Punter DISASTER as Constitution Hill AND State Man fall in the most dramatic Cheltenham Festival race ever

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PUNTERS were left in disbelief after red-hot favourite Constitution Hill and State Man BOTH fell in the most dramatic Cheltenham race ever.

Nicky Henderson’s 1-2 on stable star was punted off the boards but suffered a crushing fall just as he was cruising into contention in the Champion Hurdle, the big race on day one.

Jockey falling from horse during a horse race.
Cheltenham was stunned into silence when State Man, who was miles in front, fell at the final flight of the Champion Hurdle
Racegoers at Cheltenham Festival.
Punters simply could not believe what they had witnessed in the most dramatic Cheltenham Festival race ever
Shocked racegoer at Cheltenham Festival.
A stunned silence fell over the track as 25-1 outsider Golden Ace won the Champion Hurdle

Gordon Elliott’s second-fav Brighterdaysahead – who had demolished everything put in front of her this season – was left in the lead then but she ran out of gas turning in.

That left Willie Mullins’ defending champ State Man miles out in front.

But unbelievably, with the race and £250,000 first-place prize at his mercy, he then knuckled on landing and fell at the last as well.

That left trainer Jeremy Scott’s little-known mare Golden Ace – who beat Brighterdaysahead at last year’s Festival – to win at 25-1.

While 66-1 no-hoper Burdett Road came second in a finish no one could believe.

It was the most amazing end to any Cheltenham race ever – and will likely be remembered for all the wrong reasons by punters.

Fortunately, the important thing was both horses and jockeys were back on their feet and OK afterwards.

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Golden Ace’s jockey Lorcan Williams simply couldn’t believe it afterwards.

And, incredibly, Scott didn’t even want Golden Ace to run in the race, insisting the Mares’ Hurdle earlier on the card was the one for her.

A speechless 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 turn upm and runs her race.

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“Big shout out to the Jeremy Scott team and fair play to Ian Gosden (owner) for picking the race as Jeremy probably expressed, we wanted to go for the Mares’… but I’m not complaining now!”

While an overjoyed Gosden said he was stunned – although he didn’t have a penny on her.

He said: “That’s jump racing. You’ve got to jump and you’ve got to be there at the end.

“What I did last year was my dream and I’d have been quite happy if it never happened again but this is amazing.

“I can’t believe it – I never even back her!”