Improvement expected from Joshua

Published at Jan 7, 2015, 10:17

Eddie Harty
© Healy Racing Photos

Eddie Harty is convinced there is more to come from Joshua Lane after he made a rather inauspicious start to life over hurdles.

Third in the Champion Bumper at the Cheltenham Festival last season, big things were expected of the six-year-old in a two-and-a-quarter-mile maiden hurdle at Leopardstown over Christmas.

Joshua Lane could finish only sixth, but his trainer felt the demanding conditions counted against him and has yet to rule out sending the JP McManus-owned runner to the Cheltenham Festival in March.

Harty said: "He's in good form, but the ground was quite deep for his first start over hurdles.

"You'd expect him to improve a good deal for that and we live to fight another day.

"There are no plans, but we'll have to wait until the ground gets a bit better.

"It (Cheltenham) is in the back of your mind, but it is not that long away and there's a few bridges to cross between now and then."

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