The nine-year-old was one of the best two mile hurdlers of his generation, with 12 Grade One victories, including a 2024 Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham.

Paul Townend has paid a heartfelt tribute to his “number one” Champion Hurdle winner State Man — who was officially retired by connections on Tuesday.

The nine-year-old has been unable to return to training after sustaining an injury last year and trainer Willie Mullins elected to retire the gelding who last ran in April 2025.

He finishes a brilliant career as one of the best two mile hurdlers of his generation, with 12 Grade One victories, including that 2024 Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham.

Townend rode State Man to 13 of his 14 victories in total and In an interview with bookamer Betway he revealed the extraordinary generosity of owners Joe and Marie Donnelly — who donated all of the €1.8 million won in prize-money won to charity.

The Cork-born former bookmaker and his wife have enjoyed great success with their horses in recent years with the Mullins-trained Al Boum Photo winning two Gold Cups and others like Shishkin and Sir Gino achieving big things for Nicky Henderson.

“We've had many great two-mile hurdlers at Closutton, and hopefully we'll have a few more over the coming years, but whether we'll ever have one that will do things as straightforward and as easily as State Man, I'm not so sure,” said Townend, who is a Betway ambassador.

He then revealed: “I think the Donnelly's were giving his prize money to charity every time as well, so he'll have done a lot of good and raised a lot of money for some very deserving causes over the years.”

Among the causes believed to have been supported was the Punchestown Kidney Research Fund, helping kidney patients and funding vital hospital programmes.

State Man won three Irish Champion Hurdles at Leopardstown and three at Punchestown and the Cork rider rates him as the best hurdler he’s ever ridden.

''Statistically, many people would say Hurricane Fly was the best two-mile hurdler I've ever ridden, but Ruby stole him off me, whereas I was there throughout State Man's career, so I'd say he's my number one.”

State Man won the County Hurdle at Cheltenham in 2022 on his first visit to the Festival and was second to Constitution Hill in the 2023 Champion Hurdle.

“I know for many, State Man really burst onto the scene at Cheltenham in that County Hurdle all those years ago, but he actually arrived at Closutton from France the previous year, and we always thought plenty of him.

“He then fell at Leopardstown on his first start for us when he really should have won, which was a far from ideal start, but he made no mistake under Richard Deegan at Limerick on his next start, and I think the County Hurdle looked the inevitable target for him after that.

“We probably had higher hopes for him at the start of that season, but he ended up in the County sort of by accident, and off that opening mark of 141, we felt it would take a good one to stop him.

“It was when he went to Punchestown for the two-and-a-half-mile Grade 1 and really stepped forward again that we realised we had a really special horse on our hands.

“Even then though, to go and win the Morgiana, the Matheson Hurdle and the Irish Champion Hurdle the following season was some achievement, and the manner in which he was winning those races was really taking.

“They might have been small fields, but he had Sharjah, Vauban and of course Honeysuckle behind him in a few of those races, so these were serious performances.

Having lost to Constitution Hill in 2023 he captured the Champion Hurdle the following year with the reigning champion absent through injury.

“I'm so glad he got his Champion Hurdle the following season, and while people might say it wasn't the strongest renewal, all he ever did was beat what was in front of him.

“He wasn't always the flashiest, and that might be why he's never got the recognition I think he deserves, but sitting on his back in those Grade 1's, he was just relentless, and nothing really bothered him.

“He ran 19 times for us, the vast majority at Grade 1 level, and he was only beaten twice when he stood up, so it's a record up there with the very best hurdlers we've ever seen.

In 2025, State Man looked to have a second Champion Hurdle at his mercy but a crashing final flight fall gifted the race to Golden Ace.

“I wouldn't have had many more devastating days in the saddle than when he came down in the last the following year at Cheltenham, because that was the day when I thought he was going to show everybody what I'd always felt from the saddle.

“You'd put your grandmother on him, because he was that straightforward over an obstacle, so to topple over that day in the fashion we did was just gutting. It was a matter of inches as well, it wasn't a massive mistake, and I'll never know how he managed it, but racing is a funny old game.

“Riding him in those Grade 1's was sometimes like riding a good one of Willie's in a maiden hurdle, he just made it look so easy, and he was so straightforward.

“He was so relaxed it was ridiculous, and you'd just go down to the start without a worry, because although those Grade 1's in Ireland can be very tactical, he'd be just as happy making the running as he was taking a lead, and that makes life so much easier as a jockey when you're not relying on what other people might or might not do.”