Owner Ozzie Kheir won’t be wrong twice with Railway Stakes fancy Light Infantry Man

Powerful owner Ozzie Kheir admits he got it wrong with Light Infantry Man, but says he won’t be wrong again as the former import lines up as favourite in the Group 1 Railway Stakes.

Ozzie Kheir admits he got it wrong with Light Infantry Man but says the import can unleash some of the potential he has long had by scoring the Group 1 Railway Stakes at Ascot on Saturday. Picture: Getty Images

Ozzie Kheir admits he got it wrong with Light Infantry Man, but reckons he won’t be wrong a second time.

An expensive purchase out of Europe, Kheir and his fellow owners initially had huge hopes for Light Infantry Man to shine Down Under as a Cox Plate horse.

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But after six Australian starts without placing, Kheir concedes he was probably nearly ready to give up on Light Infantry Man as a racing proposition.

That was until Ciaron Maher coaxed the best out of the enigmatic galloper, producing a breathtaking win in the Chester Manifold Stakes on Oaks Day at Flemington.

The nature of that win has seen Light Infantry Man sent west where he is the favourite for Saturday’s Group 1 Railway Stakes (1600m) at Ascot, with James McDonald jetting in from Hong Kong to take the ride.

After initially getting it wrong with Light Infantry Man, Kheir said he won’t be wrong again as he forecast the ex-import is about the bridge the gap between performance and potential.

“I put my hand up if I get things wrong and I definitely got this horse wrong,” Kheir told Racenet.

Light Infantry Man, ridden by James McDonald, winning the Chester Manifold Stakes at Flemington. Picture: Racing Photos via Getty Images

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“In Europe, this horse was an on-pace horse and he could get into a position pretty quickly.

“In Australia he hadn’t been able to do that – if you don’t jump quick in Australia you are back to last.

“He ended up being last every race and he didn’t have the turn of foot to reel them in.

“We were probably nearly ready to give up, we just didn’t think this horse was going to measure up at Group level full stop, forget about a Group 1.

“If you had told me six weeks ago he would be favourite in a Group 1, there was no way we were contemplating that.

“But Ciaron has worked wonders and given him extra barrier training and changed up his work.

“I think this horse is now ready to fulfil his potential – I don’t think I will be wrong again.”

It will be an emotion-charged triumph if Light Infantry Man scores the Railway, given the late, great owner and breeder Col McKenna was in the ownership group.

Ciaron Maher with Light Infantry Man. Picture: Racing Photos via Getty Images

Kheir said the Light Infantry Man story has echoes of Buckaroo.

Like Light Infantry Man, Buckaroo was an import who wasn’t living up to expectations until this spring carnival where won the Group 1 Underwood Stakes and was runner-up in the Caulfield Cup.

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“Light Infantry Man’s win at Flemington was the sort of run we would have expected 12 months earlier, it has just taken him a bit longer to get him back to where we hoped he would be,” Kheir said.

“He could be the new Buckaroo – essentially Buckaroo was not too dissimilar in the way he had been going.

“Everyone wrote Buckaroo off, everyone thought he wasn’t going to measure up to win a Group 1.

“But then when he started to acclimatise and, also being gelded, his true ability has come out.

“Light Infantry Man seems quite similar.

“Ciaron has worked this horse out now and I’m hoping he runs really well in Perth on Saturday and shows everyone what he can do.”

Originally published as Owner Ozzie Kheir won’t be wrong twice with Railway Stakes fancy Light Infantry Man