BECKHAMPTON trainer Roger Charlton expects Al Kazeem to be back in action in the autumn after his return to training following an unsuccessful spell at stud.

After winning three Group Ones last season, the six-year-old was purchased by The Queen for a stallion career but he was found to be sub-fertile and former owner John Deer bought him back.

Charlton is delighted to have Al Kazeem back in his yard and while he admits it may be a tough ask to expect him to return to the exalted heights he showed last summer, the fact he was relatively lightly-raced in his career should stand him in good stead.

"He was always a wonderful looking horse, he's just got a bit burly and big, as you would hope for a stallion," Charlton told At The Races.

"He's got a fantastic temperament and character and he came back one afternoon, we put the saddle on him the next morning and it was as if he had never been anyway - no shouting or looking at anybody.

"He needs plenty of ground work to slim him down, but I hope he starts cantering this week. It's great to have him back. Some horses return to training and are not a success - the older you get the more difficult it becomes.

"He retired a very sound horse, he wasn't overraced so if we can get him back to Group level it will be a huge challenge. Group One level? Only time will tell.

"He's going to have to have two or three months of work, so we are talking autumn rather than the summer. There are lots of nice races in the autumn so we'll wait and see."

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