Orgilgo Bay pops the last on his way to victory at Downpatrick on Monday© Photo Healy Racing
John McConnell is hoping a good run from Orgilgo Bay in the Dawn Milk Run Handicap Hurdle at Killarney on Thursday will see him assured of a place in the Galway Hurdle.
The four-year-old son of Lawman only went up 2lb for winning by 20 lengths at Downpatrick on Monday and as a result a place in the most valuable race at the Galway Festival is not certain off his current mark of 129.
McConnell said: "It is still borderline whether we get into the Galway Hurdle as he only got 2lb for winning on Monday. It wasn't a great race but when you win by 20 lengths and the second is horse is only 8lb inferior you would think you'd get more.
"That's what he got anyway and it will be touch and go whether he will get into the Galway Hurdle off that mark. Ideally he wouldn't be coming back again so quickly, but when he didn't have that hard a race we decided to take our chance.
"We are actually 4lb wrong as he is carrying a 6lb penalty and it will make life a bit difficult for us but if he runs well or respectably in it, he might have to be upped again.
"We didn't expect him to be top weight either but none of the original top weights were declared and I suppose it will be hard enough for a four-year-old.
"It's just the Galway Hurdle is worth so much money and there won't be a race like it for months afterwards.
"He had a couple of days in the paddock since Monday and after the race he was very well, he didn't have a hard race."
The Joanna Morgan-trained Xsquared appears his biggest danger in the Thursday afternoon highlight. He won his last two at Ballinrobe and Bellewstown and he will be bidding to complete the hat-trick with John Cullen in the saddle.
Pivot Bridge won a similarly competitive contest over the course and distance in May and he is another leading contender, while handicap debutant Sizing Italy is an interesting runner in the colours of Ann and Alan Potts.
The Dawn Omega Milk Novice Hurdle is off an hour before the feature and it too looks an intriguing contest. Brian's Express Empresario and Mumbo Bay all won last time out and they are sure to have their supporters, while the same can be said for Shield Polished Rock and Wood Breizh
A big field of 18 will go to post for the Dawn Hi Lo Milk Handicap Hurdle and it appears a wide-open affair, with Sizing Solution Silver Chief Kahdian and Eye Lied a few for the shortlist.
There is very little form to go on in the concluding bumper, the Christy Lucey Transport Ltd. Flat Race, but newcomers Hickson and Solatentif are sure to be popular with punters representing John Kiely and Henry De Bromhead respectively.
The first of three Flat races on the programme is the opening Aherns BMW Castleisland Maiden, and Ebadani for Mick Halford and Laviniad for Willie Mullins appear the two to focus on here.
The Killarney Grand Live Music Venue Handicap looks a more open affair, with Six Silver Lane Truly Delightful California Rose and Hatton Cross all sure to feature prominently in the betting.
Another big field of 18 will line up for the Europe Hotel & Resort Handicap over two miles and a furlong, with Massini's Trap Alileo Coolfighter Ginger Genie and Sharjah a few for the shortlist in this ultra-competitive contest.
