French import ready to strike in 2024 Railway Stakes

It is a case of trying to strike while the iron is hot with Light Infantry Man for Ciaron Maher.

The French import has been in Australia since the start of last spring, but it took until earlier this month for the six-year-old to record his first Australian placing.

That was a decisive win in the 1600-metre Chester Manifold Stakes at Flemington, which prompted Maher to lock in a trip to Perth for the $1.5 million Group 1 Railway Stakes, which will be run at Ascot this Saturday.

“He’s in really good shape and considering the form he’s run into, we think it’s a good option with the Group 1 tag and the money that’s on offer,” Maher’s assistant trainer Jack Turnbull said of the Railway Stakes.

Maher will be chasing his maiden Group 1 success in Perth in the Railway Stakes, which is the first major event of Western Australia’s Pinnacles carnival.

Light Infantry Man rocketed to the head of betting in the 1600-metre handicap, in which he will carry 55.5kg, after his 2-1/4-length Flemington win on November 7.

That victory followed three unplaced runs, but the last of them – a luckless seventh in the Group 2 Crystal Mile on Cox Plate – hinted that the son of Fast Company, who came to Australia an entire but has since been gelded, was ready to turn the corner.

“The gelding has really made him,” Turnbull said.

“He’s still getting there, he’s very hot and developed bad behaviours in the gates, so we’re starting to work through that this prep, but we’re starting to see the best of him.”

Making his claims even stronger is that champion jockey James Mcdonald will chase his first Perth Group 1 aboard Light Infantry Man, whom he rode for the first time at Flemington.

McDonald has only twice ridden in Group 1 races in Western Australia with his best result a narrow second placing aboard Zaaki in last year’s Northerly Stakes.