2025 Irish Champion Hurdle Tips - State Man to bounce back with Townend in the saddle?
Day two of the Dublin Racing Festival is highlighted by the prestigious Irish Champion Hurdle. Iconic winners include Hatton's Grace and Hurricane Fly. This year, Willie Mullins' contenders, Lossiemouth and State Man, lead the charge. Lossiemouth is favored post a strong recent performance, while State Man seeks redemption after a lackluster display. With Daddy Long Legs potentially aiding as a pacemaker, State Man must elevate his game to fend off Lossiemouth's challenge, as evidenced by recent form metrics.
- Odds and betting predictions for the 2025 Irish Champion Hurdle
- This historic Grade One takes place at Leopardstown on day two of the Dublin Racing Festival on Sunday 4th February
- We're backing Lossiemouth to beat State Man
Day two of the Dublin Racing Festival is headlined by the Irish Champion Hurdle. Great's like Hatton's Grace, Dawn Run, Istabraq and Hurricane Fly have won this iconic race and this year's will see two Willie Mullins stablemates battle it out for the first time.
Here's our guide to the 2025 Irish Champion Hurdle, including our best betting tips.
2025 Irish Champion Hurdle Odds
| Name | Odds |
|---|---|
| Lossiemouth | 4/5 |
| State Man | 11/8 |
| Winter Fog | 16/1 |
| Daddy Long Legs | 50/1 |
| Fils D'Oudairies | 80/1 |
2025 Irish Champion Hurdle Entries
Much like the Irish Gold Cup on day one, this year's Irish Champion Hurdle revolves around two Willie Mullins horses.
Paul Townend keeps the faith with State Man who, until the start of this season, was unbeaten in Grade Ones on Irish soil. Mullins' eight-year-old came up against a race-fit Brighterdaysahead on his reappearance in the Morgiana and, although he wasn't able to pass Gordon Elliott's mare having pulled upsides the leader late on, he finished second to make an encouraging start to his campaign.
Elliott enlisted King Of Kingsfield to go off at a ferocious pace in the Savills Hurdle. Brighterdaysahead tracked her stablemate comfortably throughout before surging clear down the home straight. State Man, meanwhile, was outpaced throughout, jumped poorly, and couldn't even muster up a strong enough finish to beat Winter Fog, crossing the line 30 lengths adrift of the winner in third.
On the back of such a dismal showing, I was half-expecting Paul Townend to ride LOSSIEMOUTH (4/5), who was installed as the odds-on favourite this week. Willie Mullins' mare was pointed at the Champion Hurdle at the start of the season and kicked off her campaign with an easy victory in the Hatton's Grace at Fairyhouse.
Lossiemouth then travelled over to Kempton to tackle the returning Constitution Hill. Much like State Man, it was clear that Mullins' mare wasn't going well from an early stage. Lossiemouth's jumping warmed up gradually, but it still wasn't slick enough to contend with Constitution Hill, who claimed a comfortable victory.
Despite running well below her best, Lossiemouth finished within three lengths of, arguably, the greatest hurdler of all time. State Man, on the other hand, received an RPR of 141 for his display over Christmas - some 27 pounds short of the level he's been producing over the past two years.
Daddy Long Legs could be employed as a pacemaker, to ensure that State Man doesn't have to do the donkey work. Even if he does get a lead, the defending champion will need to be at his very best to repel Lossiemouth and, on the evidence presented over Christmas, he's nowhere near that level at the moment.
Visit our Irish Champion Hurdle Live Stream page if you want to watch any of Sunday's races via a mobile or tablet.
Live Stream
Visit our Irish Champion Hurdle Live Stream page if you want to watch any of Sunday's races via a mobile or tablet.
Verdict
Lossiemouth is our selection in the 2025 Irish Champion Hurdle.
Lossiemouth
2025 Irish Champion Hurdle
@4/5 - 5 Units
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