Look De Vega aiming to strike Arc gold for Al Shaqab

Look De Vega will fly the flag for Al Shaqab Racing, as the owners seek to end their 10-year wait to reclaim the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe trophy.

It was back in 2014 that Treve landed France’s most prestigious race for a second time in the colours of Sheikh Joaan’s racing empire.

Since than many have tried and failed to replicate Criquette Head-Maarek’s exceptional mare for the owners, with Treve herself in her hat-trick bid and Jean-Claude Rouget’s Al Hakeem coming closest to adding to Al Shaqab’s Arc haul in the years since.

Al Hakeem was on course for another crack at Europe’s richest middle-distance prize before injury prompted retirement earlier this autumn, leaving Carlos and Yann Lerner’s Prix du Jockey Club hero as the Qatar operation’s sole representative in the ParisLongchamp feature.

A leading fancy for the race after his French Derby triumph, Look De Vega surrendered favouritism to Sosie when only third to Andre Fabre’s Arc challenger in the Prix Niel last month.

However, connections are confident the son of Lope De Vega has improved for that tune-up run on the Bois du Boulogne and are ready to play their part in what is shaping up to be an ultra-competitive renewal.

“I think it’s a wide-open race and it is nice to see he has a nice draw in eight which means Ronan (Thomas, jockey) will have options and will be able to see where the pace is early,” said Rupert Pritchard-Gordon, Al Shaqab’s French racing consultant.

“The most important thing is Yann and Carlos are very pleased with him, I spoke to Yann a couple of days ago and he feels he has got the horse in a good place now and ready to do himself justice in the big one.

“He’s very aware that some of these older horses, as well as Sosie, they are going to be tough to beat though.”

Look De Vega is one of four horses to carry the Al Shaqab colours in Group One thoroughbred events on Sunday’s card, a day which is arguably the most important on the owners’ calendar.

Prix de Diane winner Sparkling Plenty and high-class youngsters Simmering and Houquetot will also be in action for the Qatar team, but it will be Arc glory provided by Look De Vega that is desired most.

“It’s obviously the race that Sheikh Joaan wants to win and for Carlos and Yann it is the same,” continued Pritchard-Gordon.

“The whole Al Shaqab team are going to be both nervous and excited about Sunday, but it is better to be in that position than not to have anything to look forward to at all.

“Hopefully everyone enjoys a great weekend and I think we’re set for some exciting racing.”