State Man ended a perfect season with a hat-trick of Champion Hurdles – at Leopardstown, Cheltenham and Punchestown – on Friday.
The Willie Mullins-trained hurdler capitalised on the absence of Constitution Hill at the Cheltenham Festival to land his first Champion Hurdle ahead of Irish Point, and defeated the same rival in the Punchestown equivalent.
It was a very similar performance, with Paul Townend always prominent on the seven-year-old, before taking up the lead before the last flight and scoring by a comfortable two lengths.
"A few of them had run a little disappointing today and we were a bit worried going out," said Mullins.
"We were wondering what tactics Jack would use and the game went according to how we thought it would go.
"He just did what he normally does, pulled it out when he needed to pull it out.
"Paul said there was a cameraman on the line and he stopped to have a look and prick his ears at him. That's the sort of horse he is, he's just got lots of talent and he keeps doing it, which is huge.
"He's very uncomplicated, he's uncomplicated in his stable, he's an old pet.
"Hurdling now is his career.
"He's come a long way. He was a nice one in the County Hurdle and he was a nice one in a maiden hurdle at Limerick for 7lb claiming riders!
"He's very easy to do anything with, a lovely horse."
