Kovalica set for spring honours following the Queensland Derby

By Jordan Gerrans

Buoyed by a strong effort against hardened Group 1 stayers in the Doomben Cup, the team behind Queensland Derby fancy Kovalica are planning big towards the spring in 2023.

The son of Ocean Park missed his planned lead-up run in the Rough Habit Plate with a minor foot abscess as he was scratched on the morning of the event earlier this month.

The up-and-coming gelding is owned by prominent Queensland businessmen and close mates Neville Morgan and David Devine.

The team opted to take the irregular path of the Doomben Cup leading into the Queensland Derby following the shock scratching but the impressive three-year-old was exactly that against the older stayers.

Kovalica was well back in the field over 2000 metres before closing strongly to finish just over a length behind winner Huetor, who claimed the race for the second straight year.

Morgan described the Group 1 Doomben Cup as a “measuring stick” for the Chris Waller-trained youngster's future ambitions.

The TAB believe Kovalica has the Group 1 Queensland Derby at his own mercy this Saturday – rated a $1.70 chance as of Thursday morning – in the 2400 metre feature.

While going to the Doomben Cup before dropping back to racing his own age group in the Derby is slightly unusual, Morgan thinks it paved the way for the remainder of 2023.

“I looked at the Doomben Cup as a measuring stick – not just for the Derby – but going forward to the bigger spring races,” Morgan said.

“Clearly we have ambitions for him to go a bit further and compete against the better class horses.

“The fact that he could run third to those hardened Group 1 horses and beat quite a few of them home.

“It proved to me that we have got something to look forward to in the Derby, as well as the spring.”

Leading Brisbane rider James Orman powered Kovalica up the fence in the Doomben Cup and thought he was going to nab the race at one stage.

"At the furlong, I thought I was going to win but those old and seasoned horses were just a bit too tough for him at the end," Orman told Racenet.

"He will be very hard to beat next week."

Champion hoop James McDonald has been booked for the ride of Kovalica on Saturday with Orman to take the seat on The Vowels, who is prepared by the Edmonds camp on the Gold Coast.

It was a stellar ride from McDonald that delivered Morgan the Queensland Derby title two years ago with Kukeracha.

Kukeracha started around the $11 mark when he won the Derby in 2021.

Morgan – who owns Kukeracha on his own – admits it is a much different feeling this year with Kovalica set to start as the red-hot favourite on Saturday.

“Kovalica has had a chequered campaign with his foot injury but his run in the Doomben Cup proved to us that he was back,” he said.

“Touch wood that the injury is not going impact him going forward.”

While Devine and Morgan have raced horses together for more than a decade, Devine missed out on the joy of Group 1 victories with Kolding and Kukeracha.

The Devine and Morgan journey started with Sizzling, who delivered the combination a Group 1 triumph, as well as other black-type features.

While Morgan has won elite level races himself since Sizzling, he has not been able to claim one with his old mate Devine.

Kovalica looms as their best chance yet.

“We bought Sizzling together and it was a lot more fun doing it with a mate than by yourself,” Devine said.

“That is how it started, with Sizzling.”

Morgan agreed.

“It has been fantastic,” Morgan said.

“We have a lot fun together and we socialise together, as well as the racing.”

Kovalica rising from 2000 to 2400 metres in the Derby should be no concern with the way he hit the line in the Doomben Cup, Devine thinks.

“With the way he finished, he is going to lap up the extra 400 metres,” Devine said.

“I am feeling pretty good about Saturday.”

The Q22 – to be raced at Group 2 level on Stradbroke Handicap day – has been floated as an option for the emerging gelding following the Derby.

But, Morgan thinks the stayer will be put away and readied for a spring campaign if he was to claim Group 1 glory on Saturday.

“If he comes out and wins the Derby, then I think he would have done his job,” Morgan said.

“Then, we can concentrate where we go to in the spring.”