Star Marian

The real puzzle is what has happened since that win five months ago. Star Marian is still winning roughly one in every eleven races, which is modest, but the recent form tells a more difficult story: sixth, fifth, eleventh, eighth, fifth, and then a win just over a day ago. That last result, coming after five races without a victory, at least suggests the horse hasn't lost its ability to find the line. However, when stepped up to the higher level of Class 5 races—the sort of races that represent proper ambition for a young horse—Star Marian has managed nothing from three attempts. This is the genuine test: can the horse prove it can win against better opposition, or will it remain confined to the lower grades where competition is thinner? The answer to that question will tell us whether Star Marian is a horse worth watching or simply one of the many whose early promise never quite materializes.