Kovalica to relish Doomben Cup trip

[Wandering Eyes]

The anniversary of Kovalica’s (NZ) (Ocean Park) biggest success comes up in the next week and Chris Waller is hoping to celebrate the milestone with another Brisbane Group One win.

The four-year-old son of Ocean Park will chase his first win since last year’s Gr.1 Queensland Derby (2400m) when he steps out in this Saturday’s A$1 million Gr.1 Doomben Cup (2000m) at Doomben.

Kovalica won the 2400-metre Derby on May 27 last year but had his next seven starts between 1300m and 1600m, the best of which was a narrow second placing in the Gr.1 Epsom Handicap (1600m).

He finished ninth in the Gr.1 Doncaster Mile (1600m) early last month before getting out to 2000m in the Gr.1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m), in which he finished fifth, ahead of a last-start third placing in the Gr.2 Hollindale Stakes (1800m).

Waller is comfortable with the team’s decision to chase the big-money races for milers with Kovalica, but he is now keen to give him his chance out over a little further.

“After the Derby last year, we decided to go the shorter route and he just missed in an Epsom – he was nosed out and run second – then went to the Golden Eagle and things didn’t work out,” Waller said.

“So, he’s now back into the swing of things over 2000 metres and hopefully it’s onto The Q22 after that (Doomben Cup).

“He’s never had an issue, he’s got no soreness, he’s got no major problems, he just needs a bit of distance.”

Kovalica is pre-post favourite for the Doomben Cup from Huetor.

The field for the Doomben Cup will be finalised after the barrier draw takes place on Tuesday morning.

Bred by Nearco Stud, Kovalica was purchased out of Curraghmore’s 2021 New Zealand Bloodstock Yearling Sale draft for $110,000 by Guy Mulcaster.

Kovalica is out of the winning Makfi mare Vitesse, a half-sister to triple Group One winning sprinter The Bostonian.

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