Plenty of options for Orgilgo Trainer John McConnell has already earmarked next summer's Galway Hurdle as a potential long-term target for Orgilgo Bay following his excellent run in defeat at Ballybrit last week. Placed in the Fred Winter Juvenile Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in the spring, the four-year-old looked likely to emerge victorious in the Guinness Handicap Hurdle, but was mowed down late by Maxim Gorky. McConnell was pleased with how his charge performed in defeat and is confident there are plenty of good days ahead. "We were delighted with how he ran. It's hard to be disappointed when they get so close to winning," said the trainer. "When I walked the course the day after, on the Saturday, I was amazed how uphill it is from the bend to the line and I could understand how he got beaten. "Things just conspired against him with the rain coming and then he got taken on up front by a couple of horses. They probably cut their own throats to a certain extent. "The two who took him on finished out with the washing, so he did well to keep going as well as he did. "There are lots of possibilities for him going forward. We might go back on the Flat with him or there is a four-year-old only hurdle in Listowel in September. "It would be nice to think next year he could be going for a big handicap like the County Hurdle in Cheltenham next March or the Galway Hurdle in a year's time ."
