David Arbuthnot has raised the intriguing possibility that Starluck could contest the Winter Derby Trial at Lingfield at the end of this month after his intended reappearance at Ffos Las on Saturday was scuppered by the weather.
The high-class hurdler struggled over fences last spring and has since joined Arbuthnot from Alan Fleming. He was due to tackle Oscar Whisky in the Welsh Champion Hurdle but Arbuthnot is now on the lookout for an alternative target.
The trainer would prefer to run his seven-year-old over hurdles, but a return to the Flat at Lingfield on February 25 is a possibility if the cold snap continues to bite.
"It was disappointing to lose Ffos Las the other day and I think we've now got the same options as everyone else," said the trainer.
"There is the Kingwell Hurdle at Wincanton or the National Spirit Hurdle at Fontwell. I don't think the Morebattle Hurdle would be for him as Kelso is a tough course. If this cold weather persists and everything is frozen off, the week after the Kingwell Hurdle there is the Winter Derby Trial at Lingfield and that could be an option.
"He's rated 100 on the Flat, so he's no slug and he won over a mile at Kempton on his last run on the level. I'd prefer to run him over hurdles if possible, but Lingfield would be possible if the hurdle races were frozen off."
Starluck does hold a Champion Hurdle entry at next month's Cheltenham Festival, a race in which he finished fifth two years ago. But Arbuthnot admits only a big run on his next appearance would encourage him to let his new recruit line up against the best in the two-mile division.
"If he ran in the Kingwell Hurdle he'd have to run a big race for us to think about running in the Champion Hurdle, where he'd probably only be running to be placed anyway," he added.
"He has come down the ratings to a mark of 155 now, which brings in the option of handicaps, although he'd probably have top-weight. I don't think the County Hurdle would be a race for him, but further down the line, something like the Scottish Champion Hurdle at Ayr would be a possible as the track should suit him well."
