Alan Fleming is looking towards the Punchestown Festival with his stable star Starluck.

But first the former top hurdler is set to tackle the John Smith's Maghull Novices' Chase at Aintree next week.

He has been receiving some expert jumping tuition from Yogi Breisner - the man who helped improve Cheltenham Gold Cup hero Long Run - after a lacklustre round at Sandown last time.

Starluck came home third despite being sent off an odds-on favourite on that occasion, but Fleming said: "Aintree is very much the plan now. He just suffered a little overreach at Sandown but he's over that now and everything is going well.

"He's had a little trip down to Yogi Breisner's to see what his thoughts were and he was largely happy with him, which was positive. He will have another trip down there and hopefully that will help him.

"We're just hoping there won't be too much rain at Aintree now as good ground would really suit him. It's a two-mile race at Aintree and that will suit him down to the ground, particularly if it's on the good side."

Starluck will be having just his third start over fences after beginning the year hurdling, finishing second behind Champion Hurdle runner-up Peddlers Cross at Newbury.

Despite having mixed it with the best over the smaller obstacles, Fleming was not tempted to switch codes on a retrieval mission at Aintree.

"The Aintree Hurdle is over two and a half so that was never really an option for him and we'll stick to chasing," he added.

"Hopefully it will go well at Aintree and the plan then would be to go on to Punchestown, all being well."