A QUALITY field is set to line up against Oscar Whisky in the Welsh Champion Hurdle at Ffos Las on Saturday.

Starluck, fifth in the Champion Hurdle two years ago, could be aimed at the race in which Oscar Whisky — owned by Ffos Las chairman Dai Walters — goes for back-to-back successes.

Starluck has not been sighted since disappointing over fences last spring.

He will revert to hurdles for new trainer David Arbuthnot, who said: "He's fine and is coming along really well.

"It's possible he might go to Sandown for the Contenders Hurdle, where he'd run against Binocular, or to Ffos Las for the Welsh Champion Hurdle, where he'd be up against Oscar Whisky. He'd obviously come across two very good horses, but you can't not take them on."

Vale of Glamorgan handler Tim Vaughan could field three rivals to Oscar Whisky.

He said: "Rigidity was second in the Ladbroke Hurdle and he has a fair old engine on him. He'll get an entry and is likely to run.

"Ski Sunday is a better hurdler than chaser and, on his rating of 142, we'll go back to hurdles and he'll take his chance at Ffos Las.

"I'll also enter Scorched Son. He'll need to improve but was second at Ffos Las just before Christmas."

Walters believes only a spectacular performance in the race can change Oscar Whisky's Cheltenham Festival target.

Walters and trainer Nicky Henderson are very likely to step the gelding up to three miles for a crack at reigning Ladbrokes World Hurdle champion Big Buck's in March, rather than stick at two for the Stan James Champion Hurdle, a race in which he finished third in last year.

"If he breaks all records and people start talking, then who knows, but it's 60-40 that he goes for the World Hurdle," he said. "But when you've got a class horse, anything can happen."