The cheers break out for Jeremy Scott

Cheltenham Festival 2026 latest news | Jeremy Scott on Golden Ace 'I go there with more optimism than last year'

By Graham Clark

Horse Racing

Tue March 03, 2026 · 5h ago

In his own words if trainer Jeremy Scott could replay one hour of his life back then it would be between 4pm and 5pm on Tuesday, March 11, 2025.

For that was the date Golden Ace was to add her name to a Unibet Champion Hurdle roll of honour that features some of the greats to have graced the turf.

There have been plenty of shocks at the Cheltenham Festival, but few, if any, can live up to the high drama that was played out before the daughter of Golden Horn’s crowning moment.

The mid-race fall of Constitution Hill was enough to leave the crowd gasping, before reigning champion State Man exited stage left with the race at his mercy at the last, all of which left the pathway clear for Golden Ace to secure a victory Scott is unlikely to ever forget.

Scott said: “It was a simply amazing day and I said the other day if I could get an hour back of my life that would probably be the hour I would choose as it was an outstanding moment.

“Even when State Man came down I was in disbelief, because I went there with low expectations.

“It slowly dawned on me that this was actually happening, unless it was a dream, in which case you normally wake up. It was just incredible.

“I thought the reception was going to be appalling as Constitution Hill fell, the second favourite (Brighterdaysahead) blew out and State Man came down.

“She did get a good roar back in as it was lucky we had a lot of people from the West Country there and hopefully they will be back there Tuesday week.”

Golden Ace is driven to success at Paul Townend (State Man) looks on

But that was then, and this is now, and instead of going into the race more in hope than expectation the Brompton Regis handler has a more positive outlook regarding Golden Ace becoming a dual Champion Hurdle winner.

He said: “I’m going there with more optimism than last year as I don’t think there is a massive amount between us all. Based on her results she shouldn’t be the odds she is, but everyone just views her as a slightly lucky horse, and perhaps they are right, however I would really like to prove them wrong.

"She has always run well at the track, and Cheltenham form is quite important.

“What is interesting, on data, is that although she is one of the slower ones into a hurdle and possibly one of the slower ones away from the hurdles what she does is lose little time over them so that gains her time again.

“She sometimes doesn’t look the most natural over a hurdle, but she is very economical over them which makes a difference in races like this.

“I would love to prove she is pretty much the best two miler around and the sense of satisfaction would be great as hopefully she would get a little more recognition. "I think the world of the horse and I would quite like other people to think the same.”

This season has not been short of drama for Golden Ace, who after suffering defeat in the Listed bet365 Mares’ Hurdle at Wetherby secured further Grade One glory in the BetMGM Fighting Fifth Hurdle up at Newcastle, in a race not dissimilar to her Champion Hurdle win.

Defeat then followed behind Sir Gino in the Ladbrokes Christmas Hurdle at Kempton Park on Boxing Day, but having given Golden Ace a recent spin around Wincanton, Scott believes the eight-time race winner is exactly where she needs to be ahead of her next assignment.

He added: “Before Wetherby I thought she was so good and we had a good run up there so that was really disappointing, but she had a dirty scope.

“I was happy with her going up to Newcastle as long as she didn’t repeat getting mucky, and I think the travel partly caused that, so we changed the way we travelled her and gave her canter in the morning, which cleared anything.

“I was hoping for a big run, and we were aided by the two falling once again. It was bizarre, but we all know how tight the margins are, and it could have easily been us on the deck, so you are just relieved she was clever enough to get around.

“We were a bit nervous about the ground at Kempton Park, but she ran a solid race. I thought Sir Gino was keen early on, and he might tire, but Mr Henderson had him right.

“I would have liked to have run in the Kingwell as it was the route I took last year, but from the point of view of preparing for Cheltenham, she didn't need to run, and the ground was the decider.

“We didn’t necessarily need to take her for the racecourse gallop, but I think mentally it will have done her good to have that outing, as in terms of fitness I think we are there.”

Brighterdaysahead and Jack Kennedy win the Irish Champion Hurdle

In recent seasons the Timeless Sash Windows Irish Champion Hurdle has often been a pointer for success in the English equivalent.

And, Scott, like most trainers this side of the Irish Sea, was an interested observer in this year’s renewal, won by Brighterdaysahead.

However, having mastered that rival in both last year's Champion Hurdle and at the 2024 Festival in the Ryanair Mares' Novices' Hurdle , it is another horse from that race that Scott feels could pose the most questions to Golden Ace.

He said: “The New Lion has got to prove he is up to that level, and I’m sure he might. If what Dan (Skelton) and Harry (Skelton) have been saying about him he will be the one to beat I’m guessing.

“Brighterdaysahead, we have now beaten twice at the Festival, and I’m sure there are excuses for those defeats, but she has got to turn up on her A game.

“When we beat Brightersdaysahead in the Mares' Novices’ Hurdle we outsprinted her, and she might not have been right at Cheltenham last year, but it could be a case that she doesn’t like Cheltenham.

“We are going to be racing on different ground to what it was in the Irish Champion Hurdle and Brighterdaysahead does appear to perform better on really soft ground,

“The one that is creeping in the betting is Poniros. He is by Golden Horn as well and he has Cheltenham form having won the Triumph Hurdle last year.

“He has only run once this season in the Irish Champion Hurdle. Although he was well beaten having not run for so long he has every right to improve and he has the ability to cause a bit of an upset.”

Although Golden Ace is very much the headline act for Scott at the Festival she will be supported by stablemates Came From Nowhere, who holds entries in the BetMGM Cup and Turners’ Novices’ Hurdle, and Champagne Chic in the Pertemps Network Final.

He added: “It doesn’t look like we will get in the BetMGM Cup with Came From Nowhere, unless there are a lot of defections.

“He is also entered on the Turners, and whilst on ratings he is some way of the better ones, he has shown some pretty good form and I think he is an improving horse, so we might take our chance in that as I don’t think he will disgrace himself.

“We always thought he was a fairly decent horse, and he was slightly unlucky in his novice hurdles, then he had a year off, and I think that time off has given him time to strengthen up and improve.

“Champagne Chic has been bumped up the handicap as a result of his last two wins. I don’t know if he is massively well handicapped, but I think he will enjoy the hustle and bustle of Cheltenham.

“Harry Skelton rode him last time and he said he loved all that bumping and weaving his way through a field so he is the right type of horse to enjoy a big handicap like this.”

For now the focus of Scott is on the Festival, but looking beyond the meeting it could be that he has a Golden Ace Mark II in his team in Princess Day, who will test her ability at Grade Two level in the Goffs Nickel Coin Mares’ Standard National Hunt Flat Race at Aintree following wins at Chepstow and Newbury.

He added: “I think we will be heading to Aintree with Princess Day. I wouldn’t want to risk her on anything too quick, but as long as the ground is good to soft, or softer, she will go there and take her chance.

“She looks like she stays well and I imagine her future will be over two and a half miles over hurdles, but she is a mare that has got plenty of pace. She works well, if not better, than anything we have at home.

“I hope she would be in the mix at Aintree as I don’t think I’ve had a mare better than her at this stage of her career. She has a long way to go, but let’s hope she could be another Golden Ace.”

Cheltenham Festival 2026 Stable Tours

Cheltenham Festival 2026 latest news | Jeremy Scott on Golden Ace 'I go there with more optimism than last year'

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