State Man produced a dominant front-running display to win his third Boodles Champion Hurdle at Punchestown on May 2, 2025, where Constitution Hill proved a huge disappointment in finishing a well-beaten fifth. The Grade One contest staged a mouthwatering rematch between the Willie Mullins and Nicky Henderson-trained superstars, who both fell in the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham in March, with the presence of Jeremy Scott’s eventual Champion Hurdle heroine Golden Ace adding further spice.
Despite suffering a second successive fall in the Aintree Hurdle, Constitution Hill was a heavily-supported 8-13 favourite to get back on the winning trail on his first trip to Ireland, but he was a spent force from before the home turn and weakened rapidly out of contention. In contrast, State Man (9-4) – who looked to have a second Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham at his mercy when crashing out at the final obstacle at Prestbury Park in mid-March – continued to pour it on in front under Paul Townend and came home with four and three-quarter lengths in hand over Golden Ace.
Willie Mullins said: “It’s the performance we always thought he had in him. In fairness to Constitution Hill, I don’t think he turned up on the day. It’s very hard to travel from England after having two falls and things just didn’t go right for him.” Mullins continued, “Our fella has run his true race and that’s been a constant thing in his racing life; he always turns up and runs his race. It was a huge performance.”
State Man’s victory marked his twelfth Grade 1 win, and his success came with an asterisk as the expected showdown with Constitution Hill never materialized. Instead, the 2023 Champion Hurdle winner looked like a shadow of his former self, finishing poorly and trailing home second last, only beating the 250-1 outsider Bottler'secret.
Constitution Hill’s trainer, Nicky Henderson, expressed his disappointment, stating, “It’s disappointing – he was beaten two out and something has obviously gone wrong. It was sad he had to be beaten that way because you could live with going down in a battle. Our job is to try to unravel the mystery.” Henderson also noted that Constitution Hill was examined by an IHRB vet post-race and found to have grazes to his right hind cannonbone and to be sore.
Constitution Hill had shown promise earlier in his career, winning ten straight races before this disappointing outing. However, after two falls at Cheltenham and Aintree, this was his first defeat when completing a race. Henderson noted that the horse had previously been “very uncomplicated, unflustered,” and that his work leading up to the race had been good. Yet, he added, “It was like flicking a switch.”
Paul Townend, who rode State Man, described the Punchestown track as “his playground” and was thrilled with his horse’s performance. “I’m really, really happy for the horse. I love him. He was never really flashy, so we tried the cheekpieces in Cheltenham and they lit him up. This is his playground, though, isn’t it? It’s probably the best he ever jumped,” Townend said.
Golden Ace, who finished second, proved that her surprise Champion Hurdle success at Cheltenham was no fluke, putting in a solid performance. Trainer Jeremy Scott expressed pride in her effort, stating, “I’m gutted we weren’t good enough to win, but I’m delighted with her. She was staying on at the end and today she probably needed a little bit further, ideally.”
As for State Man, he has now secured three consecutive wins in the Punchestown Champion Hurdle, a feat that showcases his consistency and talent. Mullins praised his horse, saying, “He’s just very genuine without ever being flashy. I think the cheekpieces have made him a bit flashier than he used to be. He’s a lazy horse, and cheekpieces just help him.”
The race, highly anticipated by fans, ultimately did not deliver the thrilling showdown many had hoped for between State Man and Constitution Hill. Instead, the latter’s struggles raised questions about his future in the sport. Henderson will undoubtedly be looking to diagnose the issues affecting his star horse, as he seeks to restore Constitution Hill to his former glory.
In the end, State Man’s performance was a testament to his ability and determination, while Constitution Hill’s disappointing outing left fans and connections alike pondering what went wrong. As the dust settles on this year’s Punchestown Festival, the focus will now shift to the next chapter in the careers of these two remarkable horses.
