Despite the winners continuing to flow like molten lava it’s been a vexing week for Nicky Henderson and his team after seeing Binocular ruled out of the Champion Hurdle due to a muscle problem, before leading light Zaynar lost his unbeaten record over hurdles to our old friend Quwetwo in Kelso’s Morebattle Hurdle.

I wouldn’t rule Zaynar out of the Festival equation just yet given that the sticky ground at the borders track wouldn’t have done him any favours, but he certainly didn’t hurdle with his usual zest despite the frantic urgings of Barry Geraghty.

The firms made their intentions clear by pushing Zaynar out to as big as 8/1 for the Champion, and that looks a fair price to me since I reckon the big one will fall to either Go Native or Khyber Kim.

That said, surely all is not lost! Henderson still has the 2009 Champion Hurdle winner up his sleeve, with Punjabi set to tackle Wincanton’s Bathwick Tyres Kingwell Hurdle at 3.50pm on Saturday afternoon.

Well, it might be actually, as the horse who hasn’t got his head in front in three attempts since his big day at Cheltenham last March might have to settle for second best once again, with Alan Fleming’s leading light Starluck lining up as a potential fly in the ointment.

This shootout may well come down to which of the pair handles the heavy underfoot conditions best, and although Punjabi took a Fighting Fifth on genuine soft ground, his two runs this season have suggested a better surface would see him to better effect.

He faded quickly on him comeback effort in the International, and then couldn’t find any answer to the challenge laid down by Medermit in Haydock’s Champion Hurdle trial at the end of last month.

With Felix de Giles riding him for only the second time (the pair were second in the 2008 Tote Gold Trophy won by Wingman) he faces no easy task in trying to concede 4lbs to a rival rated on 3lbs inferior on official figures, and who it strikes might cope equally well with really gruelling conditions.

Starluck looked better than ever when coasting to victory on his seasonal reappearance at Cheltenham in October.

He then led everywhere bar on the line when second to Mr Thriller on soft ground at Haydock, and next up posted a brilliant effort when second to Go Native in the Christmas Hurdle.

He only failed there by a short head, and a reproduction of that effort after a nice break will be enough to win this.

There are question marks about frost and waterlogging pretty much everywhere you go this weekend, and up at Haydock my good mate Lord Culcheth is keeping a 24 hour vigil on the BBC weather website hoping their top quality card is going to escape the forecast frost.

If it does you can be sure he’ll be parading up and down the champagne bar in his Tesco machine washable suit trying to impress any cougars in the vicinity, frothing at the mouth after a carefully plotted assault on an unsuspecting estate agent went west earlier in the week.

He may be able to placate himself at least partially though by backing Russian Flag in Ascot’s 4.20pm, but only if Uttoxeter is off as the seven year old is doubly declared with a preferred and tougher looking assignment at the Staffordshire track.

Only six are scheduled to go to post for the 2m 1f Ascot race, and if he does appear there I think he’ll take all the beating given his consistent recent record and the fact he gets in at the bottom of the weights.

Never out of the first two in five starts this season he can benefit from his usual hold up tactics to come fast and late and beat this inconsistent bunch in the hands of conditional Alex Merriam.

If Uttoxeter does survive then have a few quid each way on Alex Hales’s Roseneath in the three mile handicap chase at 3.30pm.

I was at Huntingdon a few weeks ago when he jumped a fence in public for the first time, winning under a canny ride from Noel Fehily.

This six year old Saddlers’ Hall gelding out of a Mandalus mare was very moderate as a hurdler, but he might have a sliver of ability over the larger obstacles, and can build on that promising beginning in a weak race.

Good luck!

Saturday’s tips:

3.30 Uttoxeter – Bet Totepool At totesport.com Handicap Chase – 9 Roseneath (each way)

3.50 Wincanton – Bathwick Tyres Kingwell Hurdle – 2 Starluck (win)

4.20 Ascot – Trisoft Handicap Chase – 6 Russian Flag (win)