Golden Ace wins Fighting Fifth as Constitution Hill and The New Lion fall

Champion Hurdle heroine Golden Ace landed a dramatic renewal of the MGM Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle as Constitution Hill and The New Lion crashed out.

The Grade One feature was billed as a three-way clash between Constitution Hill, the 2023 Champion Hurdle hero, plus the unbeaten pair of The New Lion and Anzadam.

Racegoers cheered when Constitution Hill pinged the first flight in the lead under Nico De Boinville, following his shock falls at Cheltenham and Aintree in the spring.

However, more calamity loomed for the well-backed 6-4 favourite as he misjudged the second flight and again came down.

Racing fans were still digesting that when front-running The New Lion, who had briefly threatened to duck out at the fourth, fell two out when being pressed for the lead.

Both Constitution Hill and The New Lion galloped away unscathed.

Their departures looked to have left the way clear for Anzadam, sent off at 11-4, to prevail but Golden Ace, ridden by Lorcan Williams, was much too strong for him in the closing stages and took the honours by a length and a half at 22-1.

Nemean Lion, the outsider of the field, who had been supplemented earlier in the week, was just a neck further away in third.

Golden Ace had been beaten in a match at Wetherby last month, when scoping dirty, and was giving Jeremy Scott, her trainer, a first success since April.

More to follow...