Connections are confident that Look De Vega has more to offer as he prepares for his shot at glory in the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at ParisLongchamp this Sunday.
Trained by Carlos and Yann Lerner, the colt, now racing under Al Shaqab Racing's silks, remains relatively inexperienced, having raced only four times. His debut at Fontainebleau last November was a commanding performance, winning by seven lengths, which highlighted his potential as a juvenile.
This season, he began with a win in a minor race at ParisLongchamp, before stepping up in class to claim the French Derby, the Prix du Jockey Club, by two lengths in June. Heading into the Prix Niel, he was unbeaten and strongly backed, but he could only finish third, three and a half lengths behind fellow Arc contender Sosie.
Despite the loss, co-trainer Yann Lerner is optimistic, believing Look De Vega wasn't at his peak for the Prix Niel but is now in top form heading into the Arc.
"After the Jockey Club, we gave him three weeks off and slowly started preparing him for the second half of the season," Lerner explained. "During his break, he gained some weight, and although he had lost some by the Prix Niel, he wasn’t at his ideal racing weight. Now he’s back to his best, and his last workout confirmed that."
Reflecting on the Prix Niel, Lerner admitted that the race didn’t play out in the colt's favour. "It wasn’t ideal for him to lead from the front, but the jockey respected him, and he didn’t have a hard race. In hindsight, I’m pleased—it was like a strong workout, and he has improved significantly since then."
Jockey Ronan Thomas, who has ridden Look De Vega in all his starts, agreed with Lerner’s assessment, acknowledging the disappointment but focusing on the positives.
"It was a prep race, and while we were disappointed not to maintain his unbeaten record, the most important thing is that we learned a lot from it, and he’s improved since then," said Thomas.
Look De Vega now heads to ParisLongchamp for the biggest test of his career, with his connections hopeful he can rise to the occasion.