Look De Vega seeks to prove Arc aptitude in Prix Niel

Sunday promises to be a huge afternoon for Al Shaqab Racing as Look De Vega puts his Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe credentials to the test in the Qatar Prix Niel at ParisLongchamp.

It will be the first time the unbeaten son of Lope De Vega will sport the Al Shaqab silks after a majority interest in Carlos and Yann Lerner’s Prix du Jockey Club champion was sold to the Qatari operation and Ballylinch Stud following his Chantilly heroics.

Already a general 3-1 favourite for Europe’s richest middle-distance prize on October 6, he will once again take on Andre Fabre’s Sosie, who was behind in third in the French Derby before claiming the Grand Prix de Paris, while Ambiente Friendly adds a British interest, representing James Fanshawe.

Rupert Pritchard-Gordon, Al Shaqab’s French racing consultant, said: “He will carry the Al Shaqab colours for the first time and I saw his gallop on Monday morning at Maisons-Laffitte and he has such a laid-back attitude, he’s a cool customer.

“He’s done very well over the summer, Yann felt he was going to fill out a little bit more and he has and it was interesting that he did a similar workout to what he did six or seven days out from the Prix du Jockey Club with the same horse, Ronan Thomas was aboard and they were very happy with him.

“They’ve left a little bit to work on for the big weekend in October but he goes there on Sunday ready for his prep and will come on for the run as well, that’s the idea.”

This weekend presents Look De Vega with an early opportunity to check out the Arc course and distance as he steps up to a mile and a half for the first time, attempting to confirm his status as France’s leading middle-distance performer.

“His team are all very pleased with him and we will see how he handles the step up to a mile and a half,” continued Pritchard-Gordon.

“It’s going to be a big learning curve for us over the weekend, but there isn’t much to say a mile and a half will bother him, he’s such a relaxed horse and he has a massive stride on him, so it will be quite exciting to see him run over an extra furlong and a half.”

Al Shaqab will also be represented in the Qatar Prix Vermeille after Sparkling Plenty was supplemented into what will be a stellar Group One event on Thursday.

Patrice Cottier’s Prix de Diane heroine was last seen finishing an honourable third to Aidan O’Brien’s reopposing Opera Singer in the Nassau Stakes and will also be trying the mile and a half distance for the first time on the Bois de Boulogne.

Similarly to Look De Vega, it is an outing that will serve as a stepping stone to Arc weekend – where the daughter of Kingman holds an entry for the Prix de l’Opera, but a strong showing could see connections stump up the €120,000 required to add her name to the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe line-up.

Pritchard-Gordon added: “The idea is obviously to see how she handles the extra couple of furlongs. It is a Group One in its own right as well, so it is worth a go and we will learn a bit more about her.

“The Vermeille is often a strong race but looks particularly strong this year. We will see how she goes and the team is very happy with her and she seems on good terms with herself.

“Tony Piccone is back onboard and the trainer was very keen to put him back onboard, as he won a Prix de Diane on her and he rides a lot of horses for Mr Dubois (joint owner).

“Hopefully, both Look De Vega and Sparkling Plenty run well. These are important races in their own right, but we’re obviously looking very closely to Arc weekend with both horses.”

As well as Opera Singer, John and Thady Gosden’s Emily Upjohn and Ralph Beckett’s Bluestocking are both well-known names to a British audience.

The latter heads the bookmakers’ lists and having broken her Group One duck at the Curragh earlier in the year, before performing with real credit in both the King George and the Juddmonte International, she will try to add further Group One honours to her excellent CV before retirement looms at the end of the current campaign.

“It looks like we’re going to roll the dice in the Vermeille on Sunday, as she has come out of York in such good form,” said Barry Mahon, European racing manager for owners Juddmonte.

“Ralph has been really happy with the way she is training and she’s a filly who will probably retire at the end of the year and this is a race that slotted in nicely.

“It will leave us with options to then run on Arc weekend or British Champions Day, whichever direction the owners want to go.

“She’s run hugely this year and I thought her run in the Juddmonte International was a big effort and the King George run was a huge run.

“She has held her form very well all season and this actually looks a good renewal of the Vermeille and she will renew her rivalry with Emily Upjohn. Hopefully, if she runs her race, she will be thereabouts.”