Kings Hill© Photo Healy Racing
Paul Gilligan has the Galway Hurdle in mind for his lightly-raced five-year-old Kings Hill.
A winner at Thurles in February, the Kingston Hill grey was pitched in at the deep end when tried in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, finishing a respectable ninth of 11.
Then second on his handicap debut at Ballinrobe, the 134-rated gelding ran another solid race when fourth of 24 in an ultra competitive affair at the Punchestown Festival.
Given a pipe opener when fourth on the level at Leopardstown on Thursday, a trip to Ballybrit is now firmly on the agenda.
Speaking at Killarney on Friday afternoon Gilligan said: "He ran a nice race over 1m2f at Leopardstown on Thursday and Seamie (Heffernan) was delighted with him. That distance would have been on the sharp side for him so we were hoping there'd have been a dash of rain for him but I was happy with him.
"Please God and all being well he will go for the Galway Hurdle and you'll have a chance if your horses are running well, which they are at present."
Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes
