As recently as late February, the Irish hurdler State Man was the 5-2 second choice in the future book for Tuesday’s Grade 1 Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham Racecourse in Britain, overshadowed by the presence of 2023 winner Constitution Hill. When Constitution Hill worked poorly at Kempton Park, near London, on Feb. 27, and was later found to be suffering from illness, State Man inherited the role as an odds-on favorite for the $598,800 Champion Hurdle, run over 2 1/16 miles over eight obstacles on an undulating course. The absence of Constitution Hill, who was declared from consideration for the Champion Hurdle last week, has left State Man the 2-5 favorite in early betting in a field of eight. The Champion Hurdle is the leading race on a seven-race program at Cheltenham, the first of four days of the National Hunt festival that brings together many of the leading chasers and hurdles from Britain and Ireland. :: Bet the races with a $200 First Deposit Match + FREE All Access PPs! Join DRF Bets. First post is 9:30 a.m. Eastern or 6:30 p.m. Pacific. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com. State Man, a 7-year-old gelding by Doctor Dino, has won 10 of 13 starts, and is unbeaten in four starts since he finished second by nine lengths in the 2023 Champion Hurdle. In his most recent start, State Man beat three rivals in the Grade 1 Irish Champion Hurdle at two miles at Leopardstown Racecourse on Feb. 4, stalking the pace before pulling clear to win by 5 1/2 lengths. Irish-based horses have dominated the Cheltenham festival in recent years, winning as many as 23 of the 28 races in 2021. Irish-based horses have won 18 races in the last two years, and are expected to dominate proceedings this year. State Man, who races for Marie Donnelly, is trained by Willie Mullins, the all-time leading trainer at the Cheltenham Festival with 94 wins, well clear of the British legend Nicky Henderson with 73. Mullins has been leading trainer at Cheltenham in 10 of the last 13 years, and is expected to be so again this week. Last year, Mullins led all trainers with six wins. Mullins has 20 of the 95 runners entered on Tuesday, and has at least one nominee for the other 21 races through Friday. There are three other Grade 1 races on Tuesday’s program. Mullins trains the early favorite in each. Mystical Power, undefeated in two starts over hurdles, and Tullyhill, a winner of two of three starts over hurdles, were the 7-2 co-favorites on Sunday for the day’s first race, the $173,500 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at 2 1/16 miles. Their main rival is the Irish shipper Firefox, who was fourth in a Grade 1 Novices’ Hurdle at 2 1/2 miles at Naas on Jan. 12 for trainer Gordon Eilliott and could benefit by racing at this shorter distance. Gaelic Warrior, second in two previous appearances at the Cheltenham festival in hurdle races, will be favored to win the $225,000 Arkle Chase at about two miles despite unseating jockey Paul Townend when trailing in a Grade 1 Novices’ Chase at Leopardstown on Feb. 4. The second choice in the race is the Mullins-trained Il Etait Temps, who won the Grade 1 Irish Arkle Novices’ Chase at 2 1/8 miles at Leopardstown on Feb. 3. Aside from State Man, the shortest-priced favorite of the day will be Lossiemouth in the $154,200 Mares’ Hurdle at about 2 1/2 miles. Trained by Mullins, Lossiemouth was 4-6 in early betting on Sunday to win her third consecutive start in a Grade 1. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.