Murphy speaks on Star Timmy Murphy admits there is still a question mark over Starluck's stamina if he takes his chance in the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham in March. The five-year-old made a winning return to action in a minor race at Prestbury Park in October before narrow defeats at Haydock and in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton. He travelled supremely well in the Triumph Hurdle last season before fading to finish fourth. "At Kempton he finished his race real well and battled all the way to the line," said Murphy. "Cheltenham is a totally different place to Kempton and I wouldn't be lumping on him to get up the hill, but on a flatter track I wouldn't be afraid of many in it. "I think he's a realistic price for what he is and I'm not sure he'd be a definite runner at Cheltenham. Punchestown is another option." Murphy admits due to his size, connections are hoping they will not need to tackle fences with Starluck. "We're hoping that he's good enough so that we don't have to go chasing," the jockey told At The Races. "He is very, very small and if he didn't take to fences you might just ruin over hurdles as well."
