Anthony Nunes’ United States-bred NAUTICAL STAR, way down the totem pole of local-based runners vying to fill 10 gates should six overseas entries accept invitations for December’s Mouttet Mile, made some progress by securing 20 points with an easy win in yesterday’s Labour Day Trophy.

Among the invitees for last year’s Mouttet Mile, NAUTICAL STAR had finished a disappointing ninth, shipping in from Florida with a big reputation but short on race fitness, which reared its head in the US$300,000 race run at a ripping pace.

Touted as Nunes’ hopes for a last-gasp attempt to deny Jason DaCosta a fourth straight trainers’ title in December, NAUTICAL STAR has since won two overnight-allowance races, getting off the mark locally in January’s six-furlong St Catherine Cup.