May 02 / 18.40 Punchestown

18.40

Yielding

Boodles Champion Hurdle (Grade 1)

  • Prize money: £146280.99
  • 2m 0f 45y
  • 6 runners
RTE2
View Course
Boodles Champion Hurdle (Grade 1)

Runners: 6 runners

Type: Hurdle Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Partly cloudy

OUR TIP

5/4 (Won)

  • Win: £3.25
  • Place: £1.30

Form: 1-231F CD

Last run: 52 days

W: 11st 12lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 168

Form & Verdict
Beaten twice by Brighterdaysahead this season, flopping badly on the second occasion; gifted a third Irish Champion Hurdle, as main rival Lossiemouth fell; won a substandard Champion Hurdle last year and was no match for highly impressive Constitution Hill 12 months earlier; after Constitution Hill's exit had this year's race at his mercy when falling at the last; 5-6 at this venue, odds-on winner here for the last two years.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

3

2nd May 2025

Yielding

2m 0f 45y

18:40 Punchestown

State Man

11st 12lb

J: Paul Townend

T: W P Mullins

made all, jumped well, 3 lengths ahead halfway, reduced lead after 4 out, pushed along and went clear again approaching last, ridden and kept on well run-in

5/4

1st

3

2nd May 2025

Yielding

2m 0f 45y

18:40 Punchestown

State Man

11st 12lb

J: Paul Townend

T: W P Mullins

made all, jumped well, 3 lengths ahead halfway, reduced lead after 4 out, pushed along and went clear again approaching last, ridden and kept on well run-in

5/4

4

11th Mar 2025

Good To Soft

2m 0f 87y

Class 1

16:00 Cheltenham

State Man

11st 10lb

J: Paul Townend

T: W P Mullins

Beaten twice by Brighterdaysahead this season, flopping badly on the second occasion, and was gifted a third Irish Champion Hurdle last month as main rival Lossiemouth fell; won a substandard edition of this race last year and was no match for highly impressive Constitution Hill 12 months earlier; dependable in the main and has a voluminous Grade 1 tally but a second Champion Hurdle win looks far from certain; wears first-time headgear.

10/1

7/1

  • Place: £2.40

Form: 1-4311 D

Last run: 52 days

W: 11st 5lb

7 yo Filly

OR: 152

Form & Verdict
Beat Brighterdaysahead in Grade 2 mares' event at last year's Cheltenham Festival; beaten favourite over longer distances on first two outings of new campaign before landing the Kingwell at Wincanton, profiting from the drop in trip; took advantage of a remarkable chain of events to win the Champion Hurdle; talented mare but only 4lb superior to Kargese on official figures.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

6

1st May 2026

Yielding

2m 0f 45y

18:40 Punchestown

Golden Ace

11st 5lb

J: Lorcan Williams

T: Jeremy Scott

Fortuitous winner of the 2025 Champion Hurdle (same story in this season's Fighting Fifth); could only manage fifth when attempting to retain her crown (9.75l behind Lossiemouth); posted another solid effort in the Aintree Hurdle last time when fourth (2m4f, good to soft); return to 2m should suit, cheekpieces go on and she was second in this contest last year (good) but may need further luck to increase Grade 1 haul.

8/1

4th

7

9th Apr 2026

Good To Soft

2m 4f 0y

Class 1

16:05 Aintree

Golden Ace

11st 3lb

J: Lorcan Williams

T: Jeremy Scott

Fortuitous winner of the 2025 Champion Hurdle (same story in the Fighting Fifth) and finished only fifth, behind some of today's rivals, when attempting to retain her crown; largely consistent and has won over 2m4f but increasing her Grade 1 tally may require further luck.

12/1

5th

8

10th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

2m 0f 87y

Class 1

16:00 Cheltenham

Golden Ace

11st 3lb

J: Lorcan Williams

T: Jeremy Scott

Record of 3-4 at Cheltenham features two Festival wins, beating Brighterdaysahead in the Grade 2 novice hurdle in 2024 then admittedly fortuitous (left in lead when State Man took a late fall; odds-on Constitution Hill exited earlier) when 25-1 in this race last year; also had fortune on her side in this season's Fighting Fifth as the front two in the market, including The New Lion, failed to complete; ran creditably on Boxing Day when last seen; largely consistent and should go well but may require further luck to retain her crown.

8/1

Form: 221-21 CD

Last run: 49 days

W: 11st 5lb

5 yo Filly

OR: 148

Form & Verdict
Runner-up to Majborough in the Triumph and to Sir Gino at the Boodles at Aintree last spring before getting her head in front at this venue; second at 2-5 on belated comeback in mares' Grade 2 at Ascot (1m7f, good) in January; possibly needed the run and was produced at concert pitch to land the County Hurdle; only 4lb below Golden Ace on official figures.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

7

10th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

1m 7f 199y

Class 1

14:00 Cheltenham

Kargese

11st 0lb

J: Danny Mullins

T: W P Mullins

Runner-up in the 2024 Triumph Hurdle and won last year's County; has quickly reached a similar level over fences, winning a beginners' event at Leopardstown (2m1f, yielding) just after Christmas and going down to the high-class Romeo Coolio in Grade 1 over the same C&D (soft) only after a titanic tussle and a final-fence blunder; should be in the thick of things again if fully recovered from those exertions.

