I HAVE especially fond memories of Hardy Eustace who died recently, following a happy retirement spent at the Irish National Stud. He was one of the early great graduates of the Goffs Land Rover Sale during my time working with the sales company, and I played a role in getting him into the sale.

Bred by Patrick Joyce and his wife Louise Cooper-Joyce, Hardy Eustace was not bred to be a top-class hurdler, rather a smart performer on the flat. After all, he was the son of a champion Irish sprinter in Archway (Thatching), and from the immediate family of Star Appeal (Appiani II), winner of the Group 1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe and further Group 1 races in England, Germany and France.

The 2001 Goffs Land Rover Sale was a victim of the foot and mouth outbreak and no entries were accepted for horses from Northern Ireland. In spite of this, the sale set a new record average price of IR£12,975, with a top price of IR£48,000. Hardy Eustace was among the better lots in the sale, selling for IR£21,000 to Dessie Hughes who trained him throughout his 48-race career. His race record is listed elsewhere. At the time of his sale, Hardy Eustace became eligible for the Goffs Land Rover Bumper, then the richest bumper in the world with a winner’s prize of €39,000, and a certain Mr Kevin O’Ryan was in the saddle on the Lar Byrne-owned gelding when he won by two lengths from another subsequent Grade 1 winner, his stablemate Central House.

Hardy Eustace was by some way the best National Hunt winner for Archway who won the Group 3 Greenlands Stakes in the colours of his owner, Andrew Heffernan. Trained and bred by Vincent O’Brien, Archway’s placed efforts included finishing third in the Group 2 King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot. After a few years at stud in Ireland, and shuttling to Australia, it was decided to leave Archway down under, where his stud record far exceeded anything he achieved while here.

Oaks winners

In Australia he was responsible for three Group 1 Oaks winners, She’s Archie, Rose Archway and four-time Group 1 winner Grand Archway, while his son Tails Of Triomphe won the Group 1 South Australian Derby, and Roman Arch landed a pair of Group 1s, including the Australian Cup.

Not surprisingly, Hardy Eustace was the best of the three winners bred by Sterna Star, a daughter of Corvaro (Vaguely Noble), and she won a ladies race at Tralee by a head over 12 furlongs, and was placed many times, including twice in Belgium from where she was repatriated. In Ireland, Sterna Star was trained by Liam Browne, and she was one of nine winners from the once-raced Star Girl (Sovereign Gleam).

This is a German female line that was adept at producing smart runners on the flat and over jumps. While the best of Star Girl’s winners was the Listed The Minstrel Stakes at the Phoenix Park scorer Star Spartan (Sparkler), her eight-time winning son Star Player (Simply Great) was runner-up in the Listed Imperial Cup Hurdle at Sandown. In addition to being grandam of Hardy Eustace, Star Girl is also grandam of the listed Cheltenham hurdle winner Anteros (Milan).

Outstanding

A generation and more back and this is one of Germany’s outstanding female lines. Sterna (Neckar), the third dam of Hardy Eustace, bred the outstanding international runner, and later a leading sire, Star Appeal, and he was one of four stakes winners among her tally of nine successful offspring. That list also includes the then Listed Ulster Derby winner Affiance (Sassafras).

Of particular interest to Irish breeders was the fact that Sterna’s winning daughter Sterntau (Tamerlane) numbered Strong Gale (Lord Gayle) among her list of winners. Trained by John Oxx to finish half a length second to Jaazeiro in the Group 1 Irish 2000 Guineas, he went to stud at Liam and Catherine Cashman’s Rathbarry Stud with a record of six wins, in Ireland, France, West Germany and Belgium at up to Group 3 level, and he was also runner-up in the Group 1 Prix d’Ispahan. He was many times champion sire over jumps.

Race record

HARDY EUSTACE won one race on the flat at six, won a bumper at five, and won 12 races over hurdles from five to 11 including the Grade 1 Smurfit Champion Challenge Trophy Hurdle at Cheltenham twice, the Grade 1 AIG Europe Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown, the Grade 1Royal & SunAlliance Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham, the Grade 1 Maplewood Developments Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown, the Grade 1 BoyleSports Royal Bond Novice Hurdle at Fairyhouse, the Grade 1 Emo Oil Punchestown Champion Hurdle, the Grade 2 Coral Ascot Hurdle twice and the Grade 2 Red Mills Trial Hurdle at Gowran Park, and placed 19 times including second in the Grade 1 AIG Europe Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown, the Grade 1 Scottish and Newcastle Aintree Hurdle, the Grade 1 BGC Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot, the Grade 1 bewleyshotels.com Festival December Hurdle at Leopardstown, the Grade 1 Deloitte and Touche Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown, and third in the Grade 1 Smurfit Champion Challenge Trophy Hurdle at Cheltenham, the Grade 1 AIG Europe Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown, the Grade 1 Bewleys Hotels Festival December Hurdle at Leopardstown, the Grade 1 Bar One Racing Hatton’s Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse, and the Grade 1 ACC Bank Punchestown Champion Hurdle twice.

Total earnings £1,088,114.