Returning to the old stamping ground, Phillip Stokes put a stake down ahead of the coming Adelaide autumn carnival with a double at Morphettville last Saturday. 
A native of Marree in the north of SA, Stokes won three Adelaide training premierships from his Morphettville stables before relocating to Pakenham, south east of Melbourne.
Combining with local hoop Lachlan Neindorf for both last Saturday’s wins, Stokes opened his account when first-starter All Woke ($16) won the two-year-olds’ benchmark 68 handicap over 1050 metres. 
A $160,000 purchase by All Too Hard from So You Think mare Think Out Loud All Woke showed plenty of promise coming from midfield for a narrow win over $3.50 second favourite Pure Aqua.
The Stokes/Neindorf combination completed the double with Climbing Star in the listed Matrice Stakes over 1200 metres.
A Group 3 runner-up to veteran Buffalo River in her last campaign, the lightly raced four-year-old landed some good bets first up, backed from as much as $10 to start $5.50 second favourite.
A half-sister by Zoustar to dual Group 3 winner Sansom, Climbing Star is likely to head toward the Group 1 Robert Sangster Stakes over the same course on April 27.
The day’s other listed winner also hailed from Pakenham, with the Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman-trained last-start maiden winner Quickster ($2.40 favourite) taking the listed Clare Lindop Stakes over 1600 metres for three-year-old fillies. 
The Shamus Award filly was well placed throughout under Will Price.
Maggie masterful at the Mount
Apprentice Margaret Collett was the star as three female riders shared all eight winners at last Friday’s Mount Gambier Gold Cup fixture. 
Collett and fellow apprentice Jordyn Weatherley rode a treble apiece while Stacey Metcalfe had a double. 
Collett’s main winner was the Peter Hardacre-trained Thrill Kill ($7), who scored a three-quarter-length win in the Mount Gambier Gold Cup (2050m). 
Collett’s first and second winners were prepared by her partner, Murray Bridge trainer Justin Pickering — Hot Flush ($19) in a 1200-metre maiden plate and All Beans ($3.60) in the Volcano Sprint (1200m).
The promising Weatherley brought up the first leg of her treble when the Tom Dabernig-trained Kikusui took out a maiden plate of 900 metres. She followed up with the Luke Willliams-trained Honour The Skills ($20) in 0-58 company over 2050 metres and the Wayne Walters-trained Drink Then Kiss ($6) in the benchmark 58 over 1400 metres.
Metcalfe brought up a running double on the Bob and Kane Post-trained Getonit ($16) in 0 -56 grade over 1200 metres and the Sue and Jason Jaensch-trained Victory Bandit ($51) in the 1550-metre Blue Lake Handicap. 
The Jaensches made it two wins in 20 hours when Missile Star ($15) provided apprentice Alice Lindsay with her first city winner at Morphettville.
Brewster’s breakthrough
Congratulations to apprentice Polly Brewster on riding her first winner last Saturday, combining with her co-masters Richard and Chantelle Jolly to take out the Streaky Bay Cup (1800m), heat seven of the  Bill Holland Series, on Shakespeare ($3).
Apprentices won all six races at the Bay, with Ivy Lam landing a treble and Jade Doyle a double.
Farewell, JR
Deepest sympathy to the Russell family on the death of one of Australia’s greatest racecallers, John Russell.