Cue Card success is behind revitalised Brennan

Victorious in the 2010 Cheltenham Gold Cup on Imperial Commander, Brennan lost his way before being rejuvenated by three big race wins this season on Colin Tizzard’s ever popular horse, a run of success which began in Wetherby’s Charlie Hall Chase last October.

Subsequent wins in Haydock’s Betfair Chase and Kempton’s King George leave Cue Card as the main British challenger in this year’s Gold Cup.

The jockey told The Yorkshire Post that he had never previously ridden for Malton-based Ellison until Cue Card’s return to prominence, and he believes Smart Talk will be hard to beat at the National Hunt Festival following this gutsy win in the OLBG.com Mares’ Hurdle.

Not prepared to allow the Irish raider Morning Run to settle, Brennan’s only moment of doubt came at the third last flight when his mount was spooked by a shadow.

Yet the six-year-old, impressive at Haydock in December, regained her equilibrium and was able to hold off the late thrust of Lily Waugh as the Willie Mullins-trained Morning Run faded badly.

“I was lucky Brian,” the winning jockey told Ellison as he gave the thumbs up to the jubilant connections in the winner’s enclosure. “She never gave up, she’s so tough.”

Brennan – one of the country’s more intense riders – later added: “Cue Card has been massive for me. Without him, I wouldn’t be riding for this man (Ellison). I’d be sat in the weighing room. Now I’m being noticed. Bloody right, I’m enjoying this moment. I’ve got a second chance and I actually want to enjoy it.”

Ellison concurred. “Paddy lost the plot, got very down with himself and the whole game but he’s on the way back up. There’s few better when he’s on form,” he said.

The trainer, desperate to break his Cheltenham Festival duck, says Smart Talk is likely to be entered in the mares’ novice hurdle – a new addition to the National Hunt Festival programme – over two miles rather than the Grade One OLBG Mares Hurdle over two and a half miles.

Either way winning owner Julie Martin, who lives at Tickhill, is just delighted to have a Cheltenham contender.

“This means the world,” said the owner whose husband, Phil, is a leading supporter of the Ellison yard with horses like novice chaser Definitly Red.

On a compelling afternoon, the unbeaten Barters Hill had to dig deep to extend his winning sequence to a perfect seven in the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle.

He set a searching pace with Up For Review, the supposedly invincible Mullins raider, before repelling those pursuers, headed by Ballydine, who raced more conservatively.

Trained by Ben Pauling, Barters Hill is likely to line up in the Albert Bartlett Hurdle, the three- mile championship race for novice hurdlers, at Cheltenham, but the handler is still considering the shorter Neptune Investment Hurdle because of the horse’s tactical speed.

As for winning rider David Bass, he believes there is more to come from his potential horse of a lifetime following this stern test in which Barters Hill’s jumping was put under pressure.

“He has such a big heart that he won’t lie down,” Bass told The Yorkshire Post.

“He didn’t jump that well today, it’s the first time he’s been under pressure. The tactics played into the hands of the chasers, but they couldn’t pass him. As soon as a horse gets to his girths, he goes again.”

Despite his dominance of the 2015-16 season, there was more disappointment for Mullins when the well-regarded Shaneshill faded into a remote fourth in the Lightning Novices Steeplechase behind Nicky Henderson’s Vaniteux.

Yet it is difficult to see the victor being good enough to deny the Mullins-trained Douvan in the Arkle Trophy at Cheltenham.

As for the Sky Bet Chase, it was won by the lightly-weighted Ziga Boy. The grey, ridden by Brendan Powell, galloped his rivals into the ground to complete a memorable day for trainer Alan King whose five winners across the country included Hennessy hero Smad Place – another front-running grey – in Cheltenham’s Gold Cup trial as favourite Djakadam crashed out.