State Man rules supreme in Champion Hurdle showdown

Despite suffering a second successive fall in the Aintree Hurdle, Constitution Hill was a heavily-supported 8-13 favourite to get back on the winning trail on his first trip to Ireland, but he was a spent force from before the home turned and weakened rapidly out of contention.

CHAMPION HURDLE: State Man produced a dominant front-running display to win his third Boodles Champion Hurdle at Punchestown, where Constitution Hill proved a huge disappointment in finishing a well-beaten fifth. Pic: Healy Racing

State Man produced a dominant front-running display to win his third Boodles Champion Hurdle at Punchestown, where Constitution Hill proved a huge disappointment in finishing a well-beaten fifth.

The Grade One contest staged a mouthwatering rematch between the Willie Mullins and Nicky Henderson-trained superstars, who both fell in the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham in March, with the presence of Jeremy Scott's eventual Champion Hurdle heroine Golden Ace adding further spice.