Irish Champion Hurdle 2024

[GM23]

Awesome horse is State Man.

Every bit as good as the likes of
Honeysuckle
Hurricane Fly
Hardy Eustace etc

So unlucky to come in the era of Constitution Hill but CH needs a horse like this around.

If CH beats this fellow easily at the festival again, he should be the highest rated hurdler of all time.

[Mike007]

Hopefully they send IEP to the Stayers after trying something different and failing.

[greenasgrass]

No point knocking the guts out of him and it’s a bit unfair to bounce him up to 3miles in one go, which he probably wouldn’t win anyway. Better just ride him like they did last time and hope he races more efficiently for third in the champion hurdle, and start planning next year’s novice chase campaign.

[Cork All Star]

He has picked up a lot of prize money but it looks like a wasted season for Impaire Et Passe.

[LD73]

IEP appeared to hate being in front from the get go and then started jumping out to his right and looks like he hasn’t progressed from his novice season at all.

I am not convinced either that he wants to go up to 3m but that could be his only option at Cheltenham unless they wait for the Aintree Hurdle over 2½m and go back to waiting tactics.

[LD73]

State Man does exactly what it says on the can – ITV interviewed his groom after and she said he just isn’t flashy at all and he will happily pose for anyone who wants a picture and as the interview was ongoing he was just standing there minding his own business like butter wouldn’t melt. What most wouldn’t give to have several horses like him .

I do wonder if he wasn’t at his very best last year as at no time did Paul really get after him to even try to go after CH….some might say that was him realising it was a futile effort to even bother but maybe there is something to him not being right on the day.

Would expect that they will be trying a lot harder this time around and maybe the result won’t change but you need to at least give it a go because as the last few weekends have shown us, anything can happen in a race that we thought going into the result was a foregone conclusion.

[Mike007]

“No point knocking the guts out of him and it’s a bit unfair to bounce him up to 3miles in one go, which he probably wouldn’t win anyway.”

I think he would have a chance in an open Stayers Hurdle. Has to prove he gets the trip granted, but he was besides Teahupoo 1st time up and then running in grade 1 races over 2 miles against State Man. He can take his time in the Stayers whereas he would have to go fast again in the Champion Hurdle. And if he waits for Aintree Constitutional Hill will likely be there.

[Mike007]

Didn’t sound like Willie was thinking Stayers for IEP in his post race comments, so a confirmed wasted season it is. ;o)

[Gingertipster]

167 rated State Man has beaten 159 Bob Olinger pretty much as far as previous form suggests – when allowing for ease of victory…
Which suggests to me State Man is not improving.

Value Is Everything

[greenasgrass]

I suppose Mullins has made that jump with Nichols Canyon successfully, but he was a different type of horse and a year older.

[LD73]

Mike – After CH’s slightly underwhelming performance at Aintree last year, I would be surprised if we see him there again this year…..might have more chance of him going to Punchestown, especially if he mullers State Man again at Cheltenham.

[He Didnt Like Ground]

Prob is if State Man does have a go at CH he could fall into a hole and end up losing 2nd , as good as he is he isn’t CH

Pick 3 on Saturday champion 2025/2026

[LD73]

You don’t know if you don’t even try – we pretty much know it will be another tactically run race i.e. nothing is likely to go off and really make it an end to end gallop, although that would be interesting to see how that would play out.

I don’t think had Townend really tried last year he would have sacrificed 2nd place as he only went 2nd at the 2nd last hurdle and easily held that place from there without being properly ridden. But as I said, it may just be that State Man is not good enough however much he tries but at least you can say…well we gave it our best shot and we just came up against a better horse.

[He Didnt Like Ground]

That’s true LD but how it where does he attack , CH has barely come off the bridle yet

Pick 3 on Saturday champion 2025/2026

[AndyRAC]

He’s a nice horse, but in an era of poor 2m hurdlers, he’s the second best around – and actually is probably pretty average – his rating is laughable really.

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