Champion Hurdler Golden Ace is on course for a trip behind enemy lines to the Boodles Champion Hurdle at the Punchestown Festival next month.
The shock winner of the Blue Riband at the Cheltenham Festival, which saw the dramatic exit of her two big rivals Constitution Hill and State Man, looks set to square up to those two again and Brighterdaysahead in a race that should pack the County Kildare track, with Mares Hurdle winner Lossiemouth also amongst the 14 entries for Punchestown’s day 4 feature.
Golden Ace paraded at Taunton on Wednesday in front of a delighted shirt sleeved crowd, and she was due to appear at Wincanton on Sunday- a meeting now called off due to lack of rain.
“She hasn’t done much since Cheltenham but we have been very impressed with what she has done” said Scott who has finally, it seems, come to terms with the mare’s achievement.
“I think it has finally sunk in. I have watched the video enough times and the prize money is in the Bank!!” he said.
“I had a good hangover for a couple of days afterwards,” said Scott about the celebrations which forced him to delay returning to his base the next morning after his designated driver, who he described as ‘a good mate’ perhaps over enjoyed himself!
Scott accepts that the trip to Punchestown is a great end of season bonus “We were perhaps slightly disappointed with her early season runs, but after the Kingwell and Champion Hurdle our aims for the season are complete.”
He’s never trained a winner at the Festival, but this will be anything but his first visit recalling: “Melodic Rendezvous was second in the big bumper, South Western looked like he might win the Foxhunters when falling at the last and Gone to Lunch was second in the Grade 1 Novice.
"The people are always very welcoming, and we are very much looking forward to it.”
He added: “It’ll be interesting to see who does turn up against her, and how she gets on with the undulations of Punchestown. We’re still learning about the mare and we are looking forward to it. It’s always a great party.”
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