Henderson and Mullins left to reflect in disbelief at Champion Hurdle drama

Just when you think you have seen it all, the 2025 Unibet Champion Hurdle threw the cruellest of spanners in the works, with the last two winners of the Cheltenham Festival’s opening day feature – Constitution Hill and State Man – suffering unexpected falls.

The majority of those in attendance at Prestbury Park were willing on Nicky Henderson’s former champion Constitution Hill, who was the well-backed 1-2 favourite to become only the third horse to regain the crown and extend his unbeaten record to 11.

However, having travelled with his customary enthusiasm and let fly at a couple of early obstacles, the eight-year-old ultimately paid the price at the fifth, with the packed grandstands letting out a collective gasp as he and Nico de Boinville crashed to the ground.

Thankfully, Constitution Hill was soon back on his feet and continued before being caught and returned to the unsaddling enclosure.

When asked how he could sum up what had happened, Henderson said: “You think of the first word that comes into your head and it would probably be the same as mine. I don’t know, what can you say?

“He seems fine, he’s very bright and breezy. He hasn’t had a race, obviously, and we’ll just have to think of a plan.

“We thought we had him right, he’s been in terrific form, but there you go – it happens. Poor old State Man as well, you couldn’t believe those two silly old fools have gone and done what they’ve done today.”

Henderson has won the Champion Hurdle more than anyone, with nine previous victories, and knows there is no margin for error in the jumping department when the heat is on.

He added: “When you’re jumping as fast as they jump, you’ve got to get it deadly accurate. You’d like to see the replay of it, but it doesn’t really matter what he did. I can’t take it out of his vocabulary, they will do these silly things.

“Somebody said the hurdle swung back into him. He was having a lovely time and he’s run two miles even if he didn’t have Nico on his back and he’s come back in here very fresh.

“It’s tough, but we have to live with it. We know what we’re playing with and that’s the game – you have to take these things. It’s just typical it’s on a day like this.

“So now what do we do? I know what we’ll do, surely there’ll be a rather fun day in Punchestown now.”

With Henderson’s ace gone and Gordon Elliott’s well-fancied mare Brighterdaysahead seemingly a spent force from the home turn, the stage looked set for last year’s winner State Man – no match for Constitution Hill in 2023 – to successfully defend his crown.

The chestnut was home for all money under Paul Townend when he took off too far from the last hurdle.

“State Man had the race in the bag and I can’t say we would have won, that would be stupid,” Henderson went on.

“But everything was going great and it is cruel as we waited two years to get him back here.”

Constitution Hill’s owner Michael Buckley was similarly despondent. After giving his pride and joy a consolatory carrot, he said: “It’s a crock of s***, that’s what it is. I’m sorry, I sound like Donald Trump, but I can’t think of a better way to describe it.

“It is pretty painful to be honest. It makes you want to cry, but I’m trying not to.”

State Man’s trainer Willie Mullins was magnanimous in defeat, after scenes reminiscent of Annie Power in the 2015 Mares’ Hurdle.

He said: “He’s a little bit sore and got a bang on the head I think when he was getting up, but he cantered away and trotted up sound, so we’re happy enough with him. The vets have examined him and they’ve said he’s fine to travel home this evening – that’s good news.

“It’s unfortunate, but it’s racing and that’s what makes winning over here so hard, you never know when something like that is going to happen.

“You’ve really got to choose the right horse for any race here and you make plenty of plans, but you couldn’t have imagined that – two Champion Hurdle winners falling.

“The only thing stranger would have been if Lossiemouth was in there, she would probably have been brought down! You never know what’s going to happen and that’s why bookmakers drive bigger cars than us.”

Gordon Elliott was left struggling to explain the performance of Brighterdaysahead, who passed the post a tired fourth.

“To be honest with you she was well beaten even with nearly getting brought down at the last,” said the Cullentra House handler.

“Jack (Kennedy) said when he asked her she never picked up at all and she normally picks up. Jack said she whinnied crossing the line, so that would be a worry and we’ll have to get her checked out and see how she is. She was very distressed.

“You couldn’t say they went too fast, but we’ll get her checked out and see how she is.

“I’m not sure you could say it’s a Cheltenham thing, as she just didn’t finish her race. Last year she finished her race, but today she was walking going to the last and she didn’t run her race.”