Imported galloper Araldo is likely to be kept back another week despite being nominated for a race at Moonee Valley on Saturday.
Trainer Mike Moroney was forced to withdraw him from a 1600m handicap at Caulfield on Saturday won impressively by another import, Pakal, due to a foot abscess.
Moroney said the abscess had burst but the entire’s hoof was still a little tender.
“Hopefully from tomorrow on he’ll be back working,” Moroney said.
Araldo is nominated for the 1500m Open handicap on Saturday but Moroney said the son of High Chaparral would more than likely make his Australian debut in the Listed Heatherlie Handicap (1700m) at Caulfield on August 31.
The Melbourne Cup-winning trainer more than one reason to target the Heatherlie.
“That would give him a look around Caulfield which we want him to do,” Moroney said, with a view to hopefully getting him to the Caulfield Cup.
The trainer said the Naturalism Stakes (2000m) was also on the radar, with the winner of that race exempt from ballot for the Caulfield Cup.
Araldo has won three of his seven starts including a 2800m Listed race in Germany where he was also Group One placed over 2400m.
“He’s a lovely horse,” Moroney said.
“We bought him for both Cups. His best form is at a mile-and-a half and always looked as if he’d run a bit further.”
While Araldo is unlikely to run at Moonee Valley, prominent owner Lloyd Williams could unveil two of his imports in the race with Thought Worthy and Massiyn nominated to make their Australian debuts.
Thought Worthy has been seen in two exhibition gallops in the past two weeks.
Massiyn, last year’s Irish St Leger runner-up, also had an exhibition gallop at Caulfield on Saturday.
The Williams-owned Excluded could join his new stablemates in the 1500m race which he won last year.
