Michael Cahill goes with Araldo Junior

The prospect of a soft track has persuaded Michael Cahill to ride former German galloper Araldo Junior who is looking to give trainer Mike Moroney a third win in the Queensland Cup.

The Sunshine Coast track has had a lot of rain in recent weeks and was rated a soft six on the eve of Saturday’s 3200m-race.

Cahill has had a good season riding for David Vandyke who has Emerald City in the Cup.

“Emerald City has been racing well but he really needs to be on top of the ground to be at his best,” Cahill said.

“Araldo Junior has won on good and soft tracks so it seemed the right way to go.

“His trainer Michael Moroney is a very good judge of where to place his stayers and he has won the Cup previously.”

Araldo Junior has done most of his racing in Melbourne since coming from Germany where he won three races from 2200m to 2800m.

Originally considered a spring Cups horse, Araldo Junior has won twice for Moroney in Australia but has been below Group One class.

The Queensland Cup is one of the few 3200m-races remaining in Australia and Moroney has had it pencilled in for some time.

Moroney, who won the 2000 Melbourne Cup with Brew, claimed the Queensland Cup with Mr Impatience in 2015 and Tinsel Town in 2011.

Araldo Junior is a half-brother to the Moroney-trained Araldo who had to be euthanised after breaking his leg in a freak accident on his return to scale after his seventh in the 2014 Melbourne Cup.

With Cahill’s decision to ride Aralado Junior, Vandyke has booked Tegan Harrison for Emerald City.