Hughes mystified by Hardy no-show

Dessie Hughes remains baffled by Hardy Eustace’s lacklustre performance in the December Festival Hurdle at Leopardstown.

The dual Champion Hurdle hero finished last of the eight finishers behind Sublimity after leading to the third-last flight.

Despite Hardy Eustace’s poor performance Hughes still hopes to get the 12-year-old back to the track for the Toshiba Irish Champion Hurdle back at Leopardstown on January 25.

“He seems all right. We gave him a blood test and that was OK, but he didn’t run at all well – he was lifeless,” said the Kildare-based handler.

“You have to think there’s something wrong when they run ordinary like that.

“We’ll carry on and see how he is before the 25th, the Irish Champion Hurdle, and we’ll see.

“He’s OK and he’s sound. Everyone’s entitled to an off day. He’d had two good runs before that.”

Hardy Eustace has competed in the last four runnings of the Irish Champion Hurdle. He was third in 2005, last of seven in 2006, the winner in 2007 and second to Sizing Europe last January.