Hardy Eustace
Encyclopedia
Hardy Eustace is a retired thoroughbred
racehorse, best known for winning the Champion Hurdle
in 2004 and 2005. He was trained in Ireland
by Dessie Hughes and owned by Laurence Byrne.
He began the 2002/03 season with a warm up run in a flat race at Navan, where he finished fifth. In his next race, which was his first over hurdles, Hardy Eustace showed the benefit of this run, when he won a maiden hurdle at Punchestown, only to later have the race taken away from him as he was disqualified. He was moved straight up to Grade 1 class for his next start in the Royal Bond Novice Hurdle
which he won by one and a half lengths from Back In Front. He then won another novice hurdle, before finishing second to Solerina in the Deloitte & Touche Novice Hurdle. He then went to the Cheltenham Festival
in March 2003, where he won the Royal & SunAlliance Novices' Hurdle. He had one more run that season, where he finished fifth behind Iris's Gift in Sefton Novices' Hurdle
.
. He did however improve on that in his next two runs, where he finished runner up in both Cleeve Hurdle
and the Red Mills Trial Hurdle. After this, Hardy Eustace came back to Cheltenham for the Champion Hurdle
, for which he was sent off an 33/1 chance for the race. However, he belied his long odds and won the race with a front-running performance, with Rooster Booster
back in second. He followed that up with another victory over Rooster Booster in the Punchestown Champion Hurdle, which was his last run for the season.
The following season (2004/05), he was placed in his first 3 run of the season, the Tara Hurdle, December Festival Hurdle and the AIG Europe Champion Hurdle. He then went to Gowran Park to win the Red Mills Trial Hurdle, before coming back to Cheltenham for the Champion Hurdle again, where he was sent off the 7/2 joint favourite. He led throughout the race, but looked likely to lose the Championship when Harchibald
came alongside,apparently travelling much more easily. Hardy Eustace however stayed on strongly and found more under pressure to win again by a neck.
. After that he came back to Cheltenham where he was looking to win the Champion Hurdle for the 3rd year running, but could only finish third in the race behind Brave Inca
. He had two more runs that season, finishing second in the Aintree Hurdle
and third in the Punchestown Champion Hurdle.
He started the 2006/07 season with his usual warm up run on the flat, where he finished sixth in a Curragh Handicap. He then went on to win the Ascot Hurdle
, before finishing second to Detroit City in the Bula Hurdle. He then went back to Leopardstown where he won the AIG Europe Champion Hurdle. He had two more runs that season, but failed to win, finishing fourth in the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham and third in the Punchestown Champion Hurdle.
The following season (2007/08), Hardy Eustace started with his customary warm up run on the flat, before the he went on to win the Ascot Hurdle
again, beating Afsoun. He was then stepped up 3 miles plus for the first time in the Long Walk Hurdle
, but could only finished second to Lough Derg. He then went on to fill the runner up birth in his next two starts, in the December Festival Hurdle and the AIG Europe Champion Hurdle. Hardy Eustace then returned to Cheltenham again, but this time he ran in the World Hurdle
, but could only finish twelfth to reigning champion, Inglis Drever
.
In his first race in the 2008/09 season, he started in the Grade 1 Maplewood Developments Hurdle, where he was sent of the 14/1 outsider of four runners, but he came back to his best to record a two and a half length victory over Sizing Europe. He followed that with a creditable third behind Catch Me in the Hatton's Grace Hurdle at the end of November at Fairyhouse.
Hardy Eustace was retired at the end of 2009.
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
racehorse, best known for winning the Champion Hurdle
Champion Hurdle
The Champion Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. As part of a sponsorship agreement with the online sportsbook StanJames.com, the race is now known as the Stan James Champion Hurdle...
in 2004 and 2005. He was trained in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
by Dessie Hughes and owned by Laurence Byrne.
Early Career
He made his debut in a National Hunt Flat race at Punchestown in March 2002, where he finished an eleven length fifth of seventeen runners. He improved for his debut run in his next start as he won the valuable Goofs Land Rover Bumper at Fairyhouse in April. He went on to have one more run in his debut season, where he finished sixth in the Grade 1 champion I.N.H Flat Race at Punchestown.He began the 2002/03 season with a warm up run in a flat race at Navan, where he finished fifth. In his next race, which was his first over hurdles, Hardy Eustace showed the benefit of this run, when he won a maiden hurdle at Punchestown, only to later have the race taken away from him as he was disqualified. He was moved straight up to Grade 1 class for his next start in the Royal Bond Novice Hurdle
Royal Bond Novice Hurdle
The Royal Bond Novice Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race in Ireland which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Fairyhouse over a distance of about 2 miles , and during its running there are nine hurdles to be jumped...
which he won by one and a half lengths from Back In Front. He then won another novice hurdle, before finishing second to Solerina in the Deloitte & Touche Novice Hurdle. He then went to the Cheltenham Festival
Cheltenham Festival
The Cheltenham Festival is one of the most prestigious meetings in the National Hunt racing calendar in the United Kingdom, and has race prize money second only to the Grand National...
in March 2003, where he won the Royal & SunAlliance Novices' Hurdle. He had one more run that season, where he finished fifth behind Iris's Gift in Sefton Novices' Hurdle
Sefton Novices' Hurdle
The Sefton Novices' Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Aintree over a distance of about 3 miles and 110 yards , and during its running there are thirteen hurdles to be jumped...
