Dominant State Man outshines Impaire et Passe in Matheson Challenge
State Man Confirms Status as Major Threat to Constitution Hill
In a thrilling showdown at Leopardstown, State Man once again displayed his dominance by overpowering stablemate Impaire Et Passe in the Matheson Hurdle. The six-year-old, trained by Willie Mullins, remains undefeated when competing over obstacles in Ireland and has an impressive track record.
Last season alone, State Man triumphed in the Morgiana Hurdle, the Matheson Hurdle, the Irish Champion Hurdle, and the Punchestown Champion Hurdle. However, his encounter with Constitution Hill during the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham proved to be a challenge too great.
Despite successfully defending his Morgiana crown last month and starting this new campaign on a positive note, many anticipated that Impaire Et Passe would provide formidable competition for State Man. With four wins out of four as a novice hurdler last season – including Grade One victories at Cheltenham and Punchestown – Impaire Et Passe presented himself as a significant contender from within Mullins’ own yard.
The odds were set with State Man being favored at 4-7 to secure consecutive Matheson wins while Impaire Et Passe stood as a 7-4 shot. As they rounded the home turn at Leopardstown it became evident that State Man held an advantage over his rival after taking charge from long-time leader Fils D’oudairies.
Daryl Jacob’s efforts urged Impaire Et Passe to close the gap, but State Man expertly cleared the final flight and maintained his lead. Under Paul Townend’s guidance, he extended his advantage to cross the finish line comfortably three and a quarter lengths ahead.
The outcome of this thrilling race prompted Paddy Power to slash State Man’s odds for the upcoming Champion Hurdle from 5-1 to 4-1. Constitution Hill also received renewed attention with his price adjusted from 2-5 to 1-3. On the other hand, Impaire Et Passe saw his odds lengthen significantly from 5-1 to 12-1.
Mullins expressed great satisfaction with State Man’s performance, highlighting his exceptional speed displayed during the race. He mentioned Daryl Jacob’s belief that they had a chance at overtaking State Man at certain points but conceded that Paul Townend accelerated yet again when it mattered most.
Looking ahead, Mullins speculated that testing conditions might work in favor of State Man and hinted at hoping for rain over Cheltenham. Reflecting on last year’s second-place finish in the Champion Hurdle against Constitution Hill, Mullins appeared eager for another opportunity while acknowledging that Nicky Henderson and Michael Buckley would not be overly concerned by their presence.
State Man’s next target may be returning to Leopardstown for the Dublin Racing Festival (Irish Champion Hurdle) before aiming towards Cheltenham in March.
As for Impaire Et Passe, Mullins suggested considering alternative routes due to his inability to challenge State Man over two miles. While contemplating a potential change in distance, he emphasized that including Impaire Et Passe as an entry into the prestigious Champion Hurdle remained an option worth exploring.