Toronado must go distance with big Al
TORONADO has been given the go-ahead to take on Al Kazeem in tomorrow’s Juddmonte International Stakes at York with the chance to make history. Thirteen three-yearolds have won the biggest prize of the York season, starting with Derby winner Roberto in the inaugural 1972 running. But none achieved victory in the 10furlong contest having never raced beyond a mile before. Richard Hannon’s Sussex Stakes winner will be trying to emulate Frankel, who was a year older when taking last year’s race on his first run beyond a mile. Toronado is a son of Derby winner High Chaparral and, earlier in the season, there was talk of him running in the mile and a half Epsom Classic. But the Al Kazeem team will be hoping to expose any deficiency in Toronado’s stamina reserves. John Deer, owner of the Roger Charlton-trained colt which has won both the Prince of Wales’s and Eclipse Stakes this season, said: ‘Our fellow has solid form over a mile and a quarter and (jockey) James Doyle should be able to wind him up for the last couple of furlongs. Toronado will be going into unknown territory then and, hopefully, we can come out on top.’ The six runners for the £750,000 race include two other three-yearolds, Jim Bolger’s Irish Derby winner Trading Leather and Sir Michael Stoute’s Hillstar - second and third respectively in last month’s King George. But Toronado’s presence in a race won by the favourite in five of the last six years has injected fresh life into an ante-post market where Al Kazeem was trading at 8-11 over the weekend. Coral now make the Charlton colt 5-4 with Toronado at 2-1.