CLOSUTTON STATE THEI OUT TO R CASE
Mullins to prove himself the main Man
ODDS-ON favourite State Man is impossible to oppose in today’s Unibet Champion Hurdle.
An eight-time Grade 1 winner, the seven-year-old is bidding to give Willie Mullins a fifth champion and provide stable-jockey Paul Townend with a first win in this championship race.
Of course, the absence of last year’s impressive winner Constitution Hill has taken the gloss off today’s showpiece and, unfortunately, no matter how convincing he is today, State Man probably won’t receive the plaudits he deserves.
Owned by Joe and Marie Donnelly, State Man has come a long way since winning the County Hurdle here, off 141, two years ago, his only defeat in the intervening 24 months coming when brushed aside and beaten nine lengths by Constitution Hill last year.
The Closutton team believes that State Man didn’t produce his best that day and plans were in place to adopt different tactics in the rematch which hasn’t materialised.
Winner of two Morgiana Hurdles at Punchestown, two Mathesons at
Leopardstown, plus a Punchestown Champion Hurdle, State Man has been a convincing winner of the last two Irish Champion Hurdles.
He conquered the mighty Honeysuckle in that race last season and, last month, was particularly impressive when beating Bob Olinger.
State Man’s last two victories at Leopardstown have been, arguably, his best performances. And, realistically, a reproduction of that sort of form should suffice today.
A slick jumper, State Man has proven his effectiveness when making the running and when taking a lead. And Paul Townend has unstinting confidence in his mount. And that belief should be rewarded
LONGSHOT:
here on hurdling’s biggest stage.
On ratings, State Man has a minimum of 10lb in hand over his seven rivals, headed by Gordon Elliott’s Irish Point, a dual Grade 1 winner, dropping in trip and diverted from the Stayers due to Constitution Hill’s absence.
This fellow won a Grade 1 novice at Aintree last spring and, last time, readily outpointed Asterion Forlonge in the three-mile Christmas Hurdle at Loepardstown.
Open to further improvement, he looks capable of finishing in the money, but should be no match for the odds-on favourite.
The others vying for minor money include Nicky Henderson’s Iberico Lord, winner of the Betfair Hurdle off 134, battle-hardened veteran Not So Sleepy and State Man’s stable-companion Zarak The Brave, winner of the Galway Hurdle last summer.
On a day which promises so much for Willie Mullins (he has 20 first-day runners), his Embassy Gardens is napped to retain his unbeaten record over fences in the Maureen Mullins National Hunt Chase.
The mount of Patrick Mullins, he’s a particularly good jumper, which might give him the edge over the Emmet Mullins-trained Corbetts Cross.