Saturday's Irwin Stakes looms as a pivotal moment in the career of classy South Australian Instant Celebrity.
The Phillip Stokes-trained mare will launch her campaign aimed at a second Sangster Stakes victory, but lingering in the back of the dual Adelaide Cup winning trainer’s mind is her battles with injury.
“If she doesn’t perform Saturday, I’ll probably retire her,’’ Stokes said on RSN.
Instant Celebrity hasn’t raced since a disappointing spring campaign but has trialled smartly ahead of her return to racing.
“She’s had soundness issues,’’ Stokes said.
“We’ve had to do surgery on both knees, we’ve had to bring her along slowly,’’ he said.
The stable has Snow Falcon on debut early in the day in the same colours for owner Trevor Robertson and Stokes has a high opinion of the daughter of Lonhro.
“I think she’ll be very competitive and run in a stakes race in time,’’ Stokes said.
