Increasing trunk height of flowering cherry sapling

[HerbertTurbot]

I bought a winter flowering cherry tree that had the tallest trunk I could find, but I have realised that the branches will still grow across an adjacent footpath around head height. While it is still young I would like to raise the first branching point from the current 1.3 m to 1.6 m or 1.8 m, if possible. I've already trimmed some thin branches, leaving just 6, all very close to the top of the trunk. Is there a way prune and/or splint one of those branches to send it straight up?

By the way, I spotted the muntjac damage lower down and it is now protected  - I should have done it sooner.