9/2

2nd

3

2nd Feb 2026

Soft To Heavy

2m 1f 0y

14:55 Leopardstown

Kargese

11st 5lb

J: Paul Townend

T: W P Mullins

Dual Grade 1 winner as a juvenile hurdler; won last year's County Hurdle; jumping technique left plenty to be desired on her chase debut at Cork (soft), beaten 16l by Romeo Coolio's stablemate Kala Conti; jumped better when winning unextended from the front in a C&D event (yielding) marred by a fatal injury to the pursuing James's Gate.

7/4

Form: 124224 D

Last run: 29 days

W: 11st 5lb

6 yo Filly

OR: 140

Form & Verdict
Went close twice in handicaps for Nicky Henderson towards the end of last year; posted another good second on stable debut in a 2m Grade 3 at Gowran in February; finished a long way in front of a fellow outsider in Aintree event won by Lossiemouth.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

2

9th May 2026

Good

2m 1f 0y

14:25 Killarney

Break My Soul

11st 0lb

J: Keith Donoghue

T: Ian Patrick Donoghue

Dual winning hurdler for Nicky Henderson and took fourth in Grade 1 company behind Lossiemouth at Aintree in 2025 (2m4f, good to soft); made a winning chase debut for this yard, and ran a valiant race when third in the Grand Annual at Cheltenham (2m, good); pulled up at Fairyhouse when last seen off top weight; top-rated of these reverting to hurdles; new headgear.

9/4

1

5th Apr 2026

Yielding To Soft

2m 0f 140y

16:25 Fairyhouse

Break My Soul

11st 12lb

J: Keith Donoghue

T: Ian Patrick Donoghue

Chase debut win at Gowran Park (2m, heavy) in November and easily best of four attempts since on latest when fine third of 20 in 2m Grand Annual at Cheltenham last month on handicap debut (good); no easy task for top-weight but has to be respected.

11/2

3rd

17

11th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

1m 7f 199y

Class 1

16:40 Cheltenham

Break My Soul

10st 9lb

J: Sam Ewing

T: Ian Patrick Donoghue

Has failed to kick on since chase debut win at Gowran Park (2m, heavy) in November; however, the best run of her career came when fourth of five finishers in the Grade 1 Aintree Hurdle (2m4f, good to soft) last April and on that evidence there could be some mileage in her mark; not written off.

16/1

Form: 1-11FF D BF

Last run: 29 days

W: 11st 12lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 175

Form & Verdict
Exceptional novice three season ago; lost flawless hurdling record when falling mid-race in the Champion Hurdle; compounded that misfortune when taking a heavy fall two out at Aintree; now a major question mark about his ability to produce the brilliance that saw him beat State Man by 9l in the 2023 Champion Hurdle; James Bowen steps into the hot seat for his first Irish run since beaten in a point in April 2021.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

1

(4)

25th Mar 2026

Standard To Slow

1m 3f 219y

Class 3

19:30 Kempton (AW)

Constitution Hill

9st 12lb

J: Ryan Moore

T: Nicky Henderson

Superstar hurdler on his day and one of the best-known horses in training; having developed serious jumping issues, he was switched to the Flat in Southwell contest (1m4f) last month and showed his class by producing an impressive performance that is backed up by the figures; sets a tall standard en route to Group targets.

1/6

1st

3

(12)

20th Feb 2026

Standard

1m 4f 14y

Class 2

19:30 Southwell (AW)

Constitution Hill

9st 6lb

J: Oisin Murphy

T: Nicky Henderson

Last jumps campaign started well but ended badly, as he took back-to-back falls at Cheltenham/Aintree and then laboured when he did complete at Punchestown; suffered another tumble on his reappearance in the Fighting Fifth in November, which has prompted this switch to the Flat in the hope of restoring confidence levels ahead of a possible bid to regain the Champion Hurdle crown he won in 2023.

7/4

5th

2

2nd May 2025

Yielding

2m 0f 45y

18:40 Punchestown

Constitution Hill

11st 12lb

J: James Bowen

T: Nicky Henderson

towards rear, overjumped 1st, soon went fourth, headway after 4 out, went third going okay 3 out, nudged along when jumped left and lost ground 2 out, soon no extra

11/10

Form: 2-35P0 D

Last run: 104 days

W: 11st 12lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 137

Form & Verdict
Grade 2/Grade 3 winner for Gavin Cromwell last season; signed off with 1 1/2l second to Kargese in Grade 1 4yo Champion Hurdle at this venue; nothing approaching that form this term; debut for Kildare-based trainer Aidan Melia.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

1

(5)

2nd Nov 2025

Heavy

2m 0f 71y

14:30 Curragh

Bottlersecret

9st 9lb

J: Nicola Burns

T: Aidan Melia

Dual Flat winner and useful hurdler but has a lot to find on form with most of these rivals.

66/1

6th

1

(5)

2nd Nov 2025

Heavy

2m 0f 71y

14:30 Curragh

Bottlersecret

9st 9lb

J: Nicola Burns

T: Aidan Melia

Dual Flat winner and useful hurdler but has a lot to find on form with most of these rivals.

66/1

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta €17.60
Straight Forecast €28.37
Trifecta €25.90

Selections

RP RATINGS (IRE):

Constitution Hill

SPOTLIGHT:

State Man

TOPSPEED:

Constitution Hill

The Irish Sun:

Constitution Hill

POSTDATA:

State Man