STATE MAN completed a stunning hat-trick in the Punchestown Champion Hurdle as his former nemesis Constitution Hill ran an absolute stinker.
Willie Mullins’ star eight-year-old was given a positive ride from the front under Paul Townend and he never saw another rival as he galloped them into the ground.
Constitution Hill, sent to Ireland after two heavy falls at Cheltenham and Aintree, was given a conservative ride by James Bowen and the alarm bells were going off after he’d jumped just one hurdle.
He was uncharacteristically on his toes before the race and he ballooned the first couple of flights, maybe remembering the fences he’d schooled over at Seven Barrows earlier this week.
And just as the race was hotting up, he made a bad blunder at the third last and he was instantly cooked, finishing a tailed off fifth as he suffered the first defeat in his career – when he has stayed on his feet.
It was a dismal performance and almost too bad to be true, so Nicky Henderson will want to give him a full MOT when he gets him back to Lambourn.
But take nothing away from the hard-as-nails State Man, who would have won the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham but for a dramatic last flight exit.
He was slick and relentless on the front-end and when he quickened away around the home bend he never looked like getting caught.
Mullins said: “State Man did what State Man does. He turns up and it was a huge performance.
“I think the Constitution Hill we all know didn’t turn up today and that was pretty obvious early on.
“Paul has been adamant about this horse for a while. There has been a lot of talk about Lossiemouth, but he has never had any doubt this horse is number one.
“He is a very uncomplicated horse and to win three of these in a row is a great achievement.
“There was a great crowd here today and it’s a shame we didn’t get to see the race develop that a lot of people came to see.
“It’s a pity what happened to State Man at Cheltenham, if he’d stood up he’d probably have won, but it’s tremendous to see him back in this sort of form. He is a wonderful horse.”;
Golden Ace ran a cracker in second, proving she belongs at the top-level after her fortunate win in the Champion back in March.
As for Constitution Hill, were do you go from here?
He looks a shadow of the horse who brushed aside State Man at Cheltenham in 2023.
After a campaign which started with so much promise, when he thumped Lossiemouth at Kempton over Christmas, his season ended with the worst run of his career.
A concerned Hendo said: “It’s disappointing but it’s a tough game. It was sad he had to be beaten that way because you could live with going down in a battle.
“He was beaten two out and James looked after him. Something has obviously gone wrong because that’s not him and our job is to try to unravel the mystery.
“He’s got such a great mind, nothing worries him, but you can’t look inside his head.
“He’s very uncomplicated, unflustered and his work was good. He was travelling well turning in but then it was like flicking a switch.”;
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