Pinstriped delivers on early promise to hand Jusufovic dream result in Memsie
The son of Street Boss hands trainer a much-deserved first Group 1
It wasn’t quite Dandy Andy crashing the Bonecrusher- Vo Rogue party, but for match race spoilers the emotional and long overdue major victory of Pinstriped (Street Boss) in Saturday’s Memsie Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m) will live long in the memory.
Melbourne’s traditional first top tier race of the spring was of course hyped as a two-horse battle between seasoned Group 1 scorers Pride Of Jenni (Pride Of Dubai) and Mr Brightside (Bullbars).
The two seven-year-olds met five times last season, with Pride Of Jenni winning thrice and Mr Brightside once. This first-up rematch arrived with a promotion akin to a boxing match, minus the stare-down of the weigh-in. The MRC printed two versions of its racebook – one with the mare on the cover, the other with the gelding. He started a $2.50 favourite, if somewhat easy, while she tightened late to $2.90.
In the end, they ran second and fifth in a two-horse race, as Pinstriped – who blew from $11 to $14 – powered down the outside to win a stirring battle with Mr Brightside, grabbing victory by 0.4 lengths. Mr Brightside’s Team Hayes stablemate Gentleman Roy (So You Think) was third, for his second Group 1 placing.
While many “match races” often don’t fit the description, the most famous modern example was the battler Dandy Andy (Three Legs) running home to take the 1988 Australian Cup (Gr 1, 2000m), beating into the minors the pair who supposedly had the event to themselves, Vo Rogue (Ivor Prince) and Bonecrusher (Pag Asa).
While Pinstriped’s success on Saturday doesn’t quite match that magnitude – Dandy Andy blew from 33-1 to start 125-1 in an eight horse field – it contained some similarities.
The Memsie also comprised an eight horse field, surely the size that would allow the two main hopes room to duke it out down the straight.
And just as Dandy Andy came from the small rural stable of Jim Cerchi, Pinstriped brought a rare scene-stealing day for popular Cranbourne trainer Enver Jusufovic, who has some 40 horses on his books, is known for his love of the equally battling St Kilda AFL club, and had never won a Group 1 in 26 years in the game.
Little wonder Jusufovic became emotional as Pinstriped – bearing his stable’s St Kilda themed colours of red, white and black – returned to scale bearing young jockey Ben Allen, himself celebrating only his second top tier success.
The six-year-old gelding was bought by Jusufovic in conjunction with Gary Mudgway Bloodstock for just $80,000 from the Noorilim Park draft Magic Millions National Weanling Sale of 2019.
Jusufovic revealed he had told connections they could on-sell their colt as a yearling for twice his price. But while he could have been pinhooked, they instead named him Pinstriped, and he’s now won them $1.69 million.
He’s also finally converted his great early promise – wins in his first three starts and a Group 2 and a Group 3 victory – plus five fruitless attempts at Group 1, into a top-tier success.
“It’s just a lot of relief,” Jusufovic told Racing.com, reflecting on his introduction to the industry as a racetrack newspaper seller from the hard streets of Melbourne’s west.
“Footscray boy, selling Heralds at Flemington – here I am. We’ll be off to the pub tonight, I think.
“A big thank you to a lot of people, especially Gary Mudgway. I can’t afford to buy expensive yearlings. It was the first time I’d purchased a weanling and I suggested to the crew if you wait five months you’ve got a $160,000 yearling.
“So, he’s one of the most expensive horses in my stable, would you believe.”
Amid blustery conditions, the Memsie was a tale of contrasting preparations, with the big two resuming and Pinstriped second-up, after a close second over the same course in the PB Lawrence Stakes (Gr 2, 1400m) two weeks previously.
While Pride Of Jenni adopted her usual front-running role, Allen settled Pinstriped beautifully in fifth, one off the fence and trailing Mr Brightside.
Pride Of Jenni’s run ended uncharacteristically abruptly early in the straight as Mr Brightside took the lead at the 200 metres, but he ultimately didn’t have the armoury to fend off the rival to his right.
“I was really disappointed that he laid in quite badly last start,” Jusufovic said of Pinstriped. “I tried a tongue tie on him every day last week, and then in his final gallop on Tuesday he didn’t impress me, so I decided not to change anything.
“Ben [Allen] and I had a plan, with this wind today. I said we’d just ride the horse the way he should be ridden, and when you go for your run give him a little bit more extra room so there’s no buffeting. If a horse knocks him or has a tussle with him, he tends to forget about going forward and wants to get into a scuffle.”
Jusufovic said a tilt at another top-level event – the Makybe Diva Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) on September 14 – was now on Pinstriped’s horizon, while the six-year-old may also attempt to reprise his previous best win in the Feehan Stakes (Gr 2, 1600m) on September 27.
Allen said the race had gone according to the script of “following Mr Brightside everywhere”.
“This horse has been absolutely flying – he arguably should’ve won his last start. There’s a lot of doubters because he lays in quite badly and he still does a bit,” said Allen, who was quick with a hug for his trainer.
“EJ (Enver Jusufovic) deserves it. He’s such a hard worker. Big shout out to the owners and EJ for letting me stick with him.”
Pinstriped is the second and best of five foals – three of whom have raced – for Snitzel Blitz (Snitzel), a Ballarat maiden winner from seven starts. Those were humble beginnings, but on the back of Pinstriped’s form her Capitalist (Written Tycoon) colt fetched a handsome $450,000 when sold at Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale this year, from the Glenbeigh Farm draft, to Hong Kong trainer Ricky Yiu.
Snitzel Blitz missed on a return to Street Boss (Street Cry), and a cover from Zoustar (Northern Meteor) in 2022. Now 13, she tried and failed again with Street Boss last year, before a November cover from Pierata (Pierro).
Pinstriped’s win was timely for former Darley sire Street Boss, who now has seven winners for the season from 45 runners, and one very welcome stakes victor.
Despite being beaten, jockey Craig Williams still commended Mr Brightside.
“I was rapt,” Williams said. “He’s in for a really good preparation. He didn’t win today, but he gave me a lovely ride, gave himself every chance and was prepared well enough for today first-up. He will improve with racing. I think the difference is, the winner had the run under his belt.”
Declan Bates was left looking for positives about the run of Pride Of Jenni, who was beaten 5.65 lengths, but he at least found some.
“Obviously, we were hoping for better than that, but I think going forward the real positive will be stepping up in trip,” he said.
“It wasn’t quite what we were hoping for. Today, to me, she raced like a horse that’s a genuine mile, 2000–metre horse.”