Eclipse Stakes winner Al Kazeem will bypass the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes to be prepared for a campaign aimed at the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in October.
Trainer Roger Charlton said the five-year-old would have a break and miss Ascot’s July 27 summer showpiece after notching a hat-trick of Group One successes this season at Sandown.
At the moment he holds entries in the Juddmonte International at York next month and the Red Mills Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown in September while he is also prominent in the betting for the Arc.
“He’s in very good form and looks great,” Charlton said.
“The King George is out. He will be taken out of that race on Tuesday at the forfeit stage.
“We will give him a break now and decide what we want to do nearer the time for various autumn targets.”
Al Kazeem’s owner-breeder John Deer said the Juddmonte International might be his next race if the ground was suitable, but the Arc was the ultimate target.
“My preference would be York if ground conditions suited. If it was good to firm, he definitely wouldn’t run there,” Deer told At the Races.
“Maybe it would be the same for Ireland. The York race comes up first, but if it was good to firm I’d say we’d wait for Leopardstown.
“I would think that would be it after this year, but I have an open mind. There is a possibility I would keep him to run him as a six-year-old, but probably not.
“My family is keen to go to Longchamp so that is the place to aim for.”
