There is an old saying of keeping your horses in the worst company and yourself in the best.
To date it has worked well for Enver Jusufovic and his mare New York Lustre, who to date has won five of her eight career starts.
But the time has come for Jusufovic to take a leap of faith with New York Lustre who will run for the first time in a Stakes race on Saturday in the Group 3 Sir John Monash Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield.
New York Lustre’s first bid at a Stakes race was a non-event when she was scratched at the barrier from the Proud Miss Stakes at Morphettville in May.
“It was a debacle there behind the barriers,” Jusufovic told RSN.
“There was a 14-minute delay. She stood there for about 10 minutes, and the Darwin horse (Dakota Lee) went off.
“She was two stalls away, but they didn’t get her out and she got kicked about six times.
“I understand why she was scratched, but she didn’t seem to take any ill-effect from it.
“She had a week off after that, went into pre-training and hopefully she’s fit enough (for Saturday).”
New York Lustre has not raced since winning a benchmark 78 grade race at Moonee Valley in April.
Jusufovic said he would have liked to have given the mare a jump-out in preparation for Saturday’s return but was reluctant to trial her on the synthetic surface at Cranbourne.
Instead, New York Lustre had a gallop on the grass at Cranbourne on Tuesday morning with race rider Jamie Melham in the saddle.
“She does excel first-up,” Jusufovic said.
“In an ideal world, I would have liked to have jumped her out, but they had them on the Poly this last Monday, which is probably not the ideal surface for her, so I opted to gallop her instead.
“It is a little bit of unchartered territory (on Saturday), but she looks well, and it was a good hit-out (on Tuesday).
“She had a good blow, and she’s very bright.”
Jusufovic said he was hoping to snare some Black Type as the breeding barn will soon be calling for New York Lustre who is raced by the mare’s breeder Mike Howard.
He said the mare had been well-placed through the later part of her career, winning her last five starts.
“She was learning to race and has been able to get that confidence and that winning feeling,” Jusufovic said.
“She’s certainly a winner, she knows where the line is, but the key has been the placement and it’s important now for Mike Howard to get some Black Type with her.
“She’s five, rising six, and Mike is an avid breeder and seller.”
