Former Star 3YO Finds Queensland Mojo Again

Kovalica returned to the winner's circle in stirring style on Saturday, powering home in a dramatic three-way finish to land the $1.2 million Gr2 HKJC World Pool Q22 (2200m) at Eagle Farm. The Ocean Park gelding, who had been a standout 3YO during the Queensland Winter Carnival two years ago with wins in the Gr1 Queensland Derby (2400m) and Gr2 Queensland Guineas (1600m), ended a frustrating two-year winless stretch. Despite not saluting the judge in 20 starts since his Derby triumph, Kovalica had remained a constant presence in elite company, finishing runner-up in the Gr1 Epsom Handicap and Gr2 Hill Stakes, third in the Doomben Cup, Tramway and both of the last two Hollindale Stakes, fourth again in the Epsom, and posting commendable finishes in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes, King Charles III Stakes and Cox Plate. Saturday's breakthrough came in classic Kovalica style – detached early at the back of the eight-runner field, he gradually improved into the race before unleashing down the widest path in the straight. As New Endeavour and Fawkner Park looked set to fight it out inside the final 300 metres, Kovalica surged late on the outside, reeling them in to prevail by a short half-head. "It was a long ride back to scale, making sure that I'd got there," said winning jockey Nash Rawiller. "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 victory took the 5YO's record to 30 starts for seven wins and eight placings, with earnings of $4.18 million for owners Neville Morgan and David Devine. Trainer Chris Waller, who has stood by the gelding throughout his lengthy winless patch, was pleased to see the perseverance rewarded. "It took the length of the Eagle Farm straight to get there," he 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." Bred by Nearco Stud, Kovalica was offered through Curraghmore's 2021 Karaka Book 1 draft, fetching $110,000 to the bid of Mulcaster Bloodstock. He is out of the Makfi mare Vitesse, a half-sister to Gr1 winner The Bostonian and Gr3 winner Cheval D'Or.

Kovalica won the lucrative Q22 (pic: Grant Peters Photography)