APART from finishing second to the Kerry National winner Busselton on his only outing in France at three in a listed hurdle race at Auteuil, falling two out on his Irish hurdling debut at Leopardstown, and trailing Constitution Hill by nine lengths in the Grade 1 Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham in March, State Man has an unblemished record.

The six-year-old notched up his eighth success over hurdles at the Punchestown Winter Festival on Saturday, and connections will be hoping that he will be a leading challenger for Champion Hurdle honours in March. State Man already has three ‘champion’ hurdle victories under his belt, but the one that matters most is still on the cards, in spite of the seeming invincibility of Constitution Hill.