Hardy Eustace made his debut in a National Hunt flat race at Punchestown in March 2002, where he finished an eleven-length fifth of seventeen runners.

He improved for his debut run in his next start as he won the valuable Goffs Land Rover Bumper at Fairyhouse in April.

He was moved to Grade 1 class for his next start in the Royal Bond Novice Hurdle, which he won by one and a half lengths from Back In Front.

Hardy Eustace started the 2006/07 season with his usual warm-up run on the flat, where he finished sixth in a Curragh Handicap.

The following season (2007/08), Hardy Eustace started with his customary warm-up run on the flat before he won the Ascot Hurdle again, beating Afsoun.

Hardy Eustace returned to Cheltenham to compete in the World Hurdle, where he was twelfth behind reigning champion Inglis Drever.

In his first race in the 2008/09 season, Hardy Eustace started in the Grade 1 Maplewood Developments Hurdle, where he was sent off the 14/1 outsider of four runners but recorded a two-and-a-half-length victory over Sizing Europe.