Kiwi Breds Head Strong Waller Hand in Queensland Derby

Media Release - Thursday May 25

Trainer Chris Waller has a stranglehold on Saturday’s Gr.1 Queensland Derby (2400m) with a two-pronged attack, headed by $1.70 favourite Kovalica and impressive last-start winner Special Swey ($9.50).

A son of Ocean Park, Kovalica has long been set for the A$1 million feature.

Kovalica is primed for the Queensland Derby - image Grant Peters

The winner of five of his eight starts, Kovalica won the Gr.2 Queensland Guineas (1600m) two starts back but missed his intended target of the Gr.3 Rough Habit Plate (2000m) a fortnight ago due to a foot abscess.   

Raced by proud Queenslander Neville Morgan and David Devine, Kovalica was quick to bounce back from the setback and caught the eye when third in last week’s Gr.1 Doomben Cup (2000m) behind Huetor and Numerian.

“Kovalica is an exciting horse who announced himself in the late Spring, going on to win a Grand Prix (Gr.3) at Eagle Farm over 2100m which is obviously a good test early in the season for a three-year-old, so from that moment on he has always been set for the race,” Waller said.

“There was a slight bump in the road two weeks ago when he missed the run in the Rough Habit, but Brett Killion and his team have done a fantastic job to get things back on track.

“Kovalica’s run last Saturday in the Doomben Cup had plenty of merit coming from well back thanks to a nice ride from James Orman. We certainly saw him attack the line and that will bring on his fitness to the levels required to run the Derby distance on Saturday.

“He has come through the run well. He looks fantastic and has drawn to get the perfect run (barrier 5).

“I am pleased I ran him in the Doomben Cup, otherwise I would have questioned his fitness levels, but we can now go into the race confident that we have a very fit horse in what will be a tough staying test.”

While Kovalica was scratched from the Rough Habit plate, newly-arrived Kiwi import Special Swey proved a more than able back-up, looping the field and injecting pace into the contest to ultimately outstay his rivals and flag his staying credentials in his first start for Waller.

Advertisement

“Special Swey is a talented horse,” Waller said.

“His owner Tony Muollo brought him to my attention when he won his maiden in New Zealand. I love the way he won that maiden at Matamata. He did a lot of work during the early and mid-stages of the race yet still showed good acceleration.

“He replicated that in the Rough Habit two weeks ago. I was pleasantly surprised when he arrived in my stable after travelling over from New Zealand, he was in great condition and his trainer Stephen Ralph has done a fantastic job with him.

“He will take improvement from the (Rough Habit) run, and he is thriving in the Queensland warmth.

“He has drawn a tricky gate (barrier 17) but that shouldn’t really worry, given his style of racing.

“He is a tough horse and I would expect him to stay the 2400m journey really well. He is obviously by Sweynesse who could be an underrated stallion with a superstar already in Hong Kong so hopefully he can fly the flag in Queensland on Saturday as well.”

Gr.1 South Australian Derby runner-up Promises Kept ($7) is the only other single figure runner in the capacity 18-horse field.

New Zealand bred horses have won the past two editions of the Queensland Derby (Pinarello and Kukeracha) and make up seven of the 18 runners this year. – NZ Racing Desk

Advertisment
More Reading...
G1 Plan for Kiwi Sprinter Niance
Six-year-old mare Niance will kick off a new campaign when she lines up in the Gr.1 Moir Stakes (1000m) at The Valley on Saturday week.
Stars on Show at Caulfield Spring Opener
The 2025 Victorian Spring Racing Carnival officially bursts out of the gates this Saturday with the Stow Storage Caulfield Spring Opener, headlined by the first Group 1 of the season, the $750,000 Stow Storage Memsie Stakes.
Hello Youmzain Filly Chasing More Stakes Success
Hello Youmzain (Fr) filly Platinum Diamond will put her undefeated Heavy track record on the line when she heads to Wanganui on Saturday to contest the Listed HS Dyke Wanganui Guineas (1200m).
Breeding to Win - 2025 G1 Memsie Stakes
The big guns step out and spring is on in earnest when the Memsie (1400m WFA) rolls around and what a cracking field we have in 2025 for the first G1 of the Southern spring with 11 runners and 10 are G1 winners!
Up and Coming Well Named - So Who Are These Guys?
The $250,000 Group III ATC Up and Coming Stakes (1300m) at Rosehill on Saturday is a race well named with a field of eight colts and geldings set to line up and while none are stakes-winners yet, one of them will be after the weekend.
Sir Stanley Goosman’s Impact on the National Yearling Sale
Karaka 2026 will mark the 100th National Yearling Sale in New Zealand, and a prominent buyer during the history of the Sale was Stanley Goosman (later Sir Stanley).  He was a key player at the Sale during the World War II era, and headed the list of winning owners in New Zealand on 10 occasions.
Promising Winner and a Star on the Rise
One of the bargain priced sires on the Newgate Farm roster, Cosmic Force has never lacked for company covering 100 plus books of mares in each of his five seasons at stud so far totalling nearly 700 mares.
Sires With Winners - Friday August 29
Here is the full list of 38 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Via Sistina Honoured at NSW Horse of the Year
One of the greatest seasons of all time has secured Via Sistina the TAB NSW Champion Horse of the Year award. The Chris Waller-trained mare was recognised at Racing’s Night of Champions for her outstanding performance in 2024/2025 which included equalling Winx’s record of seven Group 1s in a single season.
Sires With Winners - Wednesday August 27
Here is the full list of 42 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.