Ellison eyes mares novice at Cheltenham Brian Ellison is leaning towards the Trull House Stud Mares' Novices' Hurdle as the likely target for Smart Talk at Cheltenham next month. The six-year-old holds an entry in the OLBG Mares' Hurdle, but Ellison is not keen to take on Willie Mullins' Annie Power, should she be aimed at that race. Smart Talk booked her place at the Festival when winning a Grade Two contest at Doncaster in January. "At the moment we're guiding to the mares' only novice race unless anything happens to Annie Power," said the North Yorkshire trainer. "We'll probably keep her to the novice race, I would think, as she's second favourite for that. "She's actually put four kilos of weight on since she ran. She's a big, gorgeous filly. She's a monster. "Unless something happens to Annie Power I'd imagine that's where we'll end up."
