Camelot could take on Al Kazeem again Al Kazeem will face a maximum of eight rivals in Wednesday's Juddmonte International Stakes at York. The five-year-old has been one of the success stories of the season with wins in the Tattersalls Gold Cup, Prince Of Wales's Stakes and Eclipse and he will aim to add another Group One to his growing list of achievements. Aidan O'Brien has a host of top-class options, including last year's dual Derby winner Camelot, who has finished behind Al Kazeem twice already this season. The Ballydoyle handler also has the option of running Queen Anne winner Declaration Of War, Epsom Derby hero Ruler Of The World and one of last year's leading juveniles Kingsbarns, although he is also entered in the Neptune Investment Management Great Voltigeur Stakes on the same day and is yet to run this term. Jim Bolger's Irish Derby winner Trading Leather and Sir Michael Stoute's Royal Ascot winner Hillstar are other three-year-olds engaged while James Toller's Rewarded is the final contender. Richard Hannon has left in Sussex Stakes winner Toronado, who would be stepping up to 10 furlongs for the first time if he is allowed to take his chance. As expected, French runner Cirrus Des Aigles will not be making the journey over following his defeat last weekend. Al Kazeem's trainer, Roger Charlton, revealed that his stable star is no certainty to run in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and that he could run in the Champion Stakes at Ascot instead. "I think it's not definite that he's going to go for the Arc," said Charlton. "We'll just keep all the options open. I don't think he [John Deer, owner] wants to commit to any particular race at this stage. I suppose, in theory, if you had to choose one race where he has the better chance, you'd say he's got a better chance in the Champion Stakes." The Arc is worth £2m to the winner, about three times as much as the Champion Stakes, but Charlton said that is unlikely to be a factor in the final decision. "If he didn't have a gut-wrenching race at York, the Irish Champion Stakes could be on the agenda, followed by a choice between Paris and Ascot." "He's had a nice break and he's favourite for a hugely valuable race over a distance that he's been winning over. There's a chance that the ground might have a bit more cut in it than he's been used to recently, which will be to his advantage." Asked whether this would be Al Kazeem's final year on the track before a stud career, Charlton said that his owner would decide but added: "I suppose it's looking more like that. He hasn't got a lot to prove. And what do you do next year, run in the same races? Run the risk of something going wrong? "To prove he stays a mile and a half is not really an advantage because we know he does. So that doesn't leave anything much. It's all about whether the owner says, I'm getting more fun out of having a wonderful racehorse, or whether he says the obvious thing to do is retire him."
