Maher hoping for good ground for Ballyboker

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."