Trainer Phillip Stokes had hoped to follow the same race path that proved so successful last year for Climbing Star in the lead-up to her Group 1 Sangster Stakes win.

Last season, Climbing Star launched her campaign by winning the Listed Matrice Stakes (1200m), followed by a third-place finish in the Group 3 R N Irwin Stakes (1100m), before winning the Sangster Stakes (1200m) at Morphettville—handing jockey Lachlan Neindorf his maiden Group 1 triumph.

This year, Stokes planned a similar build-up but had to alter course due to a minor setback. Instead, Climbing Star will go directly into the Irwin Stakes on Saturday, serving as her only lead-up before the Sangster Stakes in two weeks’ time.

The mare is also likely to contest The Goodwood, a 1200m Group 1 event at Morphettville, where she placed third last year.

Climbing Star signaled her return to form with a strong jump-out win at Pakenham on March 25, following an unproductive spring campaign featuring three unplaced efforts, including two 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.”

She has drawn barrier 10 in a field of 11 for Saturday’s Irwin Stakes.

Stokes believes the mare is better suited to racing in the autumn and is hopeful she can sign off her career with another big win before heading to the broodmare sale in May.

“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.