Peter Maher is hoping for some decent ground to allow Ballyboker Bridge to take his chance in the Cross Country Chase at Cheltenham.

The nine-year-old beat Cantlow at Punchestown last month and was a fine third behind Josies Orders at Cheltenham in December.

Maher told the Irish Field: "He seems to be in good shape and he'll go for a cross-country chase, but he would ideally like a bit of decent ground.

"He was good the last day at Punchestown and he has come out of that race very well.

"The race at Cheltenham is now a conditions race and that will make things a bit harder for him, but he likes it around there and he is a solid cross-country horse and assuming all goes well between now and then, he'd go there with an each-way chance."