Al Shaqab Racing and Ballylinch Stud Et Al's Look de Vega will rematch with his Prix Niel (G2) conqueror Sosie in a quality renewal for the 103rd, €5 million Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (G1) Oct. 6.
Look de Vega, trained by Carlos and Yann Lerner, now runs in the silks of Al Shaqab Racing and is still lightly raced, having only taken to the track four times to date. After an impressive debut victory as a 2-year-old, his 2024 season got underway with success in a conditions race May 5 at ParisLongchamp, after which he stepped up in class to land the Prix du Jockey Club (G1) in June. He was then trained for this race but failed to maintain his unbeaten record when stretched out in trip to 1 1/2 miles in the Sept. 15 Prix Niel, where he finished third behind Sosie.
Co-trainer Yann Lerner felt the horse was not at his best, however, and expects him to come forward again when returning this weekend.
Lerner said: "After the Jockey Club the horse had a break. We gave him three weeks off and then slowly started to bring him back for the second half of the season. During his break he put on quite a bit of weight and he had lost some of it by the time he went into the Prix Niel, but he was still quite far away from his usual weight. Since the Prix Niel that weight has dropped, and his last work showed that he is back to his weight that he was before."
Meanwhile, Wertheimer & Frere's Sosie has relished the 1 1/2-mile trip after his third behind Look de Vega in the June 3 Prix du Jockey Club. The son of Sea The Stars won the Grand Prix de Paris (G1) before vanquishing Look de Vega last month. Victory for Sosie would give legendary trainer Andre Fabre a record-extending ninth win in the race. Fabre also saddles the 5-year-old mare Mqse de Sevigne who has won all four starts in 2024 including the Prix Jean Romanet (G1), and 50-1 outsider Sevenna's Knight.
The Yoshito Yahagi-trained Shin Emperor is the latest horse to try to win the Arc for Japan and is 11-1 to do so after his excellent third behind Economics in the Irish Champion Stakes (G1).
Veteran Japanese jockey Yutaka Take will be on board Al Riffa for trainer Joseph O'Brien after Japanese owner Masaaki Matsushima bought into the colt. Aidan O'Brien saddles both Irish Derby (G1) winner Los Angeles and 2023 St Leger Stakes (G1) winner Continuous as he looks to win the race for the third time.
Juddmonte's Bluestocking was supplemented at a cost of €120,000 for trainer Ralph Beckett, having landed the Prix Vermeille (G1) over the Arc course and distance last month.
A maximum field of 16 will go to post with the winner of the 1 1/2-mile contest earning an automatic berth into the $5 million Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T) through the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In.
The Breeders' Cup Challenge Series is an international series of 82 stakes races whose winners receive automatic starting positions and fees paid into a corresponding race of the Breeders' Cup World Championships, scheduled to be held Nov. 1-2 at Del Mar.
The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe is one of five Breeders' Cup Challenge Series races on the Sunday program at ParisLongchamp.
Bradsell a Question for Prix de l'Abbaye
Victorious Racing's Bradsell is unbeaten in three starts this season, his last two victories coming at the group 1 level in the Nunthorpe Stakes (G1) and the Flying Five Stakes (G1) at York and The Curragh, respectively. Archie Watson's 4-year-old had Believing directly behind in both of those races and the Highclere Thoroughbred Racing—Jane Addams-owned filly is set to renew the rivalry. The winner of the five-furlong contest will gain an automatic berth into the $1 million Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1T).
Oliver St. Lawrence, racing manager for Victorious Racing, said: "We'll see what the ground is doing as to whether Bradsell takes his chance in the Abbaye. We have the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint in mind for November, so we wouldn't want to bottom him out on really testing ground at Longchamp and throw away our chances for the Breeders' Cup."
Fallen Angel, Ylang Ylang Line Up for Prix de l'Opera
Wathnan Racing's Fallen Angel was a decisive winner of the Irish One Thousand Guineas (G1) at the Curragh in May and returned to Leopardstown last month, finishing second to Porta Fortuna in the Matron Stakes (G1). She is one of 11 to be declared for the Prix de l'Opera (G1) Sunday. The winner of the 1 1/4-mile contest will gain an automatic berth into the $2 million Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1T).
Aidan O'Brien has declared last year's Fillies Mile (G1) winner Ylang Ylang and Yorkshire Oaks (G1)-winning filly Content as he seeks to win the race for a second time. Al Shaqab Racing and Jean Pierre Dubois' Prix de Diane (G1) winner Sparkling Plenty disappointed at Longchamp last month, having run an impressive race to finish third in a highly competitive renewal of the Nassau Stakes (G1) Aug. 1.
Prix Alex Head (G2)-winning Friendly Soul relished the step up in class and looks progressive for trainers John and Thady Gosden.
Zarigana Leads Prix Marcel Boussac
The Francis Henri Graffard-trained Zarigana, unbeaten in her only two starts to date, leads a field of 10 top-quality fillies in the Prix Marcel Boussac (G1). The winner of the one-mile contest will gain an automatic berth into the $1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1T).
Aidan O'Brien has declared two runners for the Derrick Smith, Mrs. John Magnier, and Michael Tabor partnership, including Alpha Centauri Debutante Stakes (G2) winner Bedtime Story. Exactly, a 2-year-old daughter of Frankel , went on to finish third in the Moyglare Stud Stakes (G1) and has proven herself to be consistent at the top level.
Henri Matisse Among 10 for Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere
Derrick Smith, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, and Merriebelle Irish Farm's Henri Matisse, who finished second in the Vincent O'Brien National Stakes (G1) last time out, heads the betting for the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere (G1). The winner of the seven-furlong contest will gain an automatic berth into the $1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1T).
Juddmonte's Field of Gold, winner of the Solario Stakes (G3), and Manton Thoroughbred IX's Coventry Stakes (G2) winner Rashabar, who finished second in the Prix Morny (G1), are two leading contenders traveling over from England.
Al Shaqab Racing, Haras D'Etreham and Mustapha Bekhti's group 3 winner Misunderstood, unbeaten in his two only starts, and Prix la Rochette (G3) winner Houquetot are two leading contenders from France.
The Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere is also part of the European Road to the Kentucky Derby. The only Kentucky Derby (G1) qualifier in France, the Lagardere will award points to the top five finishers on a 10-5-3-2-1 scale.
Kinross Seeks to Reclaim Prix de la Foret Title
The lone group 1 on the Arc card that does not afford the winner a Breeders' Cup berth, the Prix de la Foret (G1) still attracted a field of 18. Marc Chan's Kinross won the Prix de la Foret in 2022 and finished second in the event last year. Returning for a another attempt, the 7-year-old hopes to turn the tables on his 2023 Foret conqueror, Kelina, who also returns to ParisLongchamp.
Kinross is coming in off a victory in the Sept. 14 Betfred Park Stakes (G2) for trainer Ralph Beckett. The 4-year-old Kelina finished sixth in her last two starts, both at a mile, and shortens up to seven furlongs for the Foret, a distance over which she has a win and a third in two starts.
This press release has been edited for content and style by BloodHorse Staff.
