THE mating of Hubbly Bubbly with the Strong Gale mare Belon Breeze were largely successful and the most recent example of how well it worked is that it produced the listed hurdle winner Smart Talk. Trainer Brian Ellison is now thinking of a major step up in class for this six-year-old and may point her at the mares’ hurdle race in Cheltenham. In time she will probably go over fences.

The Mr Prospector horse Hubbly Bubbly is best remembered as the sire of Cloudy Bays, winner of the Troytown and Leopardstown Chases, while his second leading money earner was Idle Talk who amassed more than £110,000 in a career that saw him finish second in the Grade 1 Royal & SunAlliance Chase at Cheltenham.