Golden Ace: The Unlikely Champion Eyeing a Defiant Cheltenham Defence

The roar that erupted from Cheltenham’s hallowed Prestbury Park enclosure last March was one of pure, unadulterated shock. As the mighty State Man crumpled at the final flight, the Champion Hurdle crown was gift-wrapped for a 16/1 shot from a small Somerset stable. Golden Ace, trained by the unassuming Jeremy Scott, seized the moment with a brave leap and stormed up the famous hill to immortality. A year on, as the festival frenzy builds once more, the narrative has shifted. No longer the fortunate beneficiary, Golden Ace returns as the defending queen, and her trainer harbours a quiet belief that this time, fortune may not need to play a part.

A Lifetime’s Luck Used, But a Champion Forged

Jeremy Scott is a realist. Reflecting on that extraordinary day, he doesn’t shy away from the slice of serendipity that delivered National Hunt racing’s greatest prize to his Ditcheat yard. “You probably use up a lifetime’s share of luck in one go with something like that,” Scott admits, referencing State Man’s fall. Yet, to dismiss Golden Ace’s victory as mere chance is to do a grave disservice to both horse and trainer. This was no plucky also-ran; this was an eight-year-old mare at the peak of her powers, expertly prepared and ridden with ice-cool precision by Lorcan Williams, who pounced the instant the race dynamic shattered.

The true mark of a champion, however, is not just in seizing an opportunity, but in building upon it. Scott has spent the last twelve months not resting on laurels, but reinforcing the foundation of his stable star. Golden Ace’s preparation has been meticulous, her campaign built around a return to Cheltenham. The psychological boost of being a festival winner cannot be understated; she carries the aura of a horse who knows she has conquered that terrain, that atmosphere, that unique pressure cooker. “She came out of the race incredibly well,” Scott notes, “and she’s done nothing but strengthen and mature since.”

A Field Levelled: The Unprecedented Champion Hurdle Landscape

If last year’s race was turned on its head in a heartbeat, this year’s renewal has been reshaped by a series of seismic, pre-race shocks. The absence of Constitution Hill, the reigning superstar whose breathing issues have prompted a switch to the Flat, removed the overwhelming favourite before the season even began. Then, the cavalry fell further. State Man, the would-be heir apparent, succumbed to injury. The exciting young pretender, Sir Gino, also joined the sidelined. In a stroke, the race lost its three most talked-about contenders.

This dramatic thinning of the elite has created a Champion Hurdle unlike any in recent memory—wide open, unpredictable, and utterly compelling. For Jeremy Scott, it presents a unique scenario for his mare’s title defence. “It’s levelled it all up a little bit,” he states with characteristic understatement. The pressure of facing seemingly insurmountable odds has evaporated. Instead, Golden Ace finds herself in a wide-open field where her proven class, course form, and big-race temperament are paramount assets. She is no longer just hoping for a chance; she is a central pillar in a contest of equals.

Key Contenders in the New World Order

• Irish Point: The new favourite, a classy operator from the powerful Gordon Elliott yard. He boasts strong form but is untested in the white-hot heat of a Champion Hurdle.
• Lossiemouth: The brilliant mare from Willie Mullins’ arsenal, a dominant force in the Mares’ Hurdle division. The question is whether she can translate that dominance to the open championship.
• Nemean Lion: A consistent and tough performer who often runs his race but has yet to win at the very highest level.
• Golden Ace: The defending champion. The horse with the proven Cheltenham Festival X-factor.

The Scott Factor: Quiet Confidence from Somerset

Amid the media storm and the analytical frenzy, Jeremy Scott’s yard remains a bastion of calm focus. There is no bombast, no bold predictions—just the steady, proven work of a trainer who knows his charge inside out. This quiet confidence from Somerset is perhaps the most telling indicator of Golden Ace’s well-being. Scott is not a man given to hyperbole; his assurance is rooted in the daily evidence of a fit, healthy, and enthusiastic mare.

“She’s been there and done it,” Scott emphasises, highlighting the intangible advantage she holds over many rivals. The Cheltenham Festival is as much a test of nerve as of speed and stamina. The deafening roar of the crowd, the electric atmosphere, the sheer intensity of the occasion—it can unravel the best-laid plans. Golden Ace has not only endured it; she has thrived in it. Her course and distance form is the gold standard in this year’s field, a fact that will not be lost on shrewd punters and rival connections alike.

Prediction: A Champion’s Resolve to be Proven

Forecasting this year’s Champion Hurdle is a fool’s errand, and that is precisely what makes it so thrilling. The race is ripe for a story, and Golden Ace’s narrative is the most compelling of all. She has the chance to transition from a champion of circumstance to a champion of substance—a dual winner who defied the odds twice, in starkly different ways.

The prediction here is not that she will win easily, but that she will run the race of her life. In a contest devoid of a standout superstar, big-race temperament and proven Cheltenham form will be the deciding factors. Irish Point and Lossiemouth are formidable, but they must prove they can handle the unique demands of this championship on this stage. Golden Ace does not have that question to answer. She is battle-hardened, tactically versatile, and possesses a turn of foot that, as demonstrated last year, can be devastating.

Conclusion: More Than Just a Fairy Tale

Golden Ace’s return to Cheltenham is more than just a defence of a title; it is a defence of a legacy. Jeremy Scott and his team have the opportunity to show the racing world that March 2023 was not a fluke, but the arrival of a genuine, top-class hurdler nurtured to perfection. The luck may have been used, as Scott says, but the talent remains, burnished by experience and honed by a master trainer.

As the tapes rise on Tuesday, all eyes will be on the mare in the champion’s saddlecloth. Whether she powers up the hill again or is beaten by a worthy rival, one thing is certain: Golden Ace has already rewritten her story. She is no longer the fortunate one. She is the champion, returning to her kingdom, ready to fight for every yard of it. And in this most open of Champion Hurdles, that champion’s heart might just be the most powerful weapon of all.

Source: Based on news from BBC Sport.