STATE MAN DID all that was asked of him as he reappeared with a straightforward victory in the Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown.
The Willie Mullins-trained five-year-old landed a gamble in the County Hurdle at Cheltenham in March and signed off his campaign by winning a Grade One at Punchestown.
One of three runners for the champion trainer in the Shishkin colours of owner Joe Donnelly, he was sent off the 4-9 favourite to make a winning reappearance under Paul Townend – and the result never really looked in any doubt.
It was stablemate Sharjah who eventually chased him home, beaten four lengths, although Patrick Mullins had been hard at work from some way out before eventually staying on to go by Saldier.
Seen as the leading threat to Constitution Hill and Honeysuckle in the Champion Hurdle, Betfair and Paddy Power trimmed State Man into 6-1 from 8s for the Festival showpiece, but Coral were more impressed in going 4-1 from the same price.
Earlier on the card, trainer Robert Murphy celebrated a famous big-race victory as Darrens Hope produced a brave front-running performance in the Florida Pearl Novice Chase at Punchestown.
Although a capable performer at her best, the eight-year-old mare was below par when last seen at Limerick and as a result was a 20-1 shot for this Grade Two assignment over an extended two and a quarter miles.
But she answered every call in front for Danny Mullins, and while hard pushed by Minella Crooner refused to buckle and won the day by a head, in a race that was reduced in terms of a jumping test with the fences down the back taken out due to low sun.
The winner holds an entry in the Troytown at Navan next weekend, and Murphy added: “We don’t know if she’ll run. We’ll see how she is after this.”
The disappointment was favourite Idas Boy, who was pulled up some way out.
Also on the card at Punchestown, Cheltenham Festival winner and Grand National third Delta Work made a winning return to action.
Sent off the 4-6 favourite for the Risk Of Thunder Chase over the banks course, the Gordon Elliott-trained nine-year-old – who denied esteemed former stablemate Tiger Roll a fairytale send-off at Cheltenham in March – had to work hard for victory, as he dug deep to hold the rallying Singing Banjo having taken over after the last.
Looking to future plans, Elliott said: “He’ll probably have one run between now and Cheltenham all being well.
“There is a race in January in Cheltenham for him or he could maybe run in the Boyne Hurdle. We probably wouldn’t be here, only it was called off there (Cheltenham cross-country chase in November) last time because of the ground.”
