Cork-owned State Man makes no mistake to win fifth Champion Hurdle for Willie Mullins
Paul Townend onboard State Man celebrates as he crosses the line to win. Picture: ©INPHO/Tom Maher
State Man, that paragon of jumps racing excellence, claimed the crown of Champion Hurdler in front of a 2024 Cheltenham Festival opening-day crowd of 60,181. Seldom can there have been a more fitting winner of the Unibet-sponsored two-mile championship than the Willie Mullins-trained seven-year-old who was putting a ninth Grade One victory on a remarkable card.
In 13 completed starts from 14 outings, he can count 11 victories, and one of those two defeats came on his only start in his native France. Since joining Mullins and owners Joe and Marie Donnelly, he has been a star performer, racking up race after race, Grade One after Grade One.
Sure, he was no match for Constitution Hill in last year’s renewal but, then again, no horse has proved his equal. And in that one’s absence from this year’s renewal, the path was cleared for this most admirable of performers to step in at the very top level.
Conditions weren’t conducive to a scintillating display, and, in any case, State Man is not the swashbuckling type. But there was an unmistakable quality to the performance, even if the margin of victory was reasonably short.
Paul Townend, seeking a Champion Hurdle victory which would complete his full set of championship races at the Festival and looking to give Mullins his fifth win in the race, did not seek to dictate this time. There was a mid-race moment when he lost a place and sat a little worse than midfield, but in the heavy ground, Townend didn’t panic, and just let the race unfold around him.
Irish Point travelled sweetly to lead approaching the final turn but from the moment the favourite was switched outside to make his challenge, the result was inevitable.
Irish Point more than justified connections’ decision to come here rather than to wait for the Stayers’ Hurdle later in the week, but this was about State Man and Townend as they led over the last and only had to keep going from the back of the flight to justify odds-on favouritism.
Irish Point ran a super race to finish second, with Luccia providing a small chink of light in an otherwise dismal day for Nicky Henderson’s six runners, five of which pulled up, by taking the third spot.
“There’s no wow factor with State Man, and you don't go ‘wow’ when you look at him either, but he does what it says on the tin - he’s that type of horse,” said Mullins. “It’s very hard to be wow in that ground, but he’s a good, solid, sound horse and he just gives his running every time. He’s a hardy horse and a tough horse, and a few more like him wouldn’t do any harm.
“I think it’s as soft, or as heavy, as I’ve ever seen it. I haven’t seen it like this for years at Cheltenham, but he has oodles of stamina, and I don’t think it worked against him.” Townend, who fits into a similar no-nonsense style as his mount, but has class in abundance, came in for plenty of praise from the boss, even if the ride perplexed the trainer somewhat.
Cork's State Man owner Marie Donnelly gives her thoughts on the big win today.
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"I said to Paul what's next and he said 'the Grand National!' #CheltenhamFestival | #VMTVRacing pic.twitter.com/NaMTalq5xQ
“Paul rode him with such confidence. I was surprised he rode him so deep in the race, but he was happy that he had all the opposition that he was afraid of where he wanted them. It was a little far back if he made a mistake or anything, but he had Irish Point where he wanted him, and that was probably the main thing.
“He’s riding with such confidence, and he was very confident in the horse. It just shows that when jockeys are riding in the zone, they can make other things happen that they want to happen. Talking to him after, I can see what he’s doing.
“He’s a fantastic jockey. He goes out, does his own thing and that ride today was superb. I never dreamt that he would be so far back, but he had the confidence in the horse.” There was a suggestion, academic as it may be, that State Man was not at his best when runner-up to Constitution Hill in 2023, but Tuesday’s performance, much as it was in keeping with the horse’s character, raised a similar question. So, in Mullins’ opinion, does he produce his best at the venue?
“Probably not,” he replies candidly. “He’s probably a better horse around Leopardstown, but he’s a Champion Hurdle winner.”
