Byrne reflects on glory days with Hardy Eustace

LONDON: Hardy by name and by nature, Hardy Eustace can rightly be considered as one of the greatest hurdlers of the last 20 years.

Bought for 21,000 guineas by the late great Dessie Hughes as a four-year-old store horse in 2001, the son of Archway — who celebrated his 23rd birthday at the weekend — went on to play a major role during what was a golden era for the two-mile hurdling division from the early to mid noughties.

Multiple clashes between Hardy Eustace, the equally tough Brave Inca, the mercurial Harchibald and the top-class Macs Joy are ingrained in racing folklore. Hardy Eustace’s owner, Lar Byrne, unsurprisingly recalls those days with great fondness.

“It seems like a lifetime ago in some ways, but in others it seems like the other day,” said Byrne. There was some unbelievable hurdling talent for those few years, it really was incredible.” He added: “I think Brave Inca and Hardy Eustace were the perfect match for other. They won a lot of prize-money between them and the day it wasn’t Hardy winning it was Brave Inca, and the day it wasn’t Brave Inca winning it was Hardy. Then you throw Macs Joy and Harchibald into the mix as well - unbelievable.”

Hardy Eustace began his career in the bumper sphere before graduating to novice hurdles during the 2002/03 season.Victory in the Royal Bond at Fairyhouse, a subsequent triumph at Leopardstown and a runner-up finish behind the brilliant mare Solerina earned him a first trip to the Cheltenham for what is now the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle.