The Dublin Racing Festival came to a roaring conclusion on Sunday as State Man eased to victory in the day's feature event.
The Paul Townend-ridden and Willie Mullins-trained horse had entered the Irish Champion Hurdle with a 5-4 chance from the bookmakers, her main competitor and the race favourite coming in the form of stablemate Lossiemouth.
Both State Man and Lossiemouth got off to a flying start, effortlessly dominating the five-horse field and setting up what was destined to be a clash of the giants between Townend and Danny Mullins.
While it was the latter who enjoyed a narrow lead heading into the back straight, a disastrous mistake four flights from home saw Lossiemouth and Mullins sustain a nasty fall, very nearly taking State Man out in the process.
Having avoided the collision however, it was plain sailing for State Man who sailed home to claim his third Irish Champion Hurdle six and a half lengths ahead of second place Daddy Long Legs.

2 February 2025; Lossiemouth, with Danny Mullins up, leads eventual winner State Man, with Paul Townend up, over the last 'first time round' during the The Irish Champion Hurdle during day two of the Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown Racecourse in Dublin. Photo by Shauna Clinton/Sportsfile
State Man 'lucky' not to be pulled down en route to victory
Speaking to RTÉ after yet another victory, Paul Townend was only delighted that he'd avoided a collision with Lossiemouth by the smallest of margins.
I was very, very lucky not to be brought down. I was on top of him.
Look, it was going to be a match, but positives to take out of it up to that: we were going the gallop no bother today, he felt better in himself today. We don't know what would've happened but I suppose take nothing away from him, he can only do what he does.
I'll tell you the truth the last was looking way too big for such a good jumper when I was coming to it, I'd way too much time to think.
Fair play to Stateman, you've to jump them and he's won again.
Fortunately for the fallen Lossiemouth and Danny Mullins, both jockey and horse were up and walking nearly immediately, Mullins looking in more pain than his horse.
For State Man, Townend and Mullins however, it's now three in a row, the Rachel Blackmore ridden Honeysuckle the competition's last winner in 2022.