No stopping Neo Star in Sunday’s feature

NEO STAR had absolutely no business trying to match strides with Mouttet Mile-bound GALLANT GROOM, burnt on the lead in a half-mile split of 45.3, increased to 1:10.3 coming off the home turn, leaving Anthony Nunes’ runner winded and unable to hold on for third, eventually relegated to fourth, heads-on with late-closing WHIZZ KIDD.

Runner-up OIL MACHINE, who returns for a rematch with NEO STAR and WHIZZ KIDD in Sunday’s Menudo Trophy at nine furlongs and 25 yards, won’t find pouncing on NEO STAR as easy as he did a furlong out on last.

First, NEO STAR is a two-turn specialist, returning nine pounds lighter with no matching speed on the lead. Tackling the trip on September 26, NEO STAR was no match for imported stablemate BARNABY, running as a filler in a five-horse grade-one line-up. However, NEO STAR allowed second-place DON KWESI nine pounds and was only a length and a quarter behind the runner-up.

A relentless two-turn runner, NEO STAR will again enjoy lightweight rider Tajay Suckoo’s handling, similar to his March 26 victory at the trip, wiring DON KWESI in the International Women’s Day Trophy.

OIL MACHINE will be forced to take the fight to NEO STAR, which will leave him flat-footed when the in-utero seven-year-old injects pace leaving the half-mile.

Should Omar Walker decide to go kamikaze on the lead with OIL MACHINE, trying to match NEO STAR, WHIZZ KIDD could be a potential outsider with his tell-tale late kick in the stretch run.