Cover image courtesy of Racing Photos
Four-year-old mare Climbing Star (Zoustar) will be offered through the Widden Stud draft at the 2025 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale in May. Before that, connections have one final racetrack goal in mind - defending her title in the G1 Robert Sangster Stakes at Morphettville at the end of April.
Climbing Star’s win in last year’s edition was anything but soft. The field included some of the most talked-about fillies and mares of the season - Learning to Fly (Justify {USA}), Benedetta (Hellbent), I Am Me (I Am Invincible), Stretan Angel (Harry Angel), Estriella (I Am Invincible) and Zapateo (Brazen Beau).
In September, she went within half a length of I Wish I Win (NZ) (Savabeel) in the Manikato Stakes, beating home Veight (Grunt) and Jimmysstar (Per Incanto {USA}) in the process.
Climbing Star as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Originally secured by Phillip Stokes for $600,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Climbing Star impressed early on physical type - described by Stokes as a standout from the moment he saw her. The appeal ran deeper than looks: her half-brother Sansom (Charm Spirit {Ire}) was a familiar face in the stable, earning nine wins and over $560,000 in prize money.
Meanwhile, Climbing Star's dam, the winning Fastnet Rock mare Bryony, is a sister to Group 1 winner Heroic Valour and half sister to Doncaster winner Triple Honour (Honours List).
“She just had that look about her,” said Stokes. “And knowing the family, I had confidence she’d develop into a tough, fast type.”
“She (Climbing Star) just had that look about her, And knowing the family, I had confidence she’d develop into a tough, fast type.” - Phillip Stokes
That intuition proved correct. Climbing Star won on debut, then stepped straight into stakes company for her second start - a measure of the faith the stable had in her.
“She ran in some Stakes races as a younger horse but wasn’t quite ready for them, but she came into her own,” Stokes said.
Climbing Star is one of several high-end entries in Widden’s 2025 National Broodmare Sale draft. She’ll be joined by Drifting (Zousain), a multiple Group Three winner, and Lazzago (Capitalist), a two-year-old Group Two winner in foal to Zoustar.
Climbing Star winning the G1 Robert Sangster Stakes | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
“Having been raised and sold by Widden as a yearling it is a thrill to be able to sell her for a second time, now as a Group 1 winner,” said Widden’s Antony Thompson.
“Climbing Star was a standout on the farm since the day she was born and she is now a magnificent mare that epitomises all of Zoustar's qualities.”
“Climbing Star was a standout on the farm since the day she was born and she is now a magnificent mare that epitomises all of Zoustar's qualities.” - Anthony Thompson
Zoustar has had 39 starters for 19 winners as a broodmare sire, highlighted by Group 3 winner Holmes A Court (Capitalist).
