2024 Robert Sangster Stakes Results: Climbing Star Stuns in Local Upset

It was a fantastic local result for trainer Phillip Stokes and young hoop Lachlan Neindorf in Saturday’s 2024 Robert Sangster Stakes with the in-form Climbing Star saluting at a big price.

The four-year-old daughter of Zoustar hit her peak on Grand Final day after good lead-up runs winning the Listed Matrice Classic (1200m) and running second to Benedetta a fortnight back in the Group 3 RN Irwin Stakes (1100m).

She made a mess of the jump and so Neindorf was forced to abandon plans of going to the outside in the Group 1 $1 million Robert Sangster Stakes (1200m).

Instead, the jockey kept his cool going to the inside and staying back off the pace until the closing stages.

Once on the home straight Neindorf stuck to the rails and Climbing Star ($26) was able to save all the ground and fight off a late challenge by the fast finishing Learning To Fly.

Race favourite Estriella jumped well and showed tremendous early speed to take up front running from the likes of I Am Me and Zapateo, but they were found out late.

All eyes went to Annabel Neasham’s speedy Justify filly Learning To Fly, coming off a fourth to Tropical Squall in Sydney’s Group 1 Surround Stakes (1400m) on March 2, who hit another gear 150m out from the line.

She looked like she was going to steal the show, but Climbing Star dug deep and had the energy and will to win.

Learning To Fly snared a close second, while the winner’s last start conqueror Benedetta also finished off strongly to run third and complete the Robert Sangster Stakes trifecta.

“That was super,” winning trainer Stokes told Racing.com.

“I was watching the race and I thought hang on a second, what happened? We were meant to get her to the outside.

“No horse had been there (the inside) all day.

“Great for Lachie to get the win.”

Neindorf celebrated his maiden Group 1 success and was overcome with emotion after the race.

“It was a really good win. She stumbled at the start and I wanted to be a lot closer.

“Eventually, we got the favours and here we are!”

Stokes said the team would see how Climbing Star pulled up, but there was no firm plans to run in the Group 1 $1 million The Goodwood (1200m) on May 11.

“We got her to peak on the day today,” he said.

“She’s come of her own now. She’s coming of age and just starting to blossom now.

“They still haven’t seen the best of her.

“She’s got a great spring ahead of her I think.

“We’d want to be happy with her (to contest The Goodwood). We don’t have to do that.

“If she pulls up well, we’ll look at it.”

Platelet (2013) was the last runner to complete the Robert Sangster Stakes – The Goodwood double in the same year.

2024 Robert Sangster Stakes Results & Finishing Order

Finish	No.	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Margin	Bar.	Weight	Starting Price
1	7	CLIMBING STAR (NZ)	Phillip Stokes	Lachlan Neindorf		14	56.5kg	$26
2	13	LEARNING TO FLY	Annabel Neasham	Chad Schofield	0.3L	13	54.5kg	$10
3	4	BENEDETTA	Jason Warren	Daniel Stackhouse	0.4L	1	56.5kg	$9
4	2	I AM ME	Ciaron Maher	Blake Shinn	1.4L	2	56.5kg	$5
5	12	ESTRIELLA	Ciaron Maher	Mark Zahra	2.5L	11	54.5kg (cd 55kg)	$2.80F
6	14	STRETAN ANGEL	Phillip Stokes	Damian Lane	2.9L	10	54.5kg	$26
7	11	WALTZ ON BY	Peter G Moody & Katherine Coleman	Billy Egan	4.1L	8	56.5kg	$26
8	10	SNAPPED	Anthony & Sam Freedman	Todd Pannell	4.4L	7	56.5kg	$81
9	1	ZAPATEO	James Cummings	Ms Jamie Kah	4.5L	3	56.5kg	$8
10	9	WONDERFUL TONIGHT	Sam Mynott	Craig Williams	5L	12	56.5kg	$101
11	3	PASSIVE AGGRESSIVE	Grahame Begg	Jordan Childs	5.1L	6	56.5kg	$9
12	8	LEMPICKA	Ken & Kasey Keys	Blaike McDougall	6.9L	4	56.5kg	$81
13	6	SKEW WIFF (NZ)	Mark Walker	Michael Dee	6.9L	5	56.5kg	$81
14	5	ROOTS	Chris Waller	James McDonald	8L	9	56.5kg	$26