Eustace plans on hold

Plans for Hardy Eustace have been put on hold while connections try to discover why the dual Champion Hurdle hero has run below expectations on his last two starts.

The 12-year-old faded into fifth place behind Brave Inca in the Toshiba Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown on Sunday, four weeks after finishing next to last in the December Festival Hurdle over the same course and distance.

Trainer Dessie Hughes is convinced the veteran is suffering from something and will have him thoroughly checked out. In the meantime any thoughts of running at Cheltenham this year are on the back burner.

“He ran below himself again, I’m afraid,” said the Kildare-based handler.

“We thought he moved well enough in the early stages of the race, so you couldn’t say it was the ground. There’s some little thing not right with the horse.

“We’ll see how he is and do a lung wash on him and check him out, there’s something anyway. He’s not finishing and that’s always his best point.

“He’d only be getting into it at the second last and the last twice he’s run now he’s got to the second last and he’s had enough, so there’s something of a problem.

“We’ll try to find out and until we get to the bottom of it, there are no plans. We’ll have to wait and see.”