Conor’s hard yards

IT IS SAID that the best method of asserting an opinion is to put your money where your mouth is.

One punter did that in considerable style yesterday with a plunge of £200,000 on Hardy Eustace to win Cheltenham's Champion Hurdle.

Hardy lived up to his name in a battling finish with Harchibald and Brave Inca to net the brave gambler a return of £700,000 on his investment and put Dessie Hughes' eight-year old, who has now won at three consecutive festival meetings and will return next year to try and emulate Istrabraq's three Champion Hurdle successes.