Enver Jusufovic aiming for elusive Group 1 with Pinstriped in Memsie Stakes at Caulfield

Trainer Enver Jusufovic has Pinstriped primed for the Group 1 Memsie Stakes but his stable star has a bad habit to kick if he’s to beat Pride Of Jenni and Mr Brightside.

Pinstriped has a tendency to lay in which could cost his victory in the Group 1 Memsie Stakes on Saturday. Picture: Scott Barbour/Racing Photos

Pinstriped is primed for Saturday’s Group 1 Memsie Stakes, but trainer Enver Jusufovic remains bemused over the gelding’s troublesome laying in issue over the concluding stages of races.

The smart son of Street Boss resumed in the PB Lawrence Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on August 17, finishing a close second behind Gentleman Roy.

• ‘This is his grand final’: Gentleman to become brute in Memsie

Jusufovic is assured that Pinstriped has come back better for a tilt at an elusive Group 1 win.

His stable gun will take on superstar gallopers Pride Of Jenni and Mr Brightside over the 1400m at Caulfield on Saturday.

“He’s pulled up really well, he’s fitter for the run. Obviously it’s against a couple of horses that had a terrific autumn and spring, but you never know what can happen on the day,” Jusufovic said.

“I’ve got him as good (as ever), if not better, he looks great, he’s really filled out that big body of his, his action is great, the only thing I can’t rectify at this stage is the laying in – other than that I can’t fault the horse.”

Pinstriped earns a one-way ticket into the Cox Plate 🙌@[e-mail]/HKVBFD8G1P

— Racing.com (@Racing) September 9, 2023

It’s an unwelcome habit that Jusufovic is desperate to shake, and the gelding’s waywardness late proved costly first-up.

“I watched it from the 200m, I thought he was going to go straight past the winner, but his habit of laying in … I’m of the opinion that it cost him the race, but you’ve got to do everything right, don’t you?” he said.

“I’ve tried everything, he tends to do it more when there’s not much give in the track, on a rain-affected track he seems to go a lot straighter.

“Obviously I’m hoping for a bit of rain, you wouldn’t know with Melbourne weather whether it’s coming or not, they are forecasting a bit on Friday, hopefully it’s more than they forecast.”

• Caulfield's changed but Duric hasn't ahead of Memsie

With Saturday’s run to paint a picture, Jusufovic may defend the gelding’s crown in the Group 2 Feehan Stakes (1600m) at The Valley on September 27, while another crack at the Group 1 Toorak Handicap (1600m) at Caulfield also looms on October 12.

“He does excel at The Valley, he loves The Valley,” Jusufovic said.

“The programming this year is more suitable to horses racing over a mile, there’s no real big gaps in between as there was last year.

“It just depends on how he performs in the Memsie, whether I go to the Makybe Diva (Stakes) or just wait for the Feehan – it depends on his performance.”

Ben Allen will pilot Pinstriped in Saturday’s Memsie Stakes. He is an $11 chance with TAB fixed odds.

Originally published as Enver Jusufovic aiming for elusive Group 1 with Pinstriped in Memsie Stakes at Caulfield