Fresh off a treble on Cranbourne Cup Day, jockey Beau Mertens will be looking to parlay that success into another feature win at Caulfield.
Mertens won the Cranbourne Cup aboard Sabaj for the Mick Price and Michael Jnr stable last Saturday while this week he is likely to partner Kovalica in the Group 2 Zipping Classic (2400m) at Caulfield.
The Chris Waller-trained Kovalica was taken to Caulfield on Tuesday morning for his first look at the track ahead of Saturday’s contest.
“He worked nice this morning,” Mertens said.
“He worked over 1400 (metres), a nice last two (furlongs, 400m) on the bridle. I gave him a little squeeze up at the top of the straight and I thought he went nicely under hand through the line.
“He seemed to get around Caulfield alright, and he seems in good form.
“I’m looking forward to Saturday.”
Mertens said the Waller stable had booked him for two rides in the Zipping on Saturday but assumes he will be aboard Kovalica on Saturday following Tuesday morning’s gallop.
“I hope it’s him because he seems to be going pretty well,” Mertens said.
Mertens does not ride regularly for the Waller stable but is happy to help out when called upon.
He partnered the Waller-trained River Of Stars into second place in the Caulfield Cup and into fourth spot in the Melbourne Cup in two of the spring majors.
“I’ve had a bit of luck with him,” Mertens said.
“I don’t do a lot for him, but I’ll come in a do some gallops.
“I’ll always be there for him, and he supported me with rides in the Melbourne and Caulfield Cup this year and I’ve had some success for him.
“Having three winners on Saturday didn’t do any harm and he’s got a lot of horses here and in Sydney and any time that you do get on they’re usually good horses well prepared and can head to a race and win.
“It’s a good stable to be a part of.”
Mertens said he was riding with confidence having registered seven winners in the past week.
He said Saturday’s treble was satisfying.
“It was very big.,” Mertens said.
“A city treble, albeit at Cranbourne, it’s still on the board.
“To win a race like the Cranbourne Cup, I grew up there during my apprenticeship with Michael Kent and to ride it for Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr, it was fantastic.
“They’ve been big supporters of mine throughout my career and it does a lot for the confidence as well and hopefully we can build on that and keep going strong for the rest of the year.”
