The dominant 5.5l Moe debut winner will now get the chance to earn his stripes when he takes on G1 Blue Diamond S. fourth placegetter Finance Tycoon (Written Tycoon) and a host of more experienced rivals on resumption at Moonee Valley on Saturday.
“He (Pinstriped) potentially could be the best horse I have ever had, it’s a big word but from what he has shown so far it’s a possibility,” Jusufovic told TDN AusNZ.
“This fella is right up there with O’Malley, who was potentially a Group 1 horse but unfortunately had knee issues and Lindhout, who was potentially a Group 2 and 3 mare.”
“This fella (Pinstriped) is right up there with O’Malley, who was potentially a Group 1 horse but unfortunately had knee issues and Lindhout, who was potentially a Group 2 and 3 mare.” - Enver Jusufovic
Jusufovic, who is known for his patient approach and meticulous placement, hasn’t bucked that trend, saying Pinstriped has earned the right not to work through the benchmark system.
The Cranbourne-based horseman holds some concern about the 3-year-old's winning credentials first-up over 1200 metres despite describing his galloper as a more furnished product this time in.
He said Pinstriped will realise his full potential when getting over further distances and that March’s G1 Australian Guineas is the logical target if he measures up and comes through Saturday's run in good order.
Enver Jusufovic
“I’m surprised about the price (favourite), I thought Archie Alexander’s horse (Danny Street Darci) would be favourite followed by Finance Tycoon then us but he’s a really progressive horse who is heading towards bigger races,” Jusufovic said.
“Michael Dee (jockey) has a big opinion of the horse and thinks he can go a fair way, but this is a big step up in grade and he has to do it on the track.”
Patience paying off
Jusufovic knows a thing or two about playing the long game, having bred VRC Leilani Series Final H. winner Lindhout (Time For War), who sadly passed away in November last year after just eight career starts.
Lindhout, winner of the 2021 TCL Leilani Series Final
With the cost of yearlings reaching extraordinary heights in recent years Jusufovic has turned his attention to the weanling markets.
And as a result, he walked away with Pinstriped from the draft of Noorilim Park for $80,000 in partnership with Gary Mudgway Bloodstock at the 2019 Magic Millions National Weanling Sale.
“I didn’t think he’d grow as big as he did, but he was very athletic and had a beautiful action, he was also nice and tidy and had good length. I thought he was a standout,” Jusufovic said.
“I didn’t think he’d (Pinstriped) grow as big as he did, but he was very athletic and had a beautiful action, he was also nice and tidy and had good length. I thought he was a standout.” - Enver Jusufovic
“I targeted the weanling sales as it’s getting quite difficult to purchase a horse from the yearling sales as the trainers and syndicators are getting bigger and more involved.”
Pinstriped’s dam Snitzel Blitz (Snitzel), herself a juvenile winner is a sibling to the G2 Moonee Valley Fillies' Classic-placed Moreau and a half-sister to the dam of progressive Grahame Begg-trained filly Niccolite (Nicconi), who was beaten 1.2l in last October’s Listed Crockett S. at Moonee Valley.
Pinstriped
Snitzel Blitz’s grandam Phantom Creek (GB) (Mr Prospector {USA}) is responsible for Indian stakes winner Circle Of Bliss (Ind) (Singspiel {Ire}), herself the dam of two stakes winners. Multiple French stakes winners also feature in this pedigree.
Pinstriped arriving on time
Pinstriped prevailing on Saturday would cap off a week to remember for Peter and Glen Carrick’s Noorilim Park after the Arcadia-based operation had homebred juvenile Miss Roseiano (Exceed And Excel) take out the G3 Blue Diamond Preview (Fillies) at Caulfield on Wednesday.
While Pinstriped was bred by a client of Noorilim, the success of its graduates has come at the right time, with the farm preparing a draft of 20 horses for the upcoming Inglis Premier Sale, which is to be held at Oaklands Junction from February 27 to March 1.
Glen Carrick is confident the farms draft will be well received by the market, saying they have plenty of nice types that will suit a diverse buying bench, most notably Lot 433, a filly by Impending, who is a half-sister to their Listed-winning, dual Group-placed 3-year-old Crystal Bound (Not A Single Doubt).
Glen and Peter Carrick | Image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
Inglis Premier will mark the first group of yearlings prepared for Sale by the farm's Operations Manager Chris Kent, who replaced Sherah Sullivan upon her departure in May last year after an extended stint at Blue Gum Farm.
“It’s very beneficial to have nice horses continuing to come through our drafts, particularly these city and stakes class types and we’re starting to see a lot more of that now,” Carrick told TDN AusNZ.
“Chris (Kent) is doing a great job and we have also been investing a lot in our property and facilities over the past few years, sending our mares to better more proven stallions and the (racetrack) results are showing that.”
Special mare reaping the rewards
The aforementioned Miss Roseiano, a daughter of the Carrick’s Listed-placed Special Lover (NZ) (Pins), currently has a ‘cracking’ half-sister by I Am Invincible on the ground, according to Carrick.
Miss Roseiano, winner of the G3 Blue Diamond Preview (Fillies) | Image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
He said the foal is a ‘lovely’ type and that Special Lover failed to get into foal for the third time in six years after being covered by Snitzel in the final week of November last year.
“Special Lover slips every second year; I don’t know whether it’s a good or bad thing but it’s definitely looking after her because she’s doing the job every year when she does produce one,” Carrick said.
“We will probably go back to Snitzel or Exceed And Excel this season. He (Exceed) is probably my all-time favourite and when we did the mating for Miss Roseiano, I just wanted to put that speed into her (Special Lover) and also because True Excelsior (Special Lover’s half-sister) is by him.”
“Special Lover slips every second year; I don’t know whether it’s a good or bad thing because it’s definitely looking after her because she’s doing the job every year when she does produce one.” - Glen Carrick
A $300,000 purchase by The Osher Group in partnership with Team Gelagotis and James Bester at last year's Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale, Miss Roseiano hails from an enriched family, with Special Lover a half-sister to three stakes placegetters.
Special Lover’s G1 Railway H.-winning grandam Diamond Lover (Sticks And Stones), is responsible for G1 Australian Derby hero Don Eduardo (NZ), dual Group 1 winner Tristalove (NZ) (Sir Tristram {Ire}), herself the dam of G1 Spring Champion S. winner Viking Ruler (Danehill {USA}).
