Al Kazeem is back with a bang

Al Kazeem (Dubawi), last seen winning the G2 Jockey Club Stakes and looking like a top-class horse before a serious injury curtailed his 2012 campaign, made a magnificent return to the racecourse on 27 April, running out the impressive winner of the G3 Gordon Richards Stakes.

Settled off the pace under James Doyle, Al Kazeem smoothly moved past his rivals to take the lead a furlong and half out and under a careful ride, kept to his task well to win by a length.

Trainer Roger Charlton indicated after the race that the horse’s next target is the G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup, due to take place at The Curragh on 26 May. He is then likely to head to Royal Ascot for a tilt at either the Prince Of Wales's Stakes or the Hardwicke Stakes.

Owned and bred by Mr and Mrs John Deer, Al Kazeem is out of the Darshaan mare Kazeem, herself a daughter of G3 winner and G1 Yorkshire Oaks second Kanz.

He becomes the second Group winner of the day for Dubawi, following Willow Magic’s victory in the G1 SA Nursery in South Africa.