“He will win”: O’Neill adamant Light Infantry Man will bounce back in the Northerly

Prominent owner John O’Neill has declared that Light Infantry Man will win the Group 1 Northerly Stakes (1800m) in two weeks’ time.

The six-year-old gelding, trained by Ciaron Maher, flopped when favourite in the Railway Stakes (1600m) at Ascot on Saturday, finishing 12th of 16 under star jockey James McDonald.

Light Infantry Man was slow out of the gates before enduring an interrupted run with clutter all around him and never got a clear passage in the straight.

O’Neill, who is a key owner alongside Ozzie Kheir, is confident that the import can bounce back swiftly in the Northerly on December 7 having impressed with his first Australian win at Flemington on Oaks Day.

“I think Light Infantry Man is a star,” O’Neill said on SENTrack’s Giddy Up.

“I think we’re still trying to work out that horse out. He’s run placings in three international Group 1 races. That’s world-class standard.

“He’s got form that is world-class. We brought him out for one of the big slot races (there Golden Eagle) when Jamie Spencer rode him and nearly fell off him (in October 2022).

“I will say at this stage that I think Light Infantry Man’s run on the weekend - although people who backed him as favourite will be disappointed - he sort of half missed the start, James tried to hold a position, they all booted up around him and he found himself in a very awkward spot, rather than being in the two or three where we really wanted to be. He was 10th or 12th back with horses around him.

“He will win the Northerly in two weeks, the 1800m Group 1. He will win, he is a moral.

“You just want to queue up outside their (bookmakers’) door because they’ll run out of money if people tune in and back him.”

Light Infantry Man has raced nine times in Australia for that sole win at headquarters on November 7.

Back in the UK and France he ran placings in three Group 1s - over 1600m at Deauville, over 1850m at Longchamp and over 1609m in the Queen Anne at Royal Ascot.

He is currently priced at $11 with Sportsbet for the December 7 Northerly.

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