Melbourne trainer Mike Moroney has no Caulfield Cup or Melbourne Cup ambitions for Araldo Junior even though the German import put in a tremendous staying performance to win last Saturday’s Listed $150,000 Queensland Cup over 3200m at the Sunshine Coast.

Araldo Junior, above, will be aimed at the Victorian Country Cups in the Spring. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.

Araldo Junior, above, will be aimed at the Victorian Country Cups in the Spring. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.

Moroney said that Araldo Junior will bypass the major Spring Carnival staying races and concentrate on the Victorian Country Cups circuit instead.

“I don’t think he’s up to a Caulfield Cup but some of those country Cups here in the spring look nice races for him,” Moroney told Racing Queensland News.

Aralado Junior had been struggling to find any form in the early part of his latest preparation in Victoria but turned that around when Moroney switch him to his Sydney stable as he eyed off a start in the Queensland Cup.

The six year’s first run in Sydney resulted in a fifth to Supply And Demand in the $100,000 Kensei Handicap (2000m) at Rosehill on July 17 followed by a fifth to Gallic Chieftain in the Listed $125,000 ATC Winter Cup (2400m) a fortnight later at Rosehill again.

“We sent him to Sydney looking for wet tracks and he ran two good races there in the Kensei and Winter Cup,” Moroney said.

“Since he went to Sydney he has turned his form around.

“I liked the way he got to the line when he ran fifth in the Winter Cup so we decided to have a go at the Queensland Cup.

“He had a few feet problems early in his career and he likes a bit of give in the ground.”

Top Brisbane jockey Michael Cahill gave Araldo Junior the run of the race and settled him in fifth and sixth position in the fifteen horse Queensland Cup field.

Cahill started to move forward at the 600m and had Araldo Junior in the clear at the top of the straight and with an uninterrupted run to the line raced away to secure a two and three quarter lengths win over the $2.90 favourite My Diamantine with Pop ‘N’ Scotch ($14) recording his fourth placing in the Queensland Cup in finishing third.

Araldo Junior took his prizemoney earnings to just over the $280,000 mark with his win in the Queensland Cup which was his sixth victory from twenty-three starts.

About The Author

Mark Mazzaglia

Mark is a passionate journalist with a life-time involvement in the racing industry. He spent many years as an analyst and form expert at the Courier Mail and also has hands-on experience working with some of Queensland’s top trainers.