Kovalica on target for ‘strong crack’ at Epsom

A week after saying goodbye to his retiring stable weapon Nature Strip, Waller will welcome back one of his stable’s brightest young stars at Rosehill Gardens this Saturday.Kovalica has made a huge impression in a short time on the track with six wins and two placings from nine starts with none bigger than his Queensland Derby triumph at Eagle Farm in May.CLICK HERE FOR THE THEO MARKS SECTIONALS TOOLSWaller is keen to aim high again this spring ahead of the smart son of Ocean Park’s return in Saturday’s Group 2 Theo Marks Stakes (1300m) at Rosehill Gardens.“I like a horse with winning strike rates and they win when they are over short distances, long distances or wide draws or things like that and that’s Kovalica if you look at his runs,” Waller said.“He is by Ocean Park and I think they just keep improving at four and I just don’t think he is a 2400m horse, I think he is a bit sharper than that.“That’s why we are having a pretty strong crack at the Epsom second-up and where he heads to from there I don’t know but it would be nice to see him finishing off on Saturday.“He’s got a big weight, a tricky draw but as long as he is finishing off we will be rapt.”Kovalica has drifted from $4.60 to $6 with TAB for his return with Kerrin McEvoy set to ride. He won’t be Waller’s only Group 1 winner in the Theo Marks with Thousand Guineas victor Madame Pommery ($6.50) also set to line up.Madame Pommery ($6.50) made a super return from a break when narrowly missing behind subsequent Group 2 Tramway Stakes winner Pericles in the Spring Preview. “It was a bob of the head and the form has been franked with Pericles coming out and winning last weekend,” Waller said.“She gets the good draw again. It’s a suitable race against the boys as it was last start but she only needs to repeat her last start run and she is right in the finish.”Waterford ($11) could provide Waller with a Theo Marks trump card after being given an extended break and a gelding operation after failing to beat a runner home in the Doncaster Prelude. “We want to see a good run from him, he's got a lovely weight, a good jockey and a good draw so he will be right in it,” Waller said.“Where we head to I don’t know if he is an Epsom, Big Dance or Five Diamonds-type horse.”Gun mare Zougotcha and dual Group 1 gun Militarize were scratched from the Theo Marks to run in the Group 2 Sheraco Stakes (1200m) and Group 2 Run To The Rose (1200m) respectively. Zougotcha ($11) will look to bounce back from a sixth first-up in the Group 3 Toy Show Quality (1100m). “I thought we just got the distance wrong. “I don’t think she slowed down or didn’t finish the race off, she just couldn’t go at that 1100m tempo. “It is only another 100m but the 1200m tempo seems to be completely different to 1100m, especially from barrier four with similar weight to her rivals where as last start she drew the outside, got back and sprinted home.”Zougotcha makes up a three-pronged attack in the up a three-pronged attack in the Sheraco alongside Group 1 winners Atishu ($51) and Espiona ($19), which will both be kicking off their preparations. “Atishu has never won over 1200m and I wouldn't expect her too but she has three placings from three starts,” Waller said.“She has done a great job, was impressive in the autumn and it will be a good starting point for her.“Espiona has been ready to go for a couple of weeks. We had her down in Melbourne last week and she drew wide so we kept her at home.“Nash (Rawiller) has had a couple of trials on her and he is pretty happy with her. We will see how she finishes off.”Following the scratchings of Kandinsky Abstract and Congregation, star colt Militarize ($15) will be joined by Chrysoar ($41) in the Run To The Rose.“Militarize is a very good horse, there is no doubting that but it would be hard (for him to win) because you are giving away about four kilos to some horses in the race,” Waller added.Tannhauser ($19), Congregation ($26), Cap Ferrat ($81) and Ashfall ($11) are all entered in the Group 3 Ming Dynasty Quality (1400m). Via news.com.au — Australia’s leading news site https://www.news.com.au