Queensland Derby - 2400m, Eagle Farm R7
The Queensland Derby sits somewhere below the VRC Derby at Flemington and the ATC Derby at Randwick in the pecking order of Derby races in this country. It’s been a while since the winner of the race has consistently made much of an impression of an older horse, with Mr Quickie the most recent to have won it and gone on to Group 1 glory later in their career.
The 2002 winner, Country Tyrone, became an absolute warhorse and went on to run in six Sydney Cup’s, winning one of them and running second in two others.
Chris Waller’s Kovalica has a stranglehold on this year’s Derby as an odds-on favourite, and what sort of career he might go on to have will hopefully unfold in the coming seasons.
Dating back to November last year, he has raced six times between 1600m-2100m for five wins – his only miss was last week when running third in the Doomben Cup behind Huetor and Numerian, beating home multiple Group 1 winners like Duais and Zaaki.
Being by a Cox Plate winner out of a Mafki mare, Kovalica is bred to excel at 1600-2000m, but his apparent class, which was on display when winning the Queensland Guineas five weeks ago, should see him able to handle 2400m against his own age without a problem. From barrier five, James McDonald gets to sit where he likes, and will no doubt look to be off the rail four or five pairs back.
The key lead-up to the Derby is the Rough Habit Plate, a race that Kovalica missed due to a foot abscess that healed quickly enough for him to take his place in the Doomben Cup.
Kovalica’s stablemate Special Swey won the Rough Habit, thanks to a daring ride by Tyler Schiller who asserted himself on the race from the halfway mark. It was a strong win.
The Vowels ran well in both the Guineas behind Kovalica and the Rough Habit behind Special Swey, beaten just over a length both times. He ties the two races together nicely. Kovalica was posted three wide with no cover in the Guineas, yet still kept coming strongly to the line, but The Vowels is a good horse and will keep chasing all the way.
It’s hard to see one of the aforementioned three not being the first home of the horses that have been running in the Queensland lead-ups.
Promises Kept and Aberfeldie Boy filled the placings in the SA Derby two weeks ago, in what was a messy race. Promises Kept tried to do it all the way but got collared by Dunkel late, is handled by Maher & Eustace which is clearly a plus, and doesn’t lack for fitness or form. Aberfeldie Boy is a proper stayer, also proven when third in the VRC Derby in the spring, but he does appear to lack the touch of class needed to win one of these.
Of those at bigger odds, Andalus looks to have strong claims based on his close-up second to Sharp ‘n’ Smart in the NZ Derby two starts back. We can forgive any horse on the bog track in the ATC Derby, where he ran 7th, but eight weeks between runs is a big ask, even with two trials in-between. He’s been up for a long time.
Fame comes up from Melbourne for Peter Moody having had two big wins over very ordinary horses, and will be an interesting watch. The Snowden’s are a stable in form, and have The Englishman, who they have a nice opinion of, at bolters odds.
Selections: 1.Kovalica 2.Andalus 3.Promises Kept 4.Special Swey
KOVALICA
WIN
* Odds Correct At Time Of Posting. Check Playup Website For Latest Odds
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