To have any chance of stopping Jason DaCosta from winning a fifth consecutive trainers’ title, Anthony Nunes must have a strong Mouttet Mile contender before December comes around, especially after his rival’s 2024 winner, FUNCAANDUN, showed he still had spunk, beating BARNABY out of sight in the May 16 Seeking My Dream Trophy. Nunes, yet to make a mark in four Mouttet Mile events, sends out six-year-old NAUTICAL STAR in Monday’s Labour Day Trophy, hoping the American, who was touted as the horse to bring him glory last year, will this season fulfill the fanfare with which he had debuted locally but finished ninth in the US$300,000 event. Way down the totem pole of local-based runners competing for 10 gates in this year’s Mouttet Mile should foreigners ship in to fill six allotted spots, NAUTICAL STAR’s facile overnight-allowance win in January's six-furlong St Catherine Cup earned the American a measly 10 points, nowhere close to his compatriots occupying the top seven positions.However, NAUTICAL STAR’s 1:11.2 for six furlongs was proof that the American, who had posted 1:25.4 for seven furlongs and 1:12.1 for three-quarters of a mile, prepping for last year’s Mouttet Mile, could start slicing his way to grade one, starting with the Labour Day Trophy, his second bite at the overnight-allowance cherry. Consistent galloping five furlongs at exercise for the last three weeks, NAUTICAL STAR posted 1:01.4 out the mile chute last Monday morning after blazing 59.1 on the round course a week earlier. Despite his routine win in January’s St Catherine Cup, NAUTICAL STAR missing for four months since, leaves lingering doubts about him being able to hold up after vigorous workouts or a tough race. Sparingly raced in 2025 prior to the Mouttet Mile, NAUTICAL STAR’s previous outing was recorded at Gulfstream in August, finishing fifth in the Benny The Bull Handicap at seven furlongs, his second run off a 15-month lay-up.Similarly, NAUTICAL STAR had only raced twice in 2024, finishing third in back-to-back races, amile and eight and a half furlongs, respectively. However, until he faces the best of his compatriots in grade one after plundering the Labour Day Trophy and open allowance, NAUTICAL STAR should not be opposed unless he probably runs into the likes of DaCosta’s IMJUSTAGIRL, who has sauntered to two victories from as many starts, the last being 1:24.2 for seven furlongs.