STARLUCK is expected to bypass this Sunday’s Greatwood Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham in favour of a trip to Haydock Park the following weekend.
Alan Fleming’s four-year-old tops the weights for Sunday’s extended two-mile Grade Three handicap, but the trainer is looking at the Betfair Newton Novices’ Hurdle at Haydock on November 21 or the WBX.COM Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle a week later.
Starluck finished fourth in the Triumph Hurdle and made a winning return at Cheltenham last month.
Following eight horses being withdrawn, Starluck would have to carry 11st12lb instead of the 10st8lb he was initially allotted.
Fleming said: “It’s going to be hard to run him in it now.
“He definitely won’t carry top weight. He’ll probably go to Haydock, but if it’s very heavy going there he’ll go for the Fighting Fifth. If it’s good to soft in Haydock he’ll go there.
“It’s a shame the better horses didn’t stay in as it would have been a nice race to go for. It’s not looking our way now.
“He’s in great form. We are really pleased with him and it’s simply a case of keeping him ticking over and healthy.
“He’s entered everywhere and we’ll leave it until the last minute.”
There are 28 remaining in the Greatwood with Alan King’s Medermit Betfair’s 5-1 favourite last night.
Meanwhile, Donald McCain may step Whiteoak up to three miles for the first time after finishing third in the Elite Hurdle at Wincanton on her seasonal reappearance on Saturday.
The six-year-old was a bit outpaced by last season’s Champion Hurdle runner-up Celestial Halo but plugged on to finish third.
McCain was happy with his star mare and is looking to send her for a Listed mares only event at Kempton on November 23 next.
The Cheshire handler said: “She’s come out of the race fine and with no problems. She ran well enough but I think we just had our limitations exposed over two miles.
“We thought we might get away with it as she was second round there in the Kingwell Hurdle last season, but it was heavy ground that day and she was just lacking a gear on Saturday.
“It might come a bit soon, but we’re going to try to get her ready for a three-mile Listed race at Kempton in a fortnight’s time.
“If we’re ever going to try three miles, it’s going to be against mares and round somewhere like Kempton, so we’ll see how we get on.
“I think she gets into that with no penalties as well, which would be a bonus. It was nice to get a run into her on Saturday and there is plenty to look forward to with her.”
