State Man beats Irish Point to win the Champion Hurdle at the 2024 Cheltenham Festival… as Zarak the Brave round-ups the top three after thrilling race

One of the biggest favorites at this week’s Cheltenham Festival, State Man delivered the goods with a controlled victory that was left in no doubt in the Unibet Champion Hurdle.

Twelve months after finishing second at Constitution Hill, the Willie Mullins-trained 2-5 favorite took advantage of the reigning champion’s enforced absence to run a one-and-a-half-length winner from Irish Point, with Luccia a further two and a quarter won. quarter lengths back in third place.

The victory was a fifth in the race for Mullins, the overwhelmingly dominant current force in show jumping racing, but a first for his stable jockey Paul Townend.

Mullins admitted that Townend had not run the tactical race he had expected, playing a waiting game on the ground that had become heavy after heavy overnight rain until the final fence when he released his horse.

Mullins said: “I was amazed at the way he rode him. He rode him for speed. I never thought he would be that far back, but he had great confidence in the horse.”

Townend raised his arms in celebration after victory at the Cheltenham Festival

State Man is a two-time winner of the Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown and the win was a second at the Cheltenham Festival after winning the 2022 County Hurdle.

Townend said: “He’s such an easy horse to ride. He’s a winner of the Champion Hurdle at home and he deserved his day in the sun.’

Given that Constitution Hill, who has been struck by a respiratory illness, defeated State Man by nine lengths last year, questions will inevitably arise over the merits of his victory in the overall scheme of the hurdles world.

In reality the chance was the equivalent of a State Man penalty.

But while Mullins admitted his gelding is probably showing his best form at Leopardstown, he fiercely defended him.

The trainer said: ‘You have to turn up to win a Champion Hurdle and we showed up.’