the big names turn up, is what it’s all about. That division is red-hot, and we’re just proud to be part of it.”
Punchestown Champion Hurdle (Grade 1)
€300,000 guaranteed, 4yo plus, 2m, Class 1
12 remaining entries
Going: Yielding
NO. FORM HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY
1 P41-31 Absurde 7 11-12 W P Mullins
2 2-35P0 Bottler'secret 5 11-12 Aidan Melia
3 1-11FF Constitution Hill 8 11-12 Nicky Henderson
4 135292 Daddy Long Legs 6 11-12 W P Mullins
5 P2-F2F El Fabiolo 8 11-12 W P Mullins
6 -22554 King Of Kingsfield 7 11-12 Gordon Elliott
7 1-231F State Man 8 11-12 W P Mullins
8 433233 Winter Fog 11 11-12 W P Mullins
9 124224 Break My Soul 6 11-5 Ian Patrick Donoghue
10 1-1114 Brighterdaysahead 6 11-5 Gordon Elliott
11 1-4311 Golden Ace 7 11-5 Jeremy Scott
12 221-21 Kargese 5 11-5 W P Mullins
PAST RESULTS
Year Horse Age/Wt Owner Trainer Jockey SP
2024 State Man 7 11-12 Mrs J Donnelly W P Mullins Paul Townend 2/7F
2023 State Man 6 11-12 Mrs J Donnelly W P Mullins Paul Townend 2/5F
2022 Honeysuckle 7 11-07 Kenneth Alexander Henry De Bromhead Rachael Blackmore 1/5F
2021 Honeysuckle 7 11-07 Kenneth Alexander Henry De Bromhead Rachael Blackmore 4/7F
2020 Abandoned - Covid-19
2019 Buveur D'Air 8-11-12 John P McManus Nicky Henderson Davy Russell 2/1J
2018 Supasundae 8-11-12 Wicklow B’stock (Ire) Ltd Mrs J Harrington RM Power 12/1
2017 Wicklow Brave 8-11-12 Wicklow B’stock (Ire) Ltd Willie Mullins Mr Patrick Mullins 12/1
2016 Vroum Vroum Mag 7-11-5 Susannah Ricci Willie Mullins Ruby Walsh 4/6 Fav
2015 Faugheen 7-11-12 Susannah Ricci Willie Mullins Ruby Walsh 1/6 Fav
2014 Jezki 6-11-12 J P McManus Jessica Harrington A P McCoy 4/5 Fav
2013 Hurricane Fly 9-11-12 George Creighton & Rose Boyd Willie Mullins Ruby Walsh 1/4 Fav
2012 Hurricane Fly 8-11-12 George Creighton & Rose Boyd Willie Mullins Ruby Walsh 4/11 Fav
2011 Hurricane Fly 7-11-12 George Creighton & Rose Boyd Willie Mullins Ruby Walsh 1/2 Fav
2010 Hurricane Fly 6-11-12 George Creighton & Rose Boyd Willie Mullins Paul Townend 3/1
2009 Solwhit 5-11-12 Top Of The Hill Syndicate Charles Byrnes Davy Russell 2/1 Jt Fav
2008 Punjabi 5-11-12 Raymond Tooth Nicky Henderson GB Barry Geraghty 2/1
2007 Silent Oscar 8-11-12 Patrick Convery Harry Rogers Robbie Power 20/1
2006 Macs Joy 7-11-12 Mac’s J Racing Jessica Harrington Barry Geraghty 11/4
2005 Brave Inca 7-11-12 Novices Syndicate Colm Murphy A P McCoy 2/1
2004 Hardy Eustace 7-11-12 Lar Byrne Dessie Hughes Conor O’Dwyer 3/1
2003 Quazar 5-11-13 David Carr Jonjo O’Neill GB Tony Dobbin 7/2
2002 Davenport Milenium 6-11-12 Mrs Noel O’Callaghan Willie Mullins Ruby Walsh 11/2
*2001 Moscow Flyer 7-12-00 Brian Kearney Jessica Harrington Barry Geraghty 6/1
2000 Grimes 7-11-09 J P McManus Christy Roche Charlie Swan 6/1
1999 Istabraq 7-12-00 J P McManus Aidan O’Brien Charlie Swan 1/4 Fav
1998-96 No race
1995 Fortune And Fame 8-11-08 Michael Smurfit Dermot Weld Richard Dunwoody 4/7 Fav
1994 Fortune And Fame 7-11-08 Michael Smurfit Dermot Weld Brendan Sheridan 4/9 Fav
1993 Camden Buzz 5-11-05 Carmel Byrne Paddy Mullins Charlie Swan Evs Fav
* Run at Leopardstown
