February 04 / 14.45 Leopardstown

14.45

Soft

Chanelle Pharma Irish Champion Hurdle (Grade 1)

  • Prize money: £97391.3
  • 2m 0f 0y
  • 4 runners
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Chanelle Pharma Irish Champion Hurdle (Grade 1)

Runners: 4 runners

Type: Hurdle Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Cloudy

2/7 (Won)

  • Win: £1.30

Form: 121-11 CD

Last run: 37 days

W: 11st 12lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 167

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 and had that rival back in third when beating Impaire Et Passe decisively here at Christmas; made all to beat Honeysuckle 12 months ago; should repeat.
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: 253-11

Last run: 34 days

W: 11st 12lb

9 yo Gelding

OR: 159

Form & Verdict
Brilliant winner of 2021 Ballymore Novices' Hurdle; his second Festival win was handed to him by the fall of Galopin Des Champs in the 2022 Turners Novices' Chase; struggled in a light campaign over hurdles last season; restored to something like his old self this term winning Grade 2 events over 2m4f at Navan and Cheltenham; vulnerable over this trip in this grade.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

1

30th Apr 2026

Yielding

2m 7f 110y

18:05 Punchestown

Bob Olinger

11st 10lb

J: Darragh O’Keeffe

T: Henry De Bromhead

Ended a sequence of seconds when beating Teahupoo in the 2025 Stayers' Hurdle; no match for Teahupoo at Leopardstown on seasonal debut; had that below-par rival behind when a fine third behind Home By The Lee in the Stayers'; continues to prosper despite his veteran status; can go close.

3/1

3rd

2

12th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

2m 7f 213y

Class 1

15:20 Cheltenham

Bob Olinger

11st 10lb

J: Darragh O’Keeffe

T: Henry De Bromhead

Now 11 but he was as good as ever last March when winning this race by nearly 2l from Teahupoo (good to soft; also effective on soft); respectable second to that rival at Leopardstown in December on sole run this season and his excellent record at Cheltenham means he has to be in calculations.

7/1

OUR TIP

Form: 111-22 D

Last run: 37 days

W: 11st 12lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 160

Form & Verdict
Lost his unbeaten record when mastered by Teahupoo in the Hatton's Grace; last season's four-race novice campaign featured two Grade 1 wins; bolted up from stablemate Gaelic Warrior in the Ballymore, merely workmanlike at Punchestown; put firmly in his place by State Man in the Matheson; hard to identify a convincing reason why he should turn the tables.
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: 141-23 D

Last run: 37 days

W: 11st 5lb

8 yo Mare

OR: 152

Form & Verdict
Grade 1 winner against the mares at last season's Punchestown festival; had four runs on the Flat last year, best effort second in a late-season 2m Group 3 event at the Curragh; no match for State Man in the Morgiana, and threatened only briefly under the usual hold-up ride behind State Man and Impaire Et Passe at Christmas.
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

Non-runners

Fils Doudairies

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta €3.00
Straight Forecast €4.97
Trifecta €7.80

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

State Man

RP RATINGS (IRE):

State Man

TOPSPEED:

State Man

POSTDATA:

State Man

The Irish Sun:

State Man