What or who is going to stop The Star from making it two off the bounce and three wins from his last four starts?
His fans will argue that there is little his rivals can do when the field lines up for the races on Dec 28.
After all, they will say, he is in a rich vein of form and he seems to have taken to his new surroundings like a duck to water. They are right on both counts.
The Star has, undoubtedly, hit a bright patch and he does seem to have found a new lease of life since relocating from Tim Fitzsimmons' Kranji quarters to the stables at Sungai Besi.
Well two wins from three races do seal the deal and a third from four Selangor starts will not surprise anyone.
As if to appease his fans, the six-year-old was out on the training track on the morning of Dec 24.
If they were watching, they would certainly have raised a cheer for their guy. The Star was, well, one of the morning stars and his run over the 600m - which he did in 37.8sec - would have even swayed some of his doubters.
Yes, it was a good piece of work. Some may even call it a "winning workout".
But there will still be the naysayers and they will argue that it is not all that clear cut - and they could have a strong argument to back it up.
Denne historien er fra December 25, 2024-utgaven av The Straits Times.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra December 25, 2024-utgaven av The Straits Times.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Rust prosecutor withdraws appeal of dismissal of Alec Baldwin case
The effort to prosecute Alec Baldwin (right) for the fatal shooting of a cinematographer in 2021 ended on Dec 23, when the special prosecutor withdrew her appeal of the judge's decision to dismiss the involuntary manslaughter charge during the actor's trial.
Stray Kids' album Hop gets historic sixth Billboard 200 No. 1
K-pop boy band Stray Kids marked a historic milestone by ranking No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart for the sixth time with their latest album, Hop.
New entries to a hallowed catalogue: The holiday album
NEW YORK A holiday album offers musicians a chance to adopt or reinvent a classic format and show fans a different side of themselves. Here is a sampling of 2024’s releases, from singers exploring the standards to artistes rethinking the meaning of the holidays.
‘I was upstaging myself constantly'
Actor Jim Carrey comes out of retirement to play dual geniuses in Sonic The Hedgehog 3
Binge-worthy Gong Yoo shows fragile, vulnerable side in The Trunk
A gunshot and sinking of the titular trunk set up this psychological-romance drama led by South Korean star Gong Yoo.
Thrills and spills abound in legal thriller Juror #2, airport actioner Carry-On
The story: Hollywood icon Clint Eastwood's 40th directorial feature has a juror (Nicholas Hoult) in a high-profile murder trial weighing a crisis of conscience.
History is handled with care in Harbin
The period drama directed by Woo Min-ho is a handsome but reverent account of a Korean hero
The extremely offline joy of the board game club
When Ms Michelle Kong started a chess club in 2023, hoping to meet other players in their 20s, attendance was so meagre that she needed only one chessboard.
You may not need protein powder if you are eating right
But if it is necessary to use the supplement, choose one that has fewer extra ingredients
Exercise helps with almost everything, including hangovers
Electrolyte drinks, ibuprofen, a bagel overflowing with bacon, egg and cheese - everyone has his or her own way of nursing a hangover.