Home work dictates Hardy Eustace future

Dual Champion Hurdle winner Hardy Eustace will be retired if he fails to sparkle on the gallops.

The 12-year-old holds an entry in the Morgiana Hurdle, a race in which he beat Sizing Europe last year, but his form tailed off as the season progressed.

“Hardy is in training and his work looks good – we’ll see,” said trainer Dessie Hughes.

“If he hasn’t lost too much of his speed and he still shows us that he is nearly as good as he was last year – which he looks to be at the moment – we’ll run him and if he’s not, we won’t.

“The Morgiana (November 15) is a possibility and there’s another race at Punchestown for him, so we’ll just see how he works.

“We won’t run him unless he is going to run well.”