Trainer Phillip Stakes chasing a maiden Goodwood success with Climbing Star and Stretan Angel
Trainer Phillip Stokes has two chances to complete the set of South Australian Group 1 races in Saturday’s The Goodwood at Morphettville.
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Phillip Stokes can fill a gap in his outstanding training career in Saturday’s Group 1 The Goodwood at Morphettville.
Stokes started his career in South Australia before branching out to start a successful stable at Pakenham from where he has built a thriving operation.
Stokes has won two of his home state’s three Group 1 races, claiming the Australasian Oaks twice with Maybe Discreet (2013) and Marju Snip (2006) and the Robert Sangster Stakes twice with Instant Celebrity (2021) and with Climbing Star last month.
The Goodwood has eluded Stokes but he will have another crack at SA’s biggest sprint with Climbing Star and Stretan Angel.
Sangster Stakes winner CLIMBING STAR the 8th Gr1 winner for Zoustar & the 13th for Fastnet Rock as a bm sire - also bm sire of runner-up Learning To Fly.
— Pedigree Update (@pedigreeupdate) April 28, 2024
Zoustar also has Gr1 wnr Zougotcha o/o a Fastnet Rock mare@widdenstud@Qatar_Racing@dredvers@coolmorestud@CoolmoreAuspic.twitter.com/Js5KhZULBl
Climbing Star held off Goodwood second favourites Benedetta and Learning To Fly in the Robert Sangster Stakes.
Stokes said Climbing Star had improved since her maiden Group 1 triumph on April 27.
“Climbing Star has just continued to blossom,” he said.
“She did a little bit of fast work on Saturday morning and we think she’s come on from the other day. She probably has to (improve) but it’s good to see her do that.”
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Stokes tried Climbing Star over longer trips as a three-year-old before scrapping that routine, reverting to training the Zoustar mare as a sprinter.
“I thought we were just training her wrong so we changed it all, and here we are,” Stokes said.
Stretan Angel finished three lengths from the winner when sixth in the Robert Sangster Stakes but Stokes said the race didn’t pan out as he would have liked.
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Stokes said new jockey Daniel Stackouse would have different riding instructions for The Goodwood.
“She’s been ridden wrongly the last few times although it looks like she’s been ridden well,” Stokes said.
“She has to be ridden with cover. She was exposed in the Coolmore down the straight at Flemington and she was exposed the other day in the Sangster.
“He (Damian Lane) rode her well but that’s not the way to ride her. She has to go back and get cover to show her turn of foot. I think she can run a cheeky race.”
Climbing Star will be out to join Black Caviar and Platelet as the only two mares to complete the Sangster/Goodwood double.
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However, Stokes gave a slight edge to Stretan Angel at the weights.
TAB agreed, rating Stretan Angel at $15 and Climbing Star at $18 in its early Goodwood market.
“I thought Climbing Star had the edge over the other one but with the weights and everything, and before the barriers, I’m actually going to lean towards Stretan Angel,” Stokes said.
Originally published as Trainer Phillip Stakes chasing a maiden Goodwood success with Climbing Star and Stretan Angel
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