Hughes confident of Hardy run

Racing:   Hardy Eustace bids to show he can challenge for staying honours when he steps up in distance for the BGC Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot tomorrow.

The dual Champion Hurdle hero has yet to prove he stays three miles and a furlong but he did win the Royal & SunAlliance Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in 2003.

And he showed no signs of stopping when landing the Coral Ascot Hurdle over two and a half miles at the Berkshire track for the past two seasons.

Trainer Dessie Hughes has every confidence in the 10-year-old's stamina and he is the 9-4 favourite to capture his seventh Grade One prize, although the meeting will have to pass a precautionary inspection at 7.30am.

"He likes good ground and the trip will be no problem to him," said Hughes. "Looking at his last run you would think he was as good as ever.

"Two and a half miles is probably his best trip but he's not going too slow for two miles yet. We'll see what happens tomorrow before we decide which route to take."

Hardy Eustace is currently 8-1 for the Ladbrokes World Hurdle and a best-priced 33-1 for the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle at the Festival in March.

Although dual World Hurdler winner Inglis Drever is absent, the Irish-trained veteran faces a strong field.

His rivals include Jonjo O'Neill's Black Jack Ketchum who won over a similar distance at Wetherby seven weeks ago.

Special Envoy and Kasbah Bliss, who finished second and third behind Inglis Drever in the Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury earlier this month, are also among the opposition.