McConnell looking to future with Heads Up John McConnell is looking forward to next season with Heads Up after the Blue Bresil gelding finished his campaign on a low note at Fairyhouse earlier this month. The six-year-old was pulled up in the Grade 2 Donohue Marquees Novice Hurdle on Easter Sunday and was subsequently found to have a "little issue". He was twice a winner over timber this season, most recently in a Listed event at Punchestown in February. Darragh McDonagh’s gelding had also been runner-up to No Drama This End in Grade 2 company at Cheltenham back in November. "Heads Up is gone back to his owner for the summer,” said McConnell. “He just had a little issue after Fairyhouse and we just had to stop with him, but he'll be back next season and we'll just have to make a plan as to what we'll do with him, stay hurdling or go chasing. “I don't think you've seen the best of him. He was second in a Grade 2 and won a Listed race, but I think that's only scraping the surface with him. "I'd say I'll have a small but select band going to Punchestown. “Olympic Man who was fifth in the Kim Muir will run on the Saturday there. There is two big staying chases and he'll go for one of them. We have a couple of others for handicaps as well."
