Racing
Astral Flame wins Kirin Ichiban Trophy: Post Race Trainer and Jockey Quotes
Trainer and jockey quotes following the Kirin Ichiban Trophy won by Astral Flame at Flemington on Saturday.
Race Result:1st: Astral Flame (Enver Jusufovic/Lachlan Neindorf) - $52nd: Ahha Ahha (Clinton McDonald/Jamie Melham) - $3.20F
3rd: Mometz (Peter Moody & Katherine Coleman/Luke Cartwright) - $9.50
Winning Time: 1:35.26 Last 600m: N/A
Margins: ¾L x 3¾L
Flemington Race 4 | Astral Flame
Astral flame dictates affairs & bolts clear to win the fourth race at Flemington comfortably
Ch. 78/68, Foxtel 529, Kayo or via our app
REPLAYS: https://t.co/ZIa4a02wC0 pic.twitter.com/SKD5GEaXWx
— Racing.com (@Racing) February 28, 2026
Winning Trainer: Enver Jusufovic (rep by Jess Hopkins)
Where was Enver: "It is the last day at Cranbourne Golf Club today before it closes so he wasn't missing that."
"Lachie just rates her so well and rates her so well. He went for home at the right stage and made sure he had them off the bit early.
"It wasn't an easy watch even though the straight is very long once they go past the mounting yard here."
"Lachie has always had a high opinion of her and it was good to see her go back-to-back and show some consistency.
"When she's out in front and running along, she's tough and gets them off the bit early."
Winning Jockey: Lachlan Neindorf
"She's magnificent. You see this horse at trackwork and even her jump outs. The stride that she possesses is phenomenal.
"She's always shown a turn-of-foot in trackwork and in jump outs. I know this horse so well now and you just need to find a happy medium with her and today she was able to bounce in front on a big track, she was happy to find a rhythm and when she found that rhythm I was just a passenger.
"From the 500 (metre mark) she quickened up that superbly that I knew it would take a good one to run her down."
His own good form at the moment: "I'm just really happy. I've got great people around me and I've got a great partner. Fantastic family members and my form man James is a really good mate of mine.
"I'm just in a really good headspace. Loving every minute of it and the success. EJ, I'd classify him as a mate even from when I was an apprentice.
"To have a good week with him means the world to me and I think he's out there playing golf. I think he deserves a beer."
