2023 Queensland Derby Hero Kovalica Triumphs in Q22 Thriller

Media Release - Saturday June 14

Kovalica made a welcome return to winning form when he prevailed in a pulsating three-horse finish to the A$1.2 million Gr.2 HKJC World Pool Q22 (2200m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

Kovalica in blue and white did best in a thriller - image Grant Courtney

The Kiwi-bred son of Ocean Park was the standout three-year-old of the Queensland Winter Carnival two years ago, winning the Gr.1 Queensland Derby (2400m) and Gr.2 Queensland Guineas (1600m) and placing against older horses at weight-for-age in the Gr.1 Doomben Cup (2000m).

Kovalica went winless in 20 starts through the two years after that Derby success, but regularly performed with credit against elite opposition. He ran second in the Gr.1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) and Gr.2 Hill Stakes (1900m), third in the Doomben Cup, Gr.2 Tramway Stakes (1400m) and two editions of the Gr.2 Hollindale Stakes (1800m), fourth in the Epsom Handicap, fifth in the Gr.1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) and Gr.1 King Charles III Stakes (1600m), and sixth in the Gr.1 Cox Plate (2040m).

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Saturday was finally the five-year-old’s day. Kovalica spent most of the race at the tail of the eight-horse field, but improved his position coming up to the home turn and came widest of all into the straight.

Kovalica gets there on the line - image Grant Courtney

New Endeavour and Fawkner Park kicked away at the 300m mark to fight it out, but Kovalica was steadily gaining ground on them down the outside. It developed into a three-way shootout to the finish line, which Kovalica won by a short half-head.

“It was a long ride back to scale, making sure that I’d got there,” jockey Nash Rawiller said. “What a horse he’s been. We made a call during the week – as late as Tuesday morning – to put the blinkers on today. You could tell in the run that he was going to do something. He’s so strong. I thought he’d keep going, even though he pulled a bit in the race.”

The Chris Waller-trained Kovalica has now had 30 starts for seven wins, eight placings and A$4.18 million in prizemoney for owners Neville Morgan and David Devine.

“It took the length of the Eagle Farm straight to get there,” Waller said. “First win for a couple of years, but we haven’t lost faith in him and he’s been a good horse without winning. He’s been working to something good.

“He might win his next race again this time next year, if not two years. He’ll be back to Queensland.”

Kovalica was bred by Nearco Stud and was offered in Curraghmore’s 2021 Karaka Book 1 Yearling Sale draft, where he was purchased by Mulcaster Bloodstock for $110,000, Kovalica is out of the Makfi mare Vitesse, a half-sister to triple Group One winner The Bostonian and Group Three winner Cheval D’Or. – NZ Racing Desk.

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Race Result - HKJC World Pool Q22 Gr2 2200m

Eagle Farm Track: Good(3) Time: 2:15.44
1
Kovalica
- 5g Ocean Park (NZ) x Vitesse (NZ) (Makfi (GB))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: N Rawiller 59
2
0.1
New Endeavour
- 5g New Bay (GB) x Moody Blue (IRE) (Invincible Spirit (IRE))
Tnr: G Waterhouse & A Bott Rdr: Tim Clark 59
3
0.1
Fawkner Park
- 6g Zoffany (IRE) x Za'hara (IRE) (Raven's Pass (USA))
Tnr: Annabel & Rob Archibald Rdr: Ethan Brown 59
4
2.6
Bois D'argent
- 8g Toronado (IRE) x Madonna Lily (IRE) (Daylami (IRE))
Tnr: Annabel & Rob Archibald Rdr: Ryan Maloney 59
5
3.7
Osipenko
- 5g Pierro (AUS) x Raskova (USA) (Henrythenavigator (USA))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: Tommy Berry 59
6
4.3
Militarize
- 4g Dundeel (NZ) x Amerindia (GB) (Dubawi (IRE))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: J B Mc Donald 59
7
7.5
Bankers Choice
- 7g Mongolian Khan (AUS) x Signorina (NZ) (Conatus (AUS))
Tnr: Ben, Will & Jd Hayes Rdr: M Zahra 59
8
9
Artful Girl
- 5m Under The Louvre (AUS) x Wazzala (AUS) (Elvstroem (AUS))
Tnr: K R Kemp Rdr: Cejay Graham 57
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