Hardy Eustace wins Smurfit Champion Hurdle

Hardy Eustace, trained by Dessie Hughes and ridden by Conor O?Dwyer, won the Smurfit Champion Hurdle for the second time at the Cheltenham Festival today.

An unconsidered 33-1 chance when he won 12 months ago, Hardy Eustace was sent off the 7-2 favourite and dictated matters from the off, with Essex and Brave Inca also prominent.

Carberry was happy to sit towards the rear of the field on Harchibald and made effortless progress to take close order turning for home.

With severe doubts about his ability to come up the famous hill, the rider opted to wait as long as possible and it was only yards from the line that he decided he dare ask him to go on.

Hughes, who plans to run Hardy Eustace at the Punchestown Festival, added:

'They both quickened up, but our fellow just found a little bit more.

'I knew he was right for today. Looking around and seeing what he has beaten today, it has to be very possible that he could come back and make it three.

'He just kept sticking his neck out, he´s like that. Paul rides that way. He´d be hanging on to him as much as he could, but when he let Harchibald go, our horse quickened again.

Delighted owner Laurence Byrne added: 'He´ll come back next year and make it three. We got a great leap at the last and I knew he would stick is head out. 'Last year maybe he didn´t get the credit he deserved, but now we can say he is a true champion.'

O?Dwyer told Channel 4: 'I pinged the last and wasn?t sure whether Paul?s horse was going to pick up - I just wanted to get to the line.

'I can?t describe it, I really can?t.'

Harchibald couldn?t do it, however, as the champion dug deepest of all for a memorable success.

Harchibald trainer Noel Meade was philosophical in defeat and was quick to praise Carberry´s ride.

He said: 'I watched the race with Dessie and I thought we had it won coming up the hill, but Paul said the other horse was the wrong one to come up against in that sort of situation.

'I was delighted with the ride Paul gave him. He gave him a brilliant ride.

'I could see the two of them coming back here next year. They reminded me a bit of Sea Pigeon and Monksfield.

'Maybe we will have a chance of turning it around at Punchestown.'

'We thought beforehand that if we got to the front in the last 50 yards that would be ideal - if he had gone half a length up after the last I think the other horse would have come back and probably beaten him. The winner is a champion, and so is ours.'