.
Champion Hurdler
He began the 2003/04 season with a warm up run on the flat at Navan again, which he won. He then went on to finish 2nd behind Rosaker in the Lismullen Hurdle at Navan, before finishing a very disappointing last in the December Festival HurdleDecember Festival Hurdle
The December Festival Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race in Ireland which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Leopardstown over a distance of about 2 miles , and during its running there are eight hurdles to be jumped...
. He did however improve on that in his next two runs, where he finished runner up in both Cleeve Hurdle
Cleeve Hurdle
The Cleeve Hurdle is a Grade 2 National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run on the New Course at Cheltenham over a distance of about 3 miles , and during its running there are twelve hurdles to be jumped...
and the Red Mills Trial Hurdle. After this, Hardy Eustace came back to Cheltenham for the Champion Hurdle
Champion Hurdle
The Champion Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. As part of a sponsorship agreement with the online sportsbook StanJames.com, the race is now known as the Stan James Champion Hurdle...
, for which he was sent off an 33/1 chance for the race. However, he belied his long odds and won the race with a front-running performance, with Rooster Booster
Rooster Booster (horse)
Rooster Booster was a British-bred thoroughbred racehorse, best known for winning the 2003 Champion Hurdle.-Background:Rooster Booster was a gelding whose grey coat and racing style made him easily recognisable. He was the only horse of any consequence produced by the unsuccessful racehorse...
back in second. He followed that up with another victory over Rooster Booster in the Punchestown Champion Hurdle, which was his last run for the season.
The following season (2004/05), he was placed in his first 3 run of the season, the Tara Hurdle, December Festival Hurdle and the AIG Europe Champion Hurdle. He then went to Gowran Park to win the Red Mills Trial Hurdle, before coming back to Cheltenham for the Champion Hurdle again, where he was sent off the 7/2 joint favourite. He led throughout the race, but looked likely to lose the Championship when Harchibald
Harchibald
Harchibald is a French Thoroughbred racehorse, born to sire, Perugino and dam, Dame D’Harvard. He is owned by DP Sharkey, trained by Noel Meade and predominately ridden by Paul Carberry....
came alongside,apparently travelling much more easily. Hardy Eustace however stayed on strongly and found more under pressure to win again by a neck.
Later Career
The 2005/06 season began with a comfortable success for Hardy Eustace at Punchestown, where he returned at odds of 1/8. He then disappointed in the AIG Europe Champion Hurdle, where he finished last of seven runners behind the winner, Brave IncaBrave Inca
Brave Inca is a retired Irish Thoroughbred racehorse who won ten Grade I races including the 2006 Champion Hurdle.-Background:...
. After that he came back to Cheltenham where he was looking to win the Champion Hurdle for the 3rd year running, but could only finish third in the race behind Brave Inca
Brave Inca
Brave Inca is a retired Irish Thoroughbred racehorse who won ten Grade I races including the 2006 Champion Hurdle.-Background:...
. He had two more runs that season, finishing second in the Aintree Hurdle
Aintree Hurdle
The Aintree Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Aintree over a distance of about 2 miles and 4 furlongs , and during its running there are eleven hurdles to be jumped...
and third in the Punchestown Champion Hurdle.
He started the 2006/07 season with his usual warm up run on the flat, where he finished sixth in a Curragh Handicap. He then went on to win the Ascot Hurdle
Ascot Hurdle
The Ascot Hurdle is a Grade 2 National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of about 2 miles and 3½ furlongs , and during its running there are eleven hurdles to be jumped...
, before finishing second to Detroit City in the Bula Hurdle. He then went back to Leopardstown where he won the AIG Europe Champion Hurdle. He had two more runs that season, but failed to win, finishing fourth in the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham and third in the Punchestown Champion Hurdle.
The following season (2007/08), Hardy Eustace started with his customary warm up run on the flat, before the he went on to win the Ascot Hurdle
Ascot Hurdle
The Ascot Hurdle is a Grade 2 National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of about 2 miles and 3½ furlongs , and during its running there are eleven hurdles to be jumped...
again, beating Afsoun. He was then stepped up 3 miles plus for the first time in the Long Walk Hurdle
Long Walk Hurdle
The Long Walk Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of about 3 miles and 1 furlong , and during its running there are fourteen hurdles to be jumped...
, but could only finished second to Lough Derg. He then went on to fill the runner up birth in his next two starts, in the December Festival Hurdle and the AIG Europe Champion Hurdle. Hardy Eustace then returned to Cheltenham again, but this time he ran in the World Hurdle
World Hurdle
The World Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run on the New Course at Cheltenham over a distance of about 3 miles , and during its running there are twelve hurdles to be jumped...
, but could only finish twelfth to reigning champion, Inglis Drever
Inglis Drever
Inglis Drever was a champion racehorse trained in the North of England by Howard Johnson. He was one of the most successful hurdle racing horses to date and the only horse to have won the World Hurdle three times...
.
In his first race in the 2008/09 season, he started in the Grade 1 Maplewood Developments Hurdle, where he was sent of the 14/1 outsider of four runners, but he came back to his best to record a two and a half length victory over Sizing Europe. He followed that with a creditable third behind Catch Me in the Hatton's Grace Hurdle at the end of November at Fairyhouse.
Hardy Eustace was retired at the end of 2009.