Al Kazeem gets the green light for l’Arc de Triomphe

Robert Thornton: Perfect return. Picture: Getty

Trainer Roger Charlton and owner John Deer have decided to let the triple Group One winner take his chance in the Paris showpiece over a mile and a half.

James Doyle has got the thumbs-up to again ride the five-year-old after recently being appointed retained jockey to Khalid Abdullah.

Charlton tweeted: “Exciting and great news – Al Kazeem is being aimed at the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe and he will be ridden by James Doyle.”

Although the Qipco Champion Stakes at Ascot two weeks later had been under consideration, Deer said the likelihood of give in the ground at Longchamp influenced the decision to run in the Arc.

He said: “Ascot came into it, but I suppose the main thing was the ground at Longchamp – it seems it will be good to soft. That is obviously very important for him.”

Al Kazeem, who was last seen finishing second in the Irish Champion Stakes, will be having his seventh start of the season in what is likely to be a superb renewal of the Arc.

Deer believes the son of Dubawi will not be feeling the pinch following a busy campaign. He said: “He has come out of Leopardstown fine and there are no problems at all.”

Meanwhile, jockey Robert Thornton made a perfect return to the saddle when Letsby Avenue struck at Stratford last night.

Thornton has been out of action since breaking his right arm in a fall when riding Our Phylli Vera for his boss Alan King in a two-mile handicap hurdle at Southwell on 4 March.

At first, his injuries were not thought to be serious, but he underwent tests which revealed the extent of his problem.

Letsby Avenue, who is also trained by King, readily defeated Benbane Head by five lengths in the At The Races On Facebook Handicap Hurdle to bring up the hat-trick as the 3-1 favourite.

SELECTIONS

Beverley

2.00 Red Tiger Lily

2.30 Testing

3.00 Tears And Rain

3.35 Chant (nap)

4.10 Dark Opal

4.45 Ypres

5.15 Meadway

5.50 Misu Mac

Sandown

2.20 Macdillon

2.50 Zephyr

3.20 Signposted

3.55 Wentworth

4.30 Narmin

5.05 Norway Cross

5.35 Powder Hound

Yarmouth

2.10 Munaaser

2.40 Meddling

3.10 Ribbons

3.45 Mahican

4.20 Joe Sugden

4.55 Exceptionelle

5.25 Pearl Spice

Kempton

5.45 Upper Grosvenor

6.15 Jelly Fish

6.45 Flemish School

7.15 Ebony Roc

7.45 Psychometry

8.15 Abated

8.45 Dominium

9.15 Twenty One Choice

Double

Chant

3:35 Beverley

Pearl Spice

5:25 Yarmouth