December 29 / 14.20 Leopardstown

14.20

Heavy

Matheson Hurdle (Grade 1)

  • Prize money: £78318.58
  • 2m 0f 0y
  • 4 runners
RTE2
View Course
Matheson Hurdle (Grade 1)

Runners: 4 runners

Type: Hurdle Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Light rain

1/2 (Won)

  • Win: £1.40

Form: 1121-1 CD

Last run: 34 days

W: 11st 12lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 166

Form & Verdict
No match for Constitution Hill in the Champion Hurdle, otherwise flawless since his maiden win; ended last season with clear-cut Punchestown success; much too good for Echoes In Rain on seasonal debut in the Morgiana; can win this for the second time having beaten Vauban here last year before C&D Irish Champion Hurdle defeat of Honeysuckle.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

3

2nd May 2025

Yielding

2m 0f 45y

18:40 Punchestown

State Man

11st 12lb

J: Paul Townend

T: W P Mullins

made all, jumped well, 3 lengths ahead halfway, reduced lead after 4 out, pushed along and went clear again approaching last, ridden and kept on well run-in

5/4

1st

3

2nd May 2025

Yielding

2m 0f 45y

18:40 Punchestown

State Man

11st 12lb

J: Paul Townend

T: W P Mullins

made all, jumped well, 3 lengths ahead halfway, reduced lead after 4 out, pushed along and went clear again approaching last, ridden and kept on well run-in

5/4

4

11th Mar 2025

Good To Soft

2m 0f 87y

Class 1

16:00 Cheltenham

State Man

11st 10lb

J: Paul Townend

T: W P Mullins

Beaten twice by Brighterdaysahead this season, flopping badly on the second occasion, and was gifted a third Irish Champion Hurdle last month as main rival Lossiemouth fell; won a substandard edition of this race last year and was no match for highly impressive Constitution Hill 12 months earlier; dependable in the main and has a voluminous Grade 1 tally but a second Champion Hurdle win looks far from certain; wears first-time headgear.

10/1

Form: 1111-2 D BF

Last run: 26 days

W: 11st 12lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 160

Form & Verdict
Lost his unbeaten record when mastered by Teahupoo in the Hatton's Grace; four-race novice campaign featured two Grade 1 wins; bolted up from stablemate Gaelic Warrior in the Ballymore; only workmanlike at Punchestown; back at 2m now for the first time since comfortable Grade 2 win at Punchestown in January; tough task against State Man.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1

9th Apr 2026

Good To Soft

3m 0f 210y

Class 1

14:55 Aintree

Impaire Et Passe

11st 10lb

J: Paul Townend

T: W P Mullins

Unproven at this trip and reportedly never travelling when pulled up in the Ryanair at Cheltenham last month; however, he's won at this meeting in each of the last two seasons, landing the Grade 1 Manifesto Novices' Chase last April (2m4f, good to soft; Jango Baie third), and he produced a top performance in the Grade 2 Red Mills Chase at Gowran Park this February; could bounce back with big run for last year's winning trainer Willie Mullins.

7/2

5

12th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

2m 4f 127y

Class 1

16:00 Cheltenham

Impaire Et Passe

11st 10lb

J: Paul Townend

T: W P Mullins

A fine hurdler whose three Grade 1 wins included the Ballymore at this meeting in 2023; has reached the same standard over fences, winning at the top level at Aintree (about 2m4f, good to soft; first-time cheekpieces) last April, and he was ultimately quite convincing in a tactical race at Gowran (about 2m3f, heavy) last month; his form doesn't yet match that of stablemate Fact To File but he is considered for a place.

7/1

Form: F141-2 D

Last run: 34 days

W: 11st 5lb

7 yo Mare

OR: 153

Form & Verdict
Grade 1 winner against the mares at last season's Punchestown festival; had four runs on the Flat this year, best effort second in a late-season 2m Group 3 event at the Curragh; has an edge over Fils D'Oudairies on running behind State Man in the Morgiana.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2

12th Mar 2024

Soft

2m 3f 200y

Class 1

16:10 Cheltenham

Echoes In Rain

11st 5lb

J: Brian Hayes

T: W P Mullins

in rear

25/1

4th

5

4th Feb 2024

Soft

2m 0f 0y

14:45 Leopardstown

Echoes In Rain

11st 5lb

J: Danny Mullins

T: W P Mullins

raced in third, outpaced when dropped to rear home turn, soon no impression

20/1

3rd

4

29th Dec 2023

Heavy

2m 0f 0y

14:20 Leopardstown

Echoes In Rain

11st 5lb

J: Danny Mullins

T: W P Mullins

held up in rear, disputing third when not fluent 4th

9/1

OUR TIP

Form: F11013 C

Last run: 34 days

W: 11st 12lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 148

Form & Verdict
Two Grade 3 wins this season to bring his hurdles record to 5-15; admirable sort but likely to struggle in the company of three Mullins-trained runners; beaten 5l and 3 1/2l behind State Man and Echoes Of Rain in the Morgiana.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2

18th Jul 2025

Good

2m 1f 0y

15:05 Killarney

Fils Doudairies

11st 9lb

J: Jack Kennedy

T: Gordon Elliott

Mostly hurdling this year and has faced some stiff competition but acquitted himself well at times; sole win over fences came in 2020 and pulled-up last chase start in January.

14/1

7th

8

3rd Jul 2025

Good To Yielding

2m 0f 0y

18:10 Tipperary

Fils Doudairies

11st 1lb

J: Jack Kennedy

T: Gordon Elliott

Won this in 2023 but hasn't looked the force of old this year and arrives on the back of a low-key effort.

25/1

5th

1

6th Jun 2025

Good

2m 3f 203y

18:45 Clonmel

Fils Doudairies

11st 12lb

J: Finn Brickley

T: Gordon Elliott

Has plenty of back-class and didn't run at all badly in the County Hurdle at Cheltenham; however, it was off level weights when just ahead of My Gaffer last time and will need to run better to win this, even with Finn Brickley taking off 7lb.

7/2

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta €1.50
Straight Forecast €1.96
Trifecta €1.90

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

State Man

TOPSPEED:

Impaire Et Passe

The Irish Sun:

Impaire Et Passe

RP RATINGS (IRE):

State Man

POSTDATA:

State Man