Is this the end for Constitution Hill? Golden Ace unexpectedly triumphs at Newcastle

What was supposed to be the redemption of the eight-time grade one winner ‘Constitution Hill’ in Newcastle’s BetMGM Fighting Fifth Hurdle, turned out to be his ultimate downfall and possibly his last chance, as ‘Golden Ace’ once again capitalises off his fall to win the 2025 Fighting Fifth Hurdle. 

All eyes were set on Constitution Hill with hopes that he would pull his career back to what it once was, as the horse who won his first 10 races, but had back-to-back falls at both Cheltenham and Aintree last season and a disappointing fifth in Punchestown in May. 

This was his first race back since Punchestown and there was a lot of optimism surrounding the horse as he was joint favourite with ‘The New Lion’. His trainer, Nicky Henderson, told Sky Sports Racing that the horse was jumping “flawless” in training. 

In the approach to the Fighting Fifth Hurdle, there was a much anticipated rivalry around ‘Constitution Hill’ and both ‘The New Lion’ and ‘Anzadam’ , who were set to defend their unbeaten records over hurdles, but the winner ‘Golden Ace’ was dismissed in the betting as a 22-1 outsider.

When the race began at 2:00 pm the crowd roared with high hopes for Constitution Hill to make his come back and reclaim his 2022 Fighting Fifth Hurdle crown, however, at the second hurdle the horse misjudged his stride, having his third crash landing in his last four runs and opening the gate for his two rivals to battle it out for a win.

However, the race took another dramatic turn as ‘The New Lion’, who was leading coming up the straight came down, but it wasn’t ‘Anzadam’ who was backing off slightly that took advantage of this opening, it was ‘Golden Ace’: just like she profited off the two favourites ‘Sateman’ and ‘Constitution Hill’ in Cheltenham 2025, which made her the current reigning champion over hurdles.  

There are questions about what lies ahead for the future of Constitution Hill, whether he will have another chance over hurdles, retire or potentially run on the flat, Henderson said in an interview at Newbury: “It’s really sad. You can’t keep asking him to do it, it doesn’t seem fair on anyone”.

Trainer Jeremy Scott was delighted to see a second grade one win for Golden Ace, as she bounced back from a devastating run at Wetherby. Scott told Sky Sports Racing: “She’s run a brilliant race but I just hope that Constitution Hill and The New Lion are both up and ok”.