The 2024 Champion Hurdle winner State Man is OUT FOR THE SEASON after a gallops accident at the Willie Mullins Closutton yard on Wednesday morning.
Which has shaken up the market, with the Lossiemouth Champion Hurdle betting odds now making her second favourite and The New Lion shortening up at the head of the market.
Champion Hurdle Betting Odds 2026
- The New Lion 3/1
- Lossiemouth 7/2
- Constitution Hill 5/1
- Anzadam 6/1
- William Munny 12/1
- Salvator Mundi 20/1
- Wodhooh 20/1
- 33/1 BAR
Note: Odds are subject to change
State Man Injury News: Willie Mullins Star Ruled Out For Season After Gallops Accident
One of the big Willie Mullins stars over the last four years, State Man won’t be in action this season after a gallops accident.
The incident reportedly happened on Wednesday at his Closutton base, when being prepped for his return run in the Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown on 22nd November – a race State Man has won twice before.
With Mullins telling the Sporting Life “Sadly State Man has suffered a tendon injury on the gallops here. He’ll definitely be out for the rest of the season.”
2026 Champion Hurdle Betting Odds Shaken Up With State Man Injury News
Still only aged 8, State Man was the 6/1 second favourite for the 2026 Champion Hurdle – with only The New Lion shorter in the market.
The revised 2025 Champion Hurdle market has seen The New Lion shorten to 3/1, with two other Willie Mullins runners Lossiemouth 7/2 and Anzadam 6/1.
With no State Man expected to run – the 2023 winner Constitution Hill is also now down to 5/1 to regain his Cheltenham crown – which will be shown on the ITV Racing schedule on Tuesday 10th March.
Constitution Hill is expected to be back in the Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle (Nov 29th).
State Man Career In Numbers🖤 💛
During his career State Man has run 20 times – winning a remarkable 14, with a massive 12 of his successes coming in Grade One races.
As well as winning the 2024 Champion Hurdle as the red-hot 2/5 favourite, he was also involved in last year’s dramatic race when falling at the last with the race at his mercy.
State Man is also a three-time Irish Champion Hurdle winner at Leopardstown.
- Runs: 20
- Wins: 14
- Top 3 Finishes: 18
- Grade One Wins: 12
- Total Prize Money: £1,547,787
WATCH: State Man Winning The 2024 Champion Hurdle
Jockey Paul Townend Has Stayed Loyal To State Man During His Career
Cheltenham Gold Cup and Grand National-winning jockey Paul Townend has ridden State Man in all bar TWO of his 20 career outings.
He’s guided him to all of his 12 Grade One wins and has stayed loyal to his Champion Hurdle hero – despite Willie Mullins often having other options in some of the big races he ran in.
The only other jockeys to ride State Man in a race to date have been Frenchman Clement Lefebvre and Richie Deegan – but these came back in 2020 and 2022.
Townend’s first big win on State Man came in the 2022 County Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival (watch below).
Donnelly’s Will Be Hoping To Ease State Man Injury News With Anzadam
Top horse racing supporters Joe and Marie Donnelly will, of course, be devastated with the news of State Man’s injury.
Another big season loomed for their 14-time Grade One winner.
Horses like that are irreplaceable and certainly don’t come around every season. Therefore, to miss out this campaign will be a big blow.
But the Donnelly’s will be hoping to ease the pain of the State Man injury with Anzadam, who is reported to be working well and around 10/1 for the Champion Hurdle.
Anzadam holds an entry in the Morgiana Hurdle (22nd Nov) and the Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle (29th Nov).
With the last-named, a race the Donnelly’s won last year with Sir Gino.
Willie Mullins is looking for his first success in the Fighting Fifth Hurdle.
But a good start to the campaign and Anzadam could be a big Willie Mullins Champion Hurdle runner for the season ahead.
