FLEMENSTAR could be on the move to Tony Martin with owner Stephen Curran unwilling to confirm the three-time Grade 1-winning chaser will be returning to trainer Peter Casey.
Rumours are rife that Flemenstar will be joining Martin for the new campaign and, while Curran would not comment on whether that was the case, the fact he could not guarantee the eight-year-old would be in the care of Casey suggests all is not well in the camp.
Curran said: "There are rumours going around everywhere - I've heard them myself. But no decision has been made. I won't be deciding anything for another three or four weeks.
"I have the horse here and he's been in training with me for a little while. I can't keep him myself because I have no licence."
Curran was keen to stress how ill Flemenstar was last year and believes the horse is lucky to be alive.
He added: "The vets will tell you how sick the horse was last year. He had a temperature of 102F. We are lucky to still have the horse at all. He was very, very sick."
Although Flemenstar is currently in Curran's care, that is not unusual. He did not arrive back in at Casey's Stamullen yard until September last year.
Curran said: "We always keep the horse here until a few weeks before he's due to race. We mind him ourselves and that's the way we've always done it. We have to be careful with him this year."
Casey, who shot into the limelight following his colourful comments after Flemenstar's first Grade 1 success in the Arkle Novice Chase at Leopardstown in January last year, remains in the dark.
He said: "I've heard nothing. I don't know whether he is coming back to me or not.
"The horse is still with Stephen. Last year he came back to me in September and started off in the second week of November at Navan. I was planning on starting him back in the same race [Fortria Chase] this year and taking in the John Durkan at Punchestown before heading for the Dial-A-Bet at Leopardstown over Christmas. But we'll just have to see what happens."
Flemenstar has won eight of his 14 starts for Casey, including Grade 1 wins during a hugely successful novice chase campaign in the Irish Arkle and the Powers Gold Cup at Fairyhouse. His sole success at the top level last season came in the John Durkan Chase at Punchestown, where he beat Sir Des Champs.
Martin was unwilling to comment when contacted about the possibility of Flemenstar joining his team.
The speculation reflects the renaissance of the trainer's career highlighted by high-profile successes with Benefficient and Ted Veale at the Cheltenham Festival, Dark Crusader in York's Melrose Stakes and his eight-winner haul at the Galway festival.
Flemenstar has had a wind operation since finishing 24 lengths behind Sprinter Sacre in the Melling Chase at Aintree in April and, should he join Martin, the trainer would be faced with the dilemma of whether to step him up to three miles or stick to campaigning him over shorter distances.
