State Man secures Matheson double in style as Mullins ends on high

The six-year-old has yet to taste defeat when completing over obstacles in Ireland.

MAN FOR ALL SEASONS: State Man and Paul Townend with Rachel Robbins after they won the Matheson Hurdle. Picture: Healy Racing Photo

Tuesday’s misfiring at Leopardstown was a dim and distant memory by the time Willie Mullins wrapped up the Christmas festival at the Dublin venue with a Friday treble which brought his tally for the meeting to nine, and when Limerick’s successes are added on, it becomes 16, which is the same as he recorded across the four days in 2022.

There were two Grade Ones on Friday’s card, both of which went in Mullins’ direction, and State Man maintained his status as the top two-mile hurdler in this country with a second victory in the Grade One Matheson Hurdle.