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By Ray Hickson

Nobody knows boom import Light Infantry better than jockey Jamie Spencer and when the champion UK based rider reunited with the four-year-old on Tuesday a noticeable little smirk was all that was needed to confirm he is in order for the $10 million Golden Eagle.

Jockey Jamie Spencer at Canterbury.

Spencer has been on board the entire in all five starts in Europe and the UK and is adamant he’s bringing world class form into his Australian debut.

He galloped Light Infantry a lap of the Canterbury polytrack before switching to the grass and working over 1000m to top off his preparation and Spencer said he feels like the same horse that has recorded Group 1 seconds at Deauville in July and August.

“The horse feels fine, he has travelled well and everyone seems happy so far,’’ Spencer said.

“He always feels well, he’s an active horse and always gives you a good feel. He looks well, Samuel (Tomas, travelling foreman) is very happy with him and Ciaron (Maher) is happy with him.

“A horse can’t tell you if he’s jetlagged. As far as we are aware he’s taken to travel really well.

“I just let him do what he wanted to until inside the 400m then let him have a good stretch down the straight to open up his lungs.

“If he’s not fit coming here there’s no point coming so there’s no reason to have a searching gallop.”

Light Infantry, $4.50 equal favourite with TAB on Tuesday, is on a hit and run mission in Saturday’s $10m Golden Eagle (1500m) at Rosehill Gardens as he’ll return to trainer David Simcock for a 2023 campaign aimed at Royal Ascot.

It’s expected he will return to Ciaron Maher and David Eustace after that.

Spencer, who rode Brave Smash into third in the inaugural TAB Everest in 2017, is wary of a 20 horse field on a tighter track than he’s used to but feels he is on the best horse in the race and one well and truly fit enough to produce his best.

“Races are a run at a different tempo here. You go fast at the start then ease up and kick again,’’ he said.

“In his last race at Deauville every horse in the race was under the pump with 600m to go, very rarely you see a race like that in Australia. We wouldn’t be here if we didn’t feel we were bringing the right horse but with 20 runners you’re going to need a certain level of luck.

“He’s a high class horse and he has run to a high level, especially at his last start in the Haras De Fresna, but this is a different test.

“He’s going from a straight 1600m to 1500m around a turn, he’s never raced around a turn before, so there’s a few quandaries but we’re hoping his class shines through.”

Spencer won’t be the only international rider chasing Golden Eagle glory, the flamboyant Frenchman Frankie Dettori has been booked to ride Welwal for Chris Waller on Saturday and he’ll also be sticking around to ride Hosier at Royal Randwick in the $2 million Big Dance next Tuesday.

Maher said to his eye fitness won’t be an issue for Light Infantry and describes the horse as “very easy to read” as far as the horse’s mannerisms telling him he’s feeling good. He also has a long association with Spencer and finds him pretty easy to read as well.

“I’ve travelled a lot of horses out here to Sydney and Melbourne over the last five years and I would say this horse has probably travelled better than all of them,’’ he said.

Light Infantry stretches out on the Canterbury course proper under jockey Jamie Spencer. The 4yo is all set for the $10m Golden Eagle at Rosehill on Saturday. pic.twitter.com/a6IvN71GTc

— Racing NSW (@racing_nsw) October 24, 2022

“They can lose between five and 25 kilos and he only lost 10, he’d put half back on within a couple of days. You can see he’s bright and well.

“The little smirk (from Jamie) when he came off the track was enough.”

As far as track conditions are concerned, Maher said he’s not fussed whether Rosehill is wet or dry and would expect Light Infantry to show a degree of early tactical speed based on what he’s seen overseas.

“He can take a position, he usually wants to find a bit of cover to switch him off. It wouldn’t surprise me if he’s in the first half,’’ he said.

“He has been racing on quite big tracks so it is ideal to get him here to Canterbury, it is one of the tighter tracks so he can get used to cornering and stretching off the corner.

“You just hope a horse like that gets his opportunity when he wants it in the race.”

The Maher and Eustace partnership also have Group 2 winning mare Lavish Girl, last start midfield in the Silver Eagle, contesting Saturday's Golden Eagle.

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday's Golden Eagle at Rosehill