Cranbourne trainer Enver Jusufovic would love nothing more than to win his hometown Cup but believes the chances of Pinstriped have been lessened with an inside draw.
A Group 1 winner of the Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield at the start of the spring, Pinstriped will jump from barrier one in the Listed Cranbourne Cup (1600m) on Saturday.
Pinstriped drew barrier two in Wednesday’s barrier draw, but Steparty, which came up with gate one, has already been withdrawn.
“It’s a race that’s been around for years, and you’ve got to have the right type of horse in it, and I’ve got the right horse, but he’s got a lot of weight,” Jusufovic said.
“It’ll be a big effort if he can win it and I would have preferred him drawing a little bit wider, but it is what it is.
“Hopefully Ben (Allen) can give him plenty of room when it’s time to press the button.”
Jusufovic said Pinstriped enters Saturday’s race in superb condition.
The trainer took Pinstriped away from the Cranbourne Training Centre on Tuesday for a gallop at the racecourse, a workout that pleased the Jusufovic.
Pinstriped has been plagued by back niggles throughout his career, but Jusufovic said the gelding was free of any ailments for the moment.
And Jusufovic was pleased with the gelding’s effort in the Group 1 Champions Mile (1600m) at Flemington on November 9 when seventh to Mr Brightside.
“He did all the hard work three week,” Jusufovic said.
“He was probably the only horse in the race that was going to struggle being out there.
“I don’t know if anyone else could have won being three wide that day, off a tempo where they didn’t go overly quick and then to get squeezed out at the 300 (metres) and still come again, I thought it was a very good effort.
“It’s a big impost, 61 kilos, but he’s won a Group 1, so it’s going to be interesting, giving horses like Globe seven kilos, so hopefully we don’t get too far back, and we have a bit of luck.
“He is the class horse of the race and he’s a big horse. He’s nice and strong.
“I’ve got him where I want him. He’s super fit, but it won’t be easy but anyway, we’re in there with a chance.”