This will go down in part as a Champion Hurdle without its champion – Constitution Hill being pulled out about a week beforehand due to being off colour (as some of his stable-companions seemed to be on the track, including Iberico Lord but not Luccia in this) – but it also gave a fine opportunity for last year’s runner-up to go one better, which State Man duly did. He was workmanlike, rather than impressive, however, and his rating is the lowest by a male since Punjabi also posted a 164 figure in 2009 and a few lengths below his own best. That may have been in part due to a tepid pace mid-race after reasonably sprightly opening sections – the leader got to 4f out 2.80s, or around a dozen lengths, slower than the leader in the earlier Supreme – and ground that was heavy hardly made for showy turns of speed. Winner’s final 4f of 57.23s (108.2% finishing speed).
STATE MAN (h164 here, 169 previously) was not quite at his best but still got the job done, like the true pro he is, his only defeat when standing up still being by nine lengths at the hands of Constitution Hill in this 12 months ago. He tracked the pace and typically travelled strongly/jumped well, moved up smoothly between the last 2 but was shaken up at the last as the runner-up refused to lie down then was ridden and ran on well to make sure. He is an average Champion Hurdler on his best form, and a bit below that on this, but should prove a real tough nut for any of the emerging novices to crack later this season and next.
IRISH POINT (h162 here, 159+ previously) ran a fine race, at least the equal of anything he had done previously, and that despite dropping markedly in trip, the deep ground helping him but the steady pace doing the opposite. He tracked the pace and was going well before leading briefly between the last 2, soon passed by the winner but keeping at it so well that he made that one pull out a few stops. The Aintree Hurdle over 20f should see him in a good light.
LUCCIA (h152 here, 140 previously) ran the race of her life, in marked contrast to some of her stable-companions of late, taking a good hold tracking the pace and a bit wider than most, still pulling double as she moved closer after 2 out but unable to match the first 2 thereafter. She would have been just behind Lossiemouth in the Mares Hurdle on this form, and finishing third in a Champion Hurdle is worth more – in both money and arguably kudos – than finishing second in that race instead.
ZARAK THE BRAVE (h152 here and previously) ran creditably, a smart hurdler for a while but not seen all that often. He was held up before improving after 2 out, no extra on the run-in. His defeat of Telmesomethinggirl the time before looked better by the end of the day, also.
COLONEL MUSTARD (h150 here and previously) was back to his peak of last spring, blinkered for the first time, though never really threatened having been held up and jumped less than fluently.
NEMEAN LION (h141 here, 151 previously) took his first backward step for a while, though not altogether disgraced, disputing some of the running until going on again from before 3 out until between the last 2, a rather clumsy round of jumping earlier on possibly taking its toll late in the day.
NOT SO SLEEPY (h0 here, 158 previously) runs the odd poor race, and this was one of them, as he helped make the running, without going fast, until edging right and quickly beaten 3 out.
IBERICO LORD(h0 here, 150 previously) represented some rock-solid handicap form, albeit at a level or 2 below this, but ran a stinker and (seemingly like some others from the stable) might not have been right, in touch but not travelling especially well by soon after halfway and quickly beaten after 3 out. He should be back.
