Trainer Mike Moroney is hoping that there is plenty of speed in the 2014 Caulfield Cup field to give Araldo the best possible chance of overcoming his poor barrier draw.
Araldo finished third behind Junoob and Opinion in the 2014 The Metropolitan leading into the Caulfield Cup. Photo by: Steve Hart
Araldo only received a start in the Caulfield Cup following the withdrawals of Gris Caro and Dandino yesterday, but his good luck in making the field did not extend to the barrier draw earlier in the week and he will jump from barrier 14.
Moroney told Racing Ahead this morning that Araldo will be forced to settle towards the tail of the field in the early stages of the Caulfield Cup, but is hoping that the High Chaparral can replicate his performance from the Group 1 The Metropolitan (2400m) at Royal Randwick on October 4 where he ran on strongly to finish third behind Junoob and Opinion.
“Again it is a horror draw, which is disappointing because I would just like to see him draw a gate,” Moroney said.
“He hasn’t really gotten any gate speed, so I really think we are going to have to go back a bit and he will be reliant on speed on.
“The question mark there would be Caulfield because he doesn’t have as good a form around Caulfield, but it has been over shorter trips and he gets to his right trip for the first time around Caulfield.
“That will be the interesting thing.”
Leading Hong Kong-based jockey Joao Moreira was originally named as the rider for Araldo after his mount Gris Caro was withdrawn, but the Brazilian hoop elected to not to make the trip to Australia and Craig Williams will instead take the ride.
Moroney said that the recent Caulfield Cup form of Williams is as good as any other rider in field, after he won the races with Southern Speed (2011) and Dunaden (2012) before finishing second with Dandino last year, and he is happy to have the leading Melbourne hoop on Araldo.
“I know that they were very keen to get Joao out because they have got the betting there in Hong Kong and he is a great attraction,” Moroney said.
“We would have loved to have him on, but he made the decision not to come out and we lose nothing by having Craig on.
“He is a form rider in the Caulfield Cup.”
Araldo is currently available at Caulfield Cup odds of $41 to give Moroney his first win in the race after finishing third with Monaco Consul in 2010.
