Horse of the Day

IT WILL be fascinating watching this chestnut move through the Unibet Champion Hurdle. On one hand — if all goes to plan — you will marvel at a horse with the ability to win this contest by daylight. On the other, you will be wondering what might have happened if Constitution Hill had been around. There has been a lot of discussion about the quality of the Champion Hurdle and how it has been diminished by the unfortunate absence of jump racing’s superstar, whose abject gallop at Kempton two weeks ago left him on the sick list. But reputations in racing are forged, primarily, by the ability to keep turning up again and again and State Man has been a model of consistency for two years. His form figures are extraordinary. State Man has raced 12 times for Willie Mullins. He fell on his debut at Limerick on St Stephen’s Day 2021, but since then his only defeat was when Constitution Hill pulled nine lengths away from him in last year’s Champion Hurdle. In four races since — all at Grade One level — State Man has beaten his rivals by a combined 17 lengths, and, thrillingly, left you with the firm impression that his jockey Paul Townend had several gears in reserve. The feeling is that he will see what is under the bonnet here. Mullins has won Champion Hurdles with swaggering talents such as Hurricane Fly, Annie Power and Faugheen and although State Man might not be at their exalted level just yet, adding this race to his c.v. would go a significant way to elevating opinions. ‘He’s so uncomplicated and professional,’ said Townend. ‘He’s a joy to have anything to do with. I loved him last year and I love him more this year, if that is possible. ‘He’s got so much superiority over the horses here in Ireland.’ You’ll see, with no Constitution Hill, how much superiority he has over the horses here, too.