The glittering career of Hardy Eustace came to an end following his second place finish behind Footy Facts at Punchestown on New Year’s Eve, after which trainer Dessie Hughes indicated that the 13-year-old had run his last race.

A seven-time Grade 1 winner, the Lar Byrne-owned gelding won 14 of his 47 lifetime starts and will be best remembered for two epic Champion Hurdle victories at Cheltenham but he had a strong association with RACE, given that graduates rode him to his biggest wins and his groom for the duration of his racing career was Robbie Hennessy (grad. 2001).

Hardy Eustace began his winning spree at Cheltenham by capturing the 2003 Royal & Sun Alliance Hurdle under the late Kieran Kelly (grad. 1994). The following year he won the first of his two Champion Hurdles when springing a 33-1 surprise under Conor O’Dwyer (grad. 1982) and the duo regained the crown in 2005 after a titanic battle with Harchibald and Brave Inca.

Looking back on the gelding’s great career, trainer Hughes said:”While his Champion Hurdle wins were obviously great days, I suppose the day he won the Sun Alliance with Kieran on board was the one that stands out the most. Kieran did so much with the horse in the early days before he met with his death in tragic circumstances and that was a special day for us all. I was lucky to find Conor O’Dwyer to ride him and they were a match made in heaven. I was very fortunate to have a horse like him and it will be hard to find another like him”.

Pic: Owner Lar Byrne and groom Robbie Hennessy lead in Hardy Eustace following his final Grade 1 win at Punchestown in November 2008.