'Impaire Et Passe is improving all the time and conditions will suit' - will State Man's dominance be tested?

Let's start with a statistic that underlines the paucity of top two-mile hurdlers on the scene at the moment. When State Man lines up as the raging hot favourite for the Chanelle Pharma Irish Champion Hurdle on the second day of the Dublin Racing Festival it will be his eighth consecutive appearance in an Irish race involving no more than half a dozen runners.

On this occasion, there will be four in opposition, one more than in his first two races of the season in the Morgiana at Punchestown and the Matheson at Leopardstown's Christmas fixture.

All four Matheson runners take part again, the only extra ingredient coming in the shape of Bob Olinger, who has been enjoying a renaissance this season following an unproductive three-race campaign last term. 

The 2021 Ballymore winner, who gained a fortuitous victory when Galopin Des Champs fell at the last in the Turners Novices' Chase at the 2022 festival, embellished his Cheltenham record in landing the four-runner Relkeel Hurdle on New Year's Day, backing up his victory in the Lismullen Hurdle at Navan.

Henry de Bromhead has done a fine job in getting him back, but his two Grade 2 wins in recent months underline his career-long record suggesting that a trip of around two and a half miles is close to his optimum. 

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At this stage of his life, the nine-year-old hardly has the resources to match State Man, who will be a very short price to confirm Matheson form with stablemates Impaire Et Passe and Echoes In Rain. Joseph O'Brien's Fils D'Oudairies falls well short of Grade 1 standard.

The Matheson was billed as a race in which Impaire Et Passe, winner of all four starts during last season's novice campaign, could refashion the reputation dented when Teahupoo beat him comprehensively in the Hatton's Grace at Fairyhouse. 

His supporters were inclined to excuse a defeat inflicted on his first venture into the senior ranks by a battle-hardened campaigner. However, when it came to the crunch he had little to offer when State Man, whose jumping was quicker and more accurate through the race, took control under Paul Townend after two out. There was perhaps a stride or two when Impaire Et Passe appeared to be working up to a meaningful challenge, but ultimately there was no sense that State Man was seriously pressed.

The favourite looks a stronger horse than when he beat Honeysuckle 12 months ago and should win with aplomb en route to another tilt at Constitution Hill in the Champion Hurdle.
Analysis by Alan Sweetman

Mullins: State Man will have to be better than he was at Christmas

Willie Mullins has won the Irish Champion Hurdle seven times, albeit Hurricane Fly was responsible for five of those, and State Man is long odds-on to make that eight for the 17-time champion trainer, who reports him to be in tip-top shape. 

The initial encounter between State Man and Impaire Et Passe was all one-way traffic after the last, but Mullins thinks last year's Ballymore Novices' Hurdle winner is improving and could make his prolific stablemate work even harder this time. 

Mullins said: "Everything is good with State Man and I'm very happy with him. He has lots of ability and doesn't fluff his lines. The first day he ran for us, when he fell in a maiden hurdle, was the only time he fluffed his lines. Other than that he's been really good and he's a real professional.

"Impaire Et Passe will take him on again, he deserves another chance to do that, and State Man will have to turn up in the health he was in at Christmas, even better really, because Impaire Et Passe is improving all the time and conditions will suit him. 

"Echoes In Rain takes her chance too and will hopefully run well."

What they say

Henry de Bromhead, trainer of Bob Olinger
He seems really well in himself and we said we'd give this a go to see how he gets on. He's in good form and we have been very happy with him since Cheltenham. Hopefully the drop back in trip will be okay for him as he's always shown plenty of pace.

Gordon Elliott, trainer of Fils D'Oudairies
He's had a great season, but this will obviously be tough for him. He's not an easy horse to place but hopefully he can give his running and be bang there turning for home.

Daryl Jacob, rider of Impaire Et Passe
He bumped into a true champion at Christmas and we have to bump into him again here. We might try something different this time, though, and tactics will be interesting. We jumped the last very well at Christmas, but Paul [Townend, on State Man] just kept quickening away. It's a fascinating race with Bob Olinger in there, but State Man is a true champion and heading his way up there with the likes of Hurricane Fly. I'm really looking forward to riding my horse and hopefully we can either beat State Man or get closer to him.

Paul Townend, rider of State Man
He is so straightforward so I can kind of do what I want on him. I enjoy being a part of these tactical races and it will be an interesting one to try and work out. Everything about State Man is positive and I am sure he can show his superiority in this division. He is my best ride of the day and is one of my favourite horses.
Reporting by David Jennings

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Read Sunday's previews

1.10 Leopardstown: Going left-handed 'a concern' for Paul Townend - but will Gaelic Warrior's class shine through anyway? 

1.40 Leopardstown: 'I'm not concerned about going back to two miles' - Ballyburn drops in trip for first foray into Grade 1 company 

2.10 Leopardstown: El Fabiolo out to cement status as king of the two-mile division in the Dublin Chase 

3.00 Musselburgh: 'He's a big price' - who thinks their mount could outrun their odds in the Pertemps qualifier? 

3.20 Leopardstown: 'I think he'll take a bit of beating' - key analysis and quotes for fiercely competitive handicap chase 

3.35 Musselburgh: Can Thunder Rock bounce back from 'very uncharacteristic' Cheltenham flop in Scottish Champion Chase? 

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