Climbing Star starts campaign to defend Robert Sangster Stakes crown

Phillip Stokes had intended to follow the same race schedule that brought Climbing Star her Group 1 glory in the Sangster Stakes a year ago.

Climbing Star began her 2023 campaign by claiming the Listed Matrice Stakes (1200m) at Morphettville, before finishing third in the Group 3 R N Irwin Stakes (1100m), then going on to secure victory in the Sangster Stakes (1200m). The win gave local jockey Lachlan Neindorf his first Group 1 success.

This year, a slight delay meant skipping the Matrice Stakes, and instead Climbing Star will use this weekend’s Irwin Stakes as her only lead-in to another Sangster attempt, scheduled for April 26.

Climbing Star is also expected to tackle The Goodwood—another 1200m Group 1 at Morphettville—in which she placed third last year.

After a promising jump-out win at Pakenham on March 25, Stokes believes the mare is back on track following an underwhelming spring that saw her unplaced three times, including twice at the elite level.

“She jumped out really well,” Stokes said.

“We had a little setback early in the campaign. Last year she was third-up into the Sangster, this year she will be second-up.

“We were going to do the exact same thing as last year, but we just got a couple of weeks behind where we wanted to be.

“It’s a bit of a tricky barrier, but I’m sure she’ll run well and then she’ll go straight to the Sangster.”

The mare drew gate 10 in the 11-horse Irwin Stakes field.

Stokes also pointed out that Climbing Star seems to thrive in the autumn and hopes to send her off with a strong performance before she heads to the May broodmare sale on the Gold Coast.

“She’ll be sold after this campaign in the May broodmare sale on the Gold Coast and she should be well sought after,” Stokes said.