Starluck trainer hopes thaw brings Christmas present

Alan Fleming is praying Starluck will get the chance to go one better in the William Hill Christmas Hurdle at Kempton on Boxing Day.

His stable star failed by only a short head to catch Go Native at the Sunbury track 12 months ago and is reported to be in fine shape ahead of this year's renewal. He warmed up for a second attempt at the Grade One when splitting Peddlers Cross and Binocular in the rearranged "Fighting Fifth" Hurdle at Newbury last month.

"Fingers crossed it goes ahead. The forecast looks better from Wednesday onwards, but with it being the King George meeting, I'm sure they will rearrange it if they have to," said the Dorking-based handler.

"We just need to get a gallop into him somewhere. This old weather breaks your routine up and knocks you back a bit, but he's good and fit. He only ran three weeks ago and he's been chipping away until the snow came.

"We've had the snow just a couple of days and our gallops have been fine until Saturday. "

Fleming accepts it will be no cakewalk with several Champion Hurdle aspirants expected to be in the line-up.

"It's going to be very competitive like any Grade One, but we'll be trying hard and hope for a bit of luck," he went on.

"You would have been quite impressed with his run at Newbury, but Binocular is going to improve, you've Khyber Kim coming into it as well and Overturn too. It's not going to be easy, it's going to be a damned good race."