Whether it is Craig Williams picking his mark, or Enver Jusufovic knowing when to engage the top hoop, the in-form rider/trainer duo certainly knows when to team up.
They were back in the winner’s stall last Saturday at Flemington thanks to Mytemptation, which was Williams’ first ride for Jusufovic in 2025.
That unbeaten gelding’s win made it six wins in a row for Williams aboard Jusufovic-trained gallopers.
Williams will be looking to make it seven when he rides Mixxit in the $250,000 Country Mile Series Final that rounds out Saturday’s Caulfield card.
Two wins aboard that gelding late in 2024, another three on Mytemptation and a victory on Proved at Moonee Valley on December 6 are Williams’ only rides on Jusufovic-trained gallopers since July 2022 and he is happy to be in the fold at a stable with a 26.4 percent strike-rate this season.
“‘EJ’ has a great strike-rate, so I guess if you’re going to do strike-rates with any jockey with ‘EJ’, you’re going to find that they’re going to have a pretty good strike-rate,” Williams said.
“I’ve just got on the horses at the right time. I really like them, I’ve been part a bit of their development and I know a couple that I’ve been riding, they’ve got really nice futures in them.”
Williams’ latest six engagements for Jusufovic are among 18 career rides for the Cranbourne trainer, which have produced seven wins at a strike-rate of 38.9%.
Brian Park, with six wins from 19 rides, owns the next-best strike-rate for Jusufovic at 31.9% while Ben Allen, who has had more rides (152) and wins (28) for Jusufovic than any other jockey, is batting at 18.4%, while Carleen Hefel is 26 from 134 at 19.4%.
Craig Newitt, Luke Cartwright and Glen Boss are other riders who have ridden at least four winners for Jusufovic that have a strike-rate of better than 20%.
Williams and Mixxit, a four-year-old son of Sioux Nation, drew barrier 16 in the Country Mile Series Final but will start from gate 12 if the emergencies are not required.
