Trainer Phillip Stokes had hoped to follow the same lead-up to the Sangster Stakes that led Climbing Star to victory in the Group 1 race 12 months ago.
Climbing Star commenced her campaign towards last year’s Sangster Stakes (1200m) at Morphettville, run this year on April 26, by winning the Listed Matrice Stakes (1200m), at Morphettville.
The mare was then placed in the Group 3 R N Irwin Stakes (1100m) at Morphettville before heading out two weeks later to win the Sangster Stakes, giving popular Adelaide jockey Lachlan Neindorf his maiden Group 1 success.
The Matrice Stakes was to have been the kick-off point for Climbing Star again this year as the mare chases back-to-back Sangster wins, but Stokes is happy to head to the Irwin Stakes on Saturday as the five-year-old’s sole lead-up outing for the Group 1 contest in two weeks’ time.
Following the Sangster is The Goodwood, a Group 1 sprint also at Morphettville over 1200m, that Climbing Star finished third in 12 months ago.
Climbing Star won a jump-out at Pakenham on March 25 to indicate to Stokes she was back in form after three unplaced runs during the spring, two of which were at Group 1 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.”
Climbing Star has barrier 10 in the 11-horse field on Saturday.
Stokes said Climbing Star was a better performed mare in the autumn than what she has been in the spring and hopes to send her out on winning note.
“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.
