Minella Foru could be County Hurdle bound

A trip to Cheltenham is still possible for Minella Foru after he finished third at Naas on Sunday.

Eddie Harty's five-year-old won his first three races, including a point-to-point, but failed to run to his form in the Royal Bond at Fairyhouse, when seventh behind The Tullow Tank.

He was beaten less than four lengths by Real Steel in a Grade Two at the weekend, and while Harty is not getting too carried away, the JP McManus-owned Minella Foru could still be a contender for the County Hurdle next month.

Harty said: "He ran well, maybe nothing to get too carried away with, but he ran well.

"He maybe got caught a little bit for toe at the end, but he finished well and that was more like his real form. As regards where we go with him now, I'm a bit in the dark.

"A lot will depend on what other horses are around at the time and what sort of weight he gets (for the County Hurdle) later in the week."