Trainer Enver Jusufovic is preparing his Group 1 winner Pinstriped for a return to racing at Caulfield, with a trial scheduled at Cranbourne on Monday ahead of his Group 1 CF Orr Stakes (1400m) debut on Saturday.

The trial, set for 7am, will give Jusufovic the final chance to assess the gelding’s condition before his first race back. “He’s heading to the Orr Stakes first-up,” Jusufovic confirmed. “His two jump-outs have been quite good, and he’s on target, but I’ll trial him on Monday and that will be his final gallop ahead of the Orr Stakes.”

Pinstriped delivered Jusufovic his most significant victory last August with a win in the Group 1 Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield. However, he has battled ongoing back issues throughout his career, with a break following a sixth-place finish in the Listed Cranbourne Cup (1600m) in November.

“His back has been great this time in, and the way he’s going, he should be in for a good prep,” Jusufovic said.

Ben Allen will partner Pinstriped in the Monday trial, but a decision on who will ride him in the Group 1 race is yet to be made.

In other news, Jusufovic is also aiming for the Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning (1000m) at Flemington on February 15 with Philosopher. The gelding returned to winning form last week at Sandown, claiming victory in the Listed W J Adams Stakes (1000m).

“He’s very fit, he pulled up great, and he’s going super,” Jusufovic said. “He nearly broke the track record the other day, and I think he’s better suited at Flemington as opposed to Caulfield.”

Philosopher has thrived on spacious tracks like Geelong and Sandown, and Jusufovic is keen to see how he handles Flemington. “You don’t know until you try,” he said. “Because they’re quick, you just think they’ll scoot around, but when you put them under pressure, it can find them out. That’s why big tracks suit him.”