Orgilgo Bay makes highly encouraging hurdling debut

The John McConnell trained Orgilgo Bay made a highly encouraging debut over hurdles when turning over odds-on favourite Clarcam in the Go Racing In Kildare 3-Y-0 Maiden Hurdle when Punchestown began its winter season yesterday.

Rated 93 on the flat, the Lawman gelding always looked a type likely to make his mark over hurdles and, despite a couple of sloppy jumps and being hampered briefly at the fourth, Mark Bolger’s mount knuckled down well in his battle with the Davy Russell-ridden favourite, forging clear on the run-in to triumph by three and half lengths,

Trainer McConnell admitted: “It was touch and go whether I’d run him or not, because he’s at his best with some ease in the ground. But the rain came and he did it well, going away at the finish. Mark said he was only getting going at the end. Being gelded has made a man of him — he has filled out and got stronger all over.”