Pinstriped, ridden by Michael Dee, wins the VOBIS Gold Carat (Image: Racing Photos)
Unbeaten Street Boss three-year-old Pinstriped is to make a late run for March’s Australian Guineas at Flemington after proving his quality with a soft win in a tough race at The Valley on Saturday.
The victory for jockey Michael Dee in the $175,000 VOBIS Gold Carat (1200m) at just his second start was perfectly timed as entries for the G1 Australian Guineas (1600m) on March 5 close on Monday.
Trainer Enver Jusufovic, who bought Pinstriped as a weanling for $80,000, said after the race the horse had more improvement to come and so deserved his chance at a big race.
"It’ll be interesting what Mick (Dee) says about it but I’ll have to put a nom in for the (Australian) Guineas after that," Jusufovic said.
Sportsbet trimmed Pinstriped’s Guineas price to $13 moments after Saturday’s win.
WATCH: Pinstriped wins VOBIS Gold Carat
Jusufovic would have been pleased with what Dee did have to say after the race.
“He’s improved a hell of a lot (since September)," the jockey said. "Prior to coming here today he’s a more relaxed horse, he’s taken everything in his stride and he’s matured.
“He has strengthened up and he still won that race on raw ability.
"It was a pretty smart race and for him to do that at only his second start, the feel that he gave me today was very good and he’s still got plenty of improvement to come.”
Well supported on the back of his 5.5-length debut win at Moe, Pinstriped started the $3 favourite and after making his run with Danni’s St Darci ($5.50) got the better of that horse to win by half a length with Finance Tycoon ($3.90) a length and a quarter away in third.
Finance Tycoon proved he had returned successfully from a throat operation that curtailed his spring campaign. Caught three-wide the trip, he found the front on turning for home before Pinstriped and Danni’s St Darci swooped after enjoying the drop on him.