In a surprising turn of events, it appears that Golden Ace is quite possibly not going to defend her title in the upcoming Kingwell Hurdle this Saturday. Instead, she is likely to head directly for the prestigious Champion Hurdle.
Trainer Jeremy Scott has indicated that the reigning Champion Hurdle winner may not perform well on the anticipated heavy ground conditions, leading to a decision regarding her participation being made on Thursday morning.
Currently, Golden Ace is listed at odds of 11-8 for the Kingwell, a race she previously won as a stepping stone to her victory at Cheltenham last year. Meanwhile, she holds a best price of 7-1 to reclaim her Champion Hurdle title at next month’s festival.
Regarding her potential run this weekend, Scott expressed his concerns, stating: "I think it's unlikely she’ll run. We'll finalize our decision tomorrow, but considering the ground, I don’t want to risk overexerting her in what could be very heavy and sticky conditions. Right now, both the owner and I feel that it would be wiser to skip this race and focus on Cheltenham instead.
"It’s certainly frustrating because we’ve prepared her well and she’s ready to race. However, I believe the responsible choice is to hold off. She schooled exceptionally well on Tuesday, and jockey Lorcan Williams noted she feels just as strong as ever, so we just need to keep everything together until the big day in three and a half weeks."
As things stand, the ground at Wincanton is reported to be heavy. While drying conditions are expected, there is also a chance of rain on Wednesday evening and Friday. No track inspection has been scheduled at this time.
Golden Ace, who has already claimed victory in the Grade 1 Fighting Fifth Hurdle this season, secured second place in her last two outings, including a runner-up finish to Sir Gino in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton on Boxing Day.
When asked about the possibility of sending the eight-year-old to Cheltenham without having raced beforehand, Scott reassured: "She’ll be fine. We can do a couple of solid training sessions on the grass, and fortunately, we have the facilities to do this. I wouldn't be concerned about her fitness.
"I'd also love to see her race at Punchestown afterward, which is why I don't want to cut her season short by running her now. Winning the Kingwell for consecutive years would have been amazing, but I genuinely believe this is the right decision for her career."
As for the odds for the BetMGM Kingwell Hurdle set for 1:35 PM at Wincanton on Saturday, they are currently: 11-8 for Golden Ace, 6-4 for Alexei, 9-2 for Potters Charm, and Rubaud, with the rest of the field at 20-1 or higher.
Looking ahead to the Unibet Champion Hurdle scheduled for 4:00 PM at Cheltenham on March 10, the current betting odds show: 11-4 for The New Lion, 3 for Brighterdaysahead, 4 for Constitution Hill, and 6 for Golden Ace among others, with various other contenders priced at 14-20 or more.
