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Hardy Eustace records 3rd success.

Hardy Eustace recorded a third success for the Irish at this year's Cheltenham Festival with a battling win in the Royal & SunAlliance Novices' Hurdle today.

The Dessie Hughes-trained 6-1 chance had beaten yesterday's winner Back In Front at Fairyhouse in December and proved that run to be no fluke when getting the better of Coolnagorna (4-1) by one-and-a-quarter lengths.

He went ahead after jumping the penultimate flight and held on gamely under a strong ride from Kieran Kelly with 2-1 favourite Pizarro a length back in third.

'He makes hard work of it but keeps pulling out more for you,' said the jockey. 'I was never really worried when I was after him so far out but that's the way he runs. I probably didn't want to be in front so soon but didn't want to disappoint him.'