In recent seasons, Pinstriped has been a mainstay of the late winter weight-for-age races.
But with an extended break following his spring campaign last year, Pinstriped will attempt to get a fitness edge on his spring rivals when he runs first-up in the Sportsbet Fixed Odds Exotics Handicap (1400m) at Caulfield on Saturday.
In the past three years, trainer Enver Jusufovic has kick started the spring campaign of Pinstriped in next month’s Group 2 P B Lawrence Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield.
Jusufovic is again planning to head to that race in which he has finished second twice before running seventh last year, but the Cranbourne-based horseman wanted to get a run into the gelding this time around.
Pinstriped has not raced since finishing fifth in the Supernova (1400m) at Pakenham in December but has two jump-outs under the belt in preparation for Saturday.
Jusufovic gave Pinstriped an extended break after last year’s spring after he felt the gelding was not performing at his best.
“Physically, I thought he was in great shape, he just didn’t really come up,” Jusufovic said.
“He was hesitant to go into the barriers on most occasions and then slow out and was getting that pair further back than you would have liked.
“I made the effort to give him a long break. He had a good four months, and I thought I would work him a little bit different this time, more from a sprinting mould and he’s come back really nice and bright.
“His action is good, his back is brilliant, I couldn’t be happier with it, and you see him rolling all-the-time now.
“He does a lot of dressage and is leading on his right leg and he’s done so much of it, he could go to a show.”
Pinstriped suffers from ‘kissing spine’ and Jusufovic has resorted to dressage with the gelding rather than go down the surgical path.
Jusufovic said the dressage work is like gym work for humans as it builds up the hind quarter of horses.
“With dressage, you are getting them to use their body properly,” Jusufovic said.
“He’s using his hind quarter which builds them up, so it is a bit similar to gym work where you do the exercises properly to build those areas.”
Jusufovic has not mapped out anything beyond the P B Lawrence, preferring to see how Pinstriped performs on Saturday and then second-up.
“Lachie Neindorf trialled him last week and was of the opinion to keep him on the fresh side and he suggested 1400 (metres) first-up,” Jusufovic said.
“This race came up and while he’s got 62 kilos, he’s a big horse and can carry it.
“He probably deserves the weight and it’s a good time to kick him off, nice and early, and after this run, he can have a week off.
“He can go to the P B Lawrence but after that, nothing’s set in concrete and it all depends on each performance, keep him fresh, rather than go two weeks, two weeks, two weeks.
“It appears there’s a bit more depth in the Group 1 ranks this year, so we can pick what we want to do.
“Hopefully I don’t have the same prep I had with him last time, otherwise there might not be another prep with him.”
