Ellison's Festival hopes are growing

Not only is his 21 per cent strike-rate the best of his career, and a credit to the quality of his 40 jump horses, but the Malton trainer believes recent Doncaster winner Smart Talk could be the horse to beat in the inaugural running of the Trull House Stud Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle.

She will be joined in the Cotswolds by Five In A Row and Zaidyn, both victorious at Newcastle under an inspired Gavin Sheehan, who has not looked back since winning last year’s World Hurdle on Cole Harden.

However, Tomngerry, Ellison’s third winner in his native North East, will miss the Festival despite being unbeaten from four starts under National Hunt rules – he believes the horse, ridden by Will Kennedy, will not be seen at his best until next year.

Asked to explain his run of success – Ellison’s previous best came two years ago when he recorded 40 winners over obstacles – he told The Yorkshire Post: “A combination of things: good staff, nice horses and Gavin gave his two horses very good rides. He listens to instructions.”

Zaidyn, winning for the first time since November 2014, was ridden with patience by Sheehan, who was coolness personified before asking his horse to settle his race without coming off the bridle – the Vincent O’Brien County Hurdle on Gold Cup day will be his assignment.

After Tomngerry played cat and mouse with his opponents, the aforementioned Sheehan had to be at his very strongest to persuade Five In A Row to put his head in front on the winning line.

“It’s how he has to be ridden, and Gavin listened to instructions,” said Ellison who said the horse will line up in the novice handicap chase, the concluding race on Cheltenham’s open day.

Both Zaidyn and Five In A Row are owned by Tickhill-based Phil Martin whose Definitly Red could still feature in the RSA Chase, the Grade One three-mile race for novice steeplechasers. “If the ground is good, he will go for the four-mile National Hunt Chase,” said Ellison. “If it’s soft, the RSA.”

Yet it is Smart Talk, who runs in the colours of Martin’s wife Julie, that most excites Ellison following her resounding victory in Doncaster’s Grade Two OLBG.com Mares’ Hurdle.

“I think she has a great chance,” said Ellison. “She’s probably the best rated horse in the field and rates 8lb higher than the Willie Mullins horse Limini, who is favourite. It’s just a question of getting the horses there on the day.”

Cheltenham owes Ellison – his Latalomne fell in successive renewals of the Queen Mother Champion Chase in 2002 and 2003 when clear of the eventual winners, Flagship Uberalles and Moscow Flyer respectively, on the downhill run to the home turn.

“Years ago, I thought a winner at York was the ultimate,” added Ellison, one of the country’s foremost dual purpose trainers.

“Even though I’ve had winners at Cheltenham and Aintree, it will be nice to have a winner at the big meeting. With two weeks to go, Smart Talk and Definitly Red are flying.”

Newcastle’s card also saw Seeyouatmidnight, ridden by North Yorkshire jockey Brian Hughes, warm up for the RSA Chase at Cheltenham with a workmanlike all-the-way win.

Despite one or two minor errors, trainer Sandy Thomson was happy with the manner of the win over Sue Smith’s Smooth Stepper after his horse missed Wetherby’s Towton Novices Chase on February 6 because of a bad scope.

“That will put him spot on,” said Thomson who trains in the Scottish Borders. “I’m delighted as it makes my life easier because he doesn’t need to do too much now before he goes to Cheltenham.”

Meanwhile, Theatre Guide’s victory in Kempton’s Betbright Chase confirmed the wellbeing of top Cheltenham Gold Cup contender Cue Card – the winner is gallops companion to trainer Colin Tizzard’s stable star.