Hardy Eustace
Hardy Eustace (5 April 1997 – 4 February 2024) was an Irish-bred racehorse famous for winning the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham in 2004 and again in 2005. He was trained by Dessie Hughes and owned by Laurence Byrne.
He started racing in 2002. His first races were on the flat, and he finished fifth in a Punchestown race before winning the valuable Goffs Land Rover Bumper at Fairyhouse in April 2002. He then moved to hurdle racing, winning the Royal Bond Novice Hurdle in his first season and later the Cheltenham Festival’s Royal & SunAlliance Novices’ Hurdle in 2003.
In the 2003/04 season, Hardy Eustace won more races and then caused a big surprise at Cheltenham by taking the Champion Hurdle at long odds. He followed up with victory in the Punchestown Champion Hurdle later that year.
The next seasons saw more success and some tough races. He won the Red Mills Trial Hurdle in 2005 and then battled to win his second Champion Hurdle in 2005, holding off Harchibald by a neck. He continued racing well, with notable performances including wins at Punchestown and Ascot, and strong showings in the AIG Europe Champion Hurdle and other top races.
In 2008 he won the Grade 1 Maplewood Developments Hurdle and then had a few more races before retiring at the end of 2009. Hardy Eustace passed away on 4 February 2024 at the age of 26.
Career record: 41 starts, 14 wins, 11 seconds, 6 thirds. Earnings: £1,088,213.
Major wins and achievements:
- Goffs Land Rover Bumper (2002)
- Royal Bond Novice Hurdle (2002)
- Royal & SunAlliance Novices’ Hurdle (2003)
- Champion Hurdle (2004, 2005)
- Punchestown Champion Hurdle (2004)
- Red Mills Trial Hurdle (2005)
- Ascot Hurdle (2006, 2007)
- AIG Europe Champion Hurdle (2007)
- Morgiana Hurdle (2008)
- Maplewood Developments Hurdle (2009)
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 01:00 (CET).