State Man (2-5 favourite) grabbed a superb first victory in the Unibet Champion Hurdle Challenge Trophy on the opening day of the 2024 Cheltenham Festival.
With reigning champ, the peerless Constitution Hill, not able to defend his crown following a bad scope and lacklustre work last week, Willie Mullins' seven-year-old took full advantage to run out a fine length-and-a-quarter-length winner of the feature race on day one under Paul Townend. The victory edged Irish champion trainer Mullins closer to becoming the first to saddle 100 winners at the Festival.
Having won the County Hurdle at the 2022 Cheltenham Festival, State Man has only been beaten once at the top level and he followed up back-to-back wins in the Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown last month with another success at Prestbury Park.
Under Townend, State Man was always going smoothly on the inside rail, just off the pace set mainly by Nemean Lion and Gordon Elliott's Irish Point (9-2). Irish Point and jockey Jack Kennedy tried to kick on after the turn for home, but State Man moved through stylishly to join his main market rival. And jumping over the last, he forged ahead but he had to be pushed right out to the line as Irish Point tried in vain to get back up. State Man went one better than last year to beat Irish Point. Luccia (33-1) ran a superb race to be third for Constitution Hill's trainer, Nicky Henderson – two-and-a-quarter-lengths further back.
Mullins was completing a double on the day after Gaelic Warrior's earlier success in the My Pension Expert Arkle Challenge Trophy Novices' Chase, also ridden by Townend. It later became a treble for the trainer and jockey with Lossiemouth's smooth success. Mullins extended his record haul to 97 winners at
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