Jusufovic eyes South Australian stakes race after New York Lustre charges to fifth straight win

New York Lustre overcame tricky conditions at The Valley to extend her winning streak, and a stakes race interstate in next.

New York Lustre rounds up his rivals to extend his winning streak at The Valley on Saturday. Picture: Vince Caligiuri/Getty Images

Trainer Enver Jusufovic joked he didn’t like Adelaide water but the City of Churches would be New York Lustre’s next stop after posting her fifth straight win on Saturday.

New York Lustre booked a shot at a stakes race after she overcame the difficult conditions to maintain her winning run at her first appearance since a Sandown success on February 1.

• PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet’s team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW!

The rising six-year-old relished a class drop when winning the FRS FIRE Services Handicap (1000m) but is set to jump to Group 3 level in the Proud Miss Stakes (1200m) on May 10.

“She’ll go to Adelaide I believe,” Jusufovic said.

“(Owner) Mike Howard is a breeder and an investor in this industry so to get a bit of black type with her is very important for his cause and his business.

“We might venture over there.

“I don’t really like the water over there, I prefer to stay here but if there’s a bit of give in the track, it will be good.”

Matt Hill's best, New York Lustre, gets the chocolates for jockey Carleen Hefel!@jusufovicracingpic.twitter.com/aYaAAaFxQe

— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) April 26, 2025

Carleen Hefel took over from Jamie Melham, who had ridden New York Lustre in two Cranbourne jumpouts leading up to her racing return, but had little to worry about from the halfway point of the $130,000 race.

New York Lustre comfortably held her opposition in the straight before notching her fifth win from eight starts by three-quarters of a length.

“She was a bit tardy out of the barriers and can be a bit restless in there but the way the race panned out, Carleen got her into a really good position,” Jusufovic said.

“I thought probably from the 600 onwards, she was probably the one to beat.

“Hopefully I get a good report from Carleen and there’s no issue and she pulls up well.”

The Manhattan Rain mare has not been beaten since finishing second in a maiden at Benalla in January last year.

A jubilant Carleen Hefel after winning aboard New York Lustre. Picture: Reg Ryan/Racing Photos via Getty Images

Jusufovic said New York Lustre had taken time to develop but added he was unsure where her ability would take the sprinter.

New York Lustre is one of two mares in Jusufovic’s stable to be on five-win streaks along with Proved, whom he sent for a spell after her win at Sandown on March 25.

“She’s taken a long time,” Jusufovic said.

“She’s been in the stable for a few preps and had no idea about the game plan.

“I don’t know what the ceiling is with this mare at the moment.

“To string together five in a row, her and another horse have done it this prep, but I’m hoping for bigger and better things with her.”

â–  â–  â–  â–  â– 

Elouyou’s win an easy watch for nervous trainer

Pre-race jitters gave way to an easy watch for young trainer Scott Cameron at The Valley.

Cameron carried the hopes of favourite backers, who had supported his charge Elouyou to score again at The Valley in Saturday’s Manhari Handicap (1200m).

Elouyou won at $12 at his previous run at the track on March 22 but jumped as a well-backed $1.70 favourite as many punters expected the son of So You Think to lead the small field early.

The race didn’t pan out that way with early pressure on his inside causing jockey Fred Kersley to ease Elouyou to race behind the leaders, but the result was the same.

Elouyou had the leaders covered on the home turn before strolling to an easy win, taking his impressive record to five wins and six minor placings from 12 starts.

Elouyou confirms his short price to win the second at The Valley! pic.twitter.com/h9j1scaABK

— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) April 26, 2025

“Coming into it, it was a bit nerve-racking having a $1.60 or $1.70 pop in but I had confidence in the horse and Fred,” the Flemington-based Cameron said.

“We came here thinking a few were going to try and put a bit of pressure on us but he’s not a one trick pony.

“He had the right run and he was just a bit too good for them.”

Kersley said Elouyou improved on his last win in his latest success.

“He gave me a better feel today,” Kersley said.

“It wasn’t the be-all-and-end-all to lead but last start, we had the track pattern and bias in our favour.

“What I loved about today’s effort was that I was able to go to Plan B and he raced tractably.

“It felt like I was on the winner from a long way out so it must have been a good watch.”

Cameron said the weather would determine Elouyou’s next assignment.

“He’s just a really good wet tracker. He’s good on top of the ground but he pulls up better after running on a soft track,” Cameron said.

“We’ve just got to keep an eye on the weather.

“There is a Benchmark 100 in two weeks at Caulfield but it all depends on what the weather is doing.”

Originally published as Jusufovic eyes South Australian stakes race after New York Lustre charges to fifth straight win