MOUSE MORRIS will consider dropping Rule The World back in trip for a potential second clash with The New One in next month’s Doom Bar Aintree Hurdle.

The seven-year-old was four lengths behind Nigel Twiston- Davies’ stable star when runner- up in last year’s Neptune Investment Management Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, but the two have taken very different paths since.

The New One has performed with great credit back over two miles this season and could be counted very unlucky when flying home to finish third in last week’s Champion Hurdle.

Rule The World, meanwhile, has bounced back from a serious injury to win two races this term, but was unable to land a serious blow over three miles in the World Hurdle, finishing sixth.

The two could do battle again on Merseyside on April 3 over the intermediate distance of two and a half miles.

Morris said: ‘‘He might not have got the trip on the day (in the World Hurdle). He travelled well, but he didn’t seem to quicken up.

‘‘He’s in both the two-anda- half-mile race and the threemile race (Liverpool Hurdle) at Aintree, so we’ll have a look at both races nearer the time and make a decision.

‘‘It’s possible (he could take on The New One). He wasn’t far behind him last time.

‘‘He’s come out of Cheltenham in good fettle.’’ 􀁧 Martin Harley faces about two months on the sidelines after a horror fall at Lingfield on Wednesday.

The jockey has fractured a bone in his neck as well as damaging several ribs after he was thrown to the ground when the ill-fated Red Art clipped the heels of horses in front of him in the Ladbrokes Mobile Handicap.

Harley was taken to East Surrey Hospital in nearby Redhill before being transferred to St George’s Hospital in Tooting for further treatment.

He is expected to remain there for a few more days.

He is stable jockey to Newmarket trainer Marco Botti, who said: ‘‘Obviously he’s going to be out for a couple of months.

‘‘I think he has a fracture of one of the bones in his neck.

It’s not bad and it doesn’t need surgery, but he will be out for six weeks and then he will have another scan.

‘‘He’s fractured a few ribs as well. All in all, in a way, he was lucky because it was an horrible fall. It could have been much worse.

‘‘He’s talking and it’s just a matter of time, about a couple of months. I think he will be in hospital for a few days.’’ 􀁧 First Lieutenant is likely to defend his crown in the Betfred Bowl at Aintree next month following his late withdrawal from last week’s Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Mouse Morris’ star chaser was due to line up in the blue riband event for the first time last Friday, but was taken out on the morning of the race after not eating up.

The Fethard-based trainer feels his nine-year-old may have been at Prestbury Park too long and hopes his charge can gain compensation on Merseyside on April 3.

Morris said: ‘‘He came home OK, but just OK. He lost a bit of weight during the trip, but hopefully he’ll be all right in a few days.

‘‘I think I probably had him over in Cheltenham too long.

He went over there on the Sunday before, so he was there nearly a week and maybe we should have waited a bit longer before sending him over.’’