Martin hoping team get runs

Tony Martin is keeping his fingers crossed his Cheltenham team get the chance to strut their stuff at next week's Festival.

The County Meath trainer has Lochan Lacha, Northern Alliance and Green Mile pencilled in for several of the big handicaps over hurdles and fences - but fears they might not make the cut.

"In the handicaps it's touch and go whether they will get in, so our options are open at the moment," he told At The Races.

"Lochan Lacha is entered in a couple of races - the National Hunt Chase and the Kim Muir.

"Northern Alliance is in a few, including the Coral Cup, and I've got Green Mile in the Pertemps.

"We'll see nearer the day how close we are in getting into the races.

"Lochan Lacha wants cut in the ground so he won't run unless he gets soft to yielding which I doubt, but if it's yielding we'd take a chance on it."