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Just when you think you have seen it all, the 2025 Unibet Champion Hurdle threw the cruellest of spanners in the works, with the last two winners of the Cheltenham Festival's opening day feature – Constitution Hill and State Man – suffering unexpected falls.

The majority of those in attendance at Prestbury Park were willing on Nicky Henderson’s former champion Constitution Hill, who was the well-backed 1-2 favourite to become only the third horse to regain the crown and extend his unbeaten record to 11.

However, having travelled with his customary enthusiasm and let fly at a couple of early obstacles, the eight-year-old ultimately paid the price at the fifth, with the packed grandstands letting out a collective gasp as he and Nico de Boinville crashed to the ground.

Thankfully, Constitution Hill was soon back on his feet and continued before being caught and returned to the unsaddling enclosure.

When asked how he could sum up what had happened, Henderson said: "You think of the first word that comes into your head and it would probably be the same as mine. I don’t know, what can you say?

"He seems fine, he’s very bright and breezy. He hasn’t had a race, obviously, and we’ll just have to think of a plan.

"We thought we had him right, he’s been in terrific form, but there you go – it happens. Poor old State Man as well, you couldn’t believe those two silly old fools have gone and done what they’ve done today."

Henderson has won the Champion Hurdle more than anyone, with nine previous victories, and knows there is no margin for error in the jumping department when the heat is on.

He added: "When you’re jumping as fast as they jump, you’ve got to get it deadly accurate. You’d like to see the replay of it, but it doesn’t really