The music stops as State Man strolls home in the mother and father of all anti-climaxes at Leopardstown

Lossiemouth and State Man jump the first in the Irish Champion Hurdle

Lossiemouth and State Man jump the first together in the Irish Champion HurdleCredit: Patrick McCann

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Alas, we will never know. This was the mother and father of all anti-climaxes.

It felt like the mid-1990s all over again before 3.20pm at Leopardstown on Sunday, those heady days of Britpop when you were either Oasis or Blur. You were either State Man or Lossiemouth ahead of the Irish Champion Hurdle and it was all building up to a beautiful crescendo, the packed grandstands just about to let rip and go into full roaring mode, when the music stopped.

Lossiemouth forgot to raise a leg at the third-last, crashing through the flight and unceremoniously dumping Danny Mullins. They almost brought down State Man, too, but didn't and it was left to the Champion Hurdle winner to stroll home in his own time. We learned about as much as you would watching a Spanish movie without subtitles.

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David JenningsDeputy Ireland editor

Published on 2 February 2025inReports

Last updated 20:27, 2 February 2025

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15:20 Leopardstown

Irish Champion Hurdle (Grade 1)5 ran

1st
3State Man
5/4
2nd
1Daddy Long Legs
40/1
3rd
4Winter Fog
28/1