Emotions run high as HardyEustace springs a 33/1 shock

“I HAD a lot of help from above,” exclaimed Conor O’Dwyer, after he had partnered the Dessie Hughes trained Hardy Eustace, wearing blinkers for the first time, to a shock 33-1 success in yesterday’s Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham.

O’Dwyer’s thoughts, inevitably, had turned to the late Kieran Kelly, who was the regular parner of Hardy Eustace before surrendering to fearsome injuries as a result of a fall at Kilbeggan in August.

Indeed, Kelly rode the impressive seven-year-old to land the SunAlliance Novices’ Hurdle at the Festival a year ago.