Fleming: Star luck was out with ground

Alan Fleming felt Starluck was unsuited by the ground when a slightly disappointing third in the rearranged Christmas Hurdle at Kempton on Saturday.

The Dorking trainer had hoped his stable star would put up a similar display to last winter when he was only beaten a short head by Go Native, but he had to settle for minor honours behind reigning champion hurdler Binocular this time.

Fleming will consider the options during the next fortnight before deciding on plans for the six-year-old grey, owned by Andrew Wates.

“He’s come out of the race fine. He ate up, was out in the paddock on Sunday and is in quite good shape,” said Fleming.

“You have to be a little bit disappointed with the run, but the ground was probably a bit worse than we thought – it was holding ground.

“I’m not sure where we go now. In a couple of weeks’ time we’ll make a decision. We have to be realistic and we have to get the right ground conditions for him.

“You have to get the right races and the right ground.”