Latest news with #Enver Jusufovic
News.com.au
21-07-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Trainer Enver Jusufovic out to cap his best ever season with a win in Bletchingly Stakes at Caulfield
Cranbourne trainer Enver Jusufovic could cap the best season of his career with another feature win in Saturday's Group 3 Bletchingly Stakes at Caulfield. Jusufovic enjoyed his maiden Group 1 triumph when Pinstriped saluted in the Memsie Stakes early in the season while he has also posted personal best win and prizemoney tallies along with achieving a superb 24 per cent winning strike rate. The trainer said his results were especially pleasing given the fact he does not have high-priced yearlings in his stable. 'The horses I've got, none of them are fashionably bred so I'm happy with the way they have performed to their best,' Jusufovic said. New York Lustre has been one of Jusufovic's biggest improvers, starting the season with only a Seymour maiden win to her name but reeled off four straight wins before running second at her first crack at Group racing in the Sir John Monash Stakes. Jusfuvoic said the mare had come a long way since she finished third on debut in a Stony Creek maiden on debut in December 2023. 'If you said to me, when I took her to Stony Creek for her first run, that this horse is a Group horse, whatever you were drinking, I'd want some,' Jusufovic said. 'It's hard to get a guide at that stage because they're still learning and still physically maturing. 'It's like a jigsaw puzzle, you slowly put the pieces together and give them every opportunity to mature and learn to race. 'Then you can assess their truest ability.' • Griffiths Racing mourns Moonee Valley legend Dandy Kid Jusufovic said New York Lustre had simply matured physically and mentally to become one of Melbourne's most promising sprinters. He said the five-year-old would be harder to beat in the Bletchingly Stakes with the aid of fitness gained from her Monash Stakes placing with top jockey Jamie Melham in the saddle. 'Jamie was of the opinion that she might have peaked on her run with 100(m) to go but she still toughed it out,' Jusufovic said. 'That's the type of mare she is. 'She's got a will to win and she won't lay down.' She knows how to win! ðŸ'¥ New York Lustre makes it 5 wins on the trot for @jusufovicracing 🗽 — (@Racing) April 26, 2025 • O'Brien star's Curragh romp shakes up Melbourne Cup market Jusufovic conceded New York Lustre's rating of 92 meant she was disadvantaged at weight-for-age against higher-rated opposition but said the Manhattan Rain mare would stand up to the challenge. 'She's come through really well from the Sir John Monash where she was quite underdone going into that race without a jumpout so she'll improve immensely from that,' Jusufovic said. 'She'll have a gallop on the grass at Cranbourne on Tuesday and she'll certainly strip fitter from that first-up run and we look forward to seeing what she can do on Saturday. 'On weights and measures, she's not really that well placed but, at her age and with her form, if you think there's upside, it's certainly worth a try to win black type for her breeding purposes.'
News.com.au
11-07-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
New York Lustre returns for Group 3 Monash Stakes after ‘farcical' barrier drama
New York Lustre looms as an X-factor in the Group 3 Sir John Monash Stakes (1100m) on Saturday. The progressive five-year-old mare, trained by Enver Jusufovic, last raced in late April and missed an opportunity in Group 3 company, scratched at the barriers before the Proud Miss Stakes in Adelaide. New York Lustre was kicked multiple times standing in the barrier, as runners around her in the stalls reacted to a fractious horse nearby. • 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! Fortunately, lightly-raced New York Lustre, a five-time winner from eight starts, escaped unscathed. New York Lustre has been freshened up to target the Monash and while Jusufovic preferred to trial in preparation, the five-year-old mare completed a solid gallop at Cranbourne last Tuesday. Star jockey Jamie Melham has ridden New York Lustre to victory twice previously and partnered the mare in the Cranbourne pipe-opener. New York Lustre is $9 for the Sir John Monash Stakes from Sydney raider In Flight ($2.70), Cleo Cat ($5), Kallos ($6) and Recommendation ($8.50), who bolted in the race last year. Jusufovic said fresh legs could be a force or factor on Saturday with New York Lustre potentially a bit vulnerable late. 'She might be a little bit underdone, but she might not be either,' Jusufovic said. 'She's been extremely well placed (winning) benchmark races. 'She's entitled to try and go to that next step now. 'Normally I get a good gauge in a jumpout, as to how they're going, this is a little bit different but she's nice and bright, and I'm hoping there's a bit of residual fitness and she's good to go.' Cleo Cat, trained by Tom Dabernig, won the Proud Miss coincidently and Jusufovic fancied New York Lustre on the day before the 'farcical' barrier incident. New York Lustre was forced to stand in her barrier for about 10 minutes as attendants worked on the fractious eventual non-starter. Cleo Cat has trained on to place second her past two starts at Caulfield and Flemington respectively. Jusufovic has sights on a promising spring campaign with Group 1-winner Pinstriped set to return in the Group 2 PB Lawrence Stakes (1400m) next month at Caulfield. Jusufovic has also been pleased with up and comers Proved and Mytemptation. 'I'm happy with Pinstriped,' Jusufovic said. 'He's ahead of schedule … I've been able to take my time with him. 'Proved has come back into work, she's put on weight and looks great. 'Mytemptation, I think he can develop into a really nice horse. 'I've got a few there I'm hopeful can measure up to spring races.'
