What could State Man’s injury mean for the Willie Mullins stable?

Willie Mullins announced Wednesday morning that star hurdler State Man will miss the rest of the season.

The eight-year-old suffered a tendon injury on the gallops at Closutton, leaving a gaping hole in Mullins’ Champion Hurdle charge less than four months out from the Cheltenham Festival.

In State Man’s absence, the champion hurdler in 2024 and moral winner of the 2025 renewal after dramatically falling at the final flight when cantering to victory, offers a golden opportunity for one of his stablemates to snatch – the weight of Paul Townend on your back.

Joe and Marie Donnelly’s beloved gelding exiting the picture for an entire campaign will have substantial knock-on effects for those currently leading the way in Mullins’ battalion.

Lossiemouth

Part of Rich Ricci’s controversial decision to send Lossiemouth to the Mares’ Hurdle last season was down to Townend’s unwavering loyalty to State Man, which simply couldn’t be broken after the events at the Dublin Racing Festival.

Lossiemouth was sent off the odds-on favourite to beat State Man in the Irish Champion Hurdle before taking a heavy fall four from home, all but ending her chances of contesting the two-mile feature on the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival.

Ricci opted for another penalty kick in the Mares’ and the six-year-old duly obliged, making a mockery of her nine rivals and taking her Cheltenham record to 3-3 in March to get back on track.

With State Man out of the frame now, that certainly creates an open path for Lossiemouth to the Champion and as of today there is no question she’d be Closutton’s strongest representative in the division.

Last month Mullins told us “she’d look a hot order for the Mares’ Hurdle again” but under new circumstances you could bet your life on a different answer.

Lossiemouth will start off again in the Hatton’s Grace at Fairyhouse later this month before potentially having another crack at Kempton’s Christmas Hurdle on St. Stephen’s Day, which Mullins believes she’ll be better prepared for this time around.

If not Kempton, Leopardstown for the Neville Hotels Hurdle looks an obvious path ahead of a bid for revenge in the Irish Champion Hurdle – and then finally onto the big one at Cheltenham.

This is a good opportunity for Lossiemouth to dispel the myth that she isn’t a two-miler as this division will hopefully become her sole focus.

WATCH: Lossiemouth wins the Aintree Hurdle

Lossiemouth wins the William Hill Aintree Hurdle!

Make that FOUR on the day for Willie Mullins! #ITVRacing | @WillieMullinsNH | @PTownend pic.twitter.com/7nspzvn1ZZ

— ITV Racing (@itvracing) April 3, 2025

Anzadam

Anzadam, the new kid on the block also owned by the Donnellys, burst onto the scene last November with an impressive victory in the WillowWarm Hurdle at Fairyhouse.

He backed that up with an 11-length success in the Limestone Lad Hurdle at Naas in January, making him a general 10-1 shot for the Champion Hurdle, before he was ruled out for the season with injury.

The five-year-old firmly fits into the ‘could be anything’ category and State Man’s injury means he will likely head for the Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown instead of an intended assignment in Newcastle’s Fighting Fifth Hurdle.

Mullins wanted to keep State Man and Anzadam apart for as long as possible due to having the same owners, but that dilemma has been made easier.

Anzadam is yet to prove his worth at the top-level with just two Grade 3 wins to his name so far however all the vibes are suggesting he has all the makings of an elite horse.

He is another that could pitch up in the Neville Hotels Hurdle at Christmas, or to Kempton instead of Lossiemouth – Mullins was already willing to send him overseas for the Fighting Fifth.

There’s a possibility we don’t see Anzadam and Lossiemouth clash until the Dublin Racing Festival, which will again be the making or breaking of the latter’s Champion Hurdle prospects.

Mullins is confident Anzadam is of the quality to make a bold bid in this sphere and he could be well up to the task.

He is a free-going, fragile sort by Authorized but the sky looks the limit with a clear run.

WATCH: Anzadam wins the Limestone Lad Hurdle

Champion Hurdle contender?

Anzadam retains his unbeaten tag in impressive fashion to win the Grade 3 @NaasRacecourse Business Club Limestone Lad ⚫️@WillieMullinsNH | @PTownend pic.twitter.com/cM8FvAC2rI

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) January 26, 2025

Salvator Mundi

Another challenger in the colours of Joe and Marie Donnelly, Salvator Mundi could be re-routed. In Mullins’ stable tour with Sporting Life, he mentioned this horse as one could improve enough to be a Champion Hurdle type.

Also mentioned was the prospect of going over fences with the ultimate goal of contesting the Arkle and that sounded more likely at the time but the State Man shake-up might see him stay over the smaller obstacles.

Mullins noted the five-year-old has much more ability than he shows on the track.

Salvator Mundi seems to come alive on decent ground and lived up to the initial hype when capturing the first Grade 1 of his career in the Top Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree in April.

He boasts the hot Sir Gino formline from their debut runs in France and when the son of No Risk At All puts it all together he’s without doubt a serious force.

Going up in trip is a possibility for Salvator Mundi as he holds an entry in the Hatton’s Grace as well as the Morgiana.

WATCH: Salvator Mundi wins the Top Novices’ Hurdle

5️⃣ Grade 1s for Wille Mullins at Aintree now!

Salvator Mundi the latest to go in. pic.twitter.com/bYZgUWVsFk

— Betfair Racing (@BetfairRacing) April 4, 2025

Irancy

Irancy could move up the pecking order at Closutton and he’s already been confirmed as one staying over hurdles.

He didn’t look to enjoy Cheltenham all that much when seventh in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle – but he’s held in very high regard by his owner JP McManus and could have a part to play in open company this season.

He improved in bundles to win a Grade 2 at Fairyhouse over Easter before capitalising on a messy race to land the Grade 1 Champion Novice Hurdle at the Punchestown Festival at the expense of Salvator Mundi and Supreme winner Kopek Des Bordes.

We should see him in the Morgiana later this month to get a better idea of how he ranks but it’s hard to imagine him troubling the horses mentioned above.

WATCH: Irancy wins the Champion Novice Hurdle

Very easy to underestimate the performance from IRANCY here..

I’d say he is very track dependent, but when he gets a galloping track, he travels like a good thing

pic.twitter.com/qY7kuwEXCS

— Ginger Joe Racing & Golf (@GingerJoeRacing) April 29, 2025