Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe - The quotes from trainers with intended runners

The world’s best horses will clash in the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, a Group 1 race, and the pinnacle of excellence in horseracing, at ParisLongchamp on Sunday 6th October. This also marks the 103rd edition of a race which is quite simply the world’s premier race for English thoroughbreds. Since 2015, the Fédération Internationale des Autorités Hippiques, [International Federation of Horse Racing Authorities], and in partnership with Longines, designates the world’s top race on an annual basis: and the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe has topped the rankings five times in nine years.

On this occasion yet again, given the presence of runners from France, Britain, Ireland, Germany and Japan, the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe will showcase the very best that the international racing scene has to offer.

Annexed last year by the French 3-y-old Ace Impact, now a stallion based in Normandy, the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe has a very open feel. Possible favourites include France's Sosie and Look de Vega, plus Ireland's Los Angeles or Japan's Shin Emperor.


Look de Vega: out to tread in the hoofprints of Ace Impact?
Trained at Maisons-Laffitte by Carlos Lerner and his son Yann, Look de Vega, this year's Qatar Prix du Jockey Club winner, will attempt to follow in the hoofprints of Ace Impact – the first colt to complete the Qatar Prix du Jockey-Club – Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe double in the same season since the distance of the former race was reduced to 2,100 metres.
The colt, who now carries the colours of Al Shaqab Racing (but owned in partnership with the Irish-based Ballylinch Stud, his breeders, the Écurie des Charmes, the Haras de la Morsanglière, Patrick Madar and the colt’s two trainers), suffered his first career defeat in the Arc prep, the Qatar Prix Niel, in which he could manage ‘only’ third. His position as antepost Arc favourite was therefore seriously undermined... Despite everything, both his trainers and Ronan Thomas, his jockey ever since the day the colmade his debut, have expressed confidence in ‘their’ horse.


Yann Lerner (the co-trainer of Look de Vega), Maisons-Laffitte (Yvelines)
Quote sourced from the France Galop press conference

“Look de Vega had a summer break. During three weeks we left him alone so as to prepare him for the second half of the season. Then we cranked him up for his reappearance race, the Qatar Prix Niel, in mid-September. During the course of his break, the colt put on weight and which made sure that he gradually shed on a weekly basis. So come the Prix Niel [an Arc prep], he was still a long way off his optimum weight. However, after this race, which he needed, his weight has reduced significantly. In the wake of his final workout prior to the Arc, he’s now at his optimum weight.

I know that a lot of people were expecting him to win the ‘Niel. I understand that very well, and we have to deal with that. However, the important thing is the preparation aspect of the Arc itself. When we re-examine his race in the ‘Niel, we discern that he found making the running which isn’t his usual style of racing. Furthermore, his jockey respected his mount, which meant that he wasn't subjected to a hard race. Looking back, I'm quite happy because we’ve been able to use this race as a workout of sorts.

France Galop has announced that the ground will be 3.8 [very soft on the penetrometer scale]. Although the ground will probably be a bit faster than that on account of the weather patterns...The ground isn’t a problem for Look de Vega. The ease in the ground should suit him. The ground should be perfect for us on Sunday.

The distance holds no terrors for me. We shouldn't judge his ability to stay the trip on the basis of his effort in the ‘Niel, given that he wasn’t in peak condition when attempting 2,400 metres for the first time. He found himself making the running for the first time in his career, and Ronan Thomas can confirm that colt’s breathing patterns weren’t as they usually are, having been denied the chance of a breather at the critical part of the race. The pace in the Arc will be far more searching, and he has the tactical speed which enables him to adjust to whatever scenario unfolds in terms of the pace. So he should find himself in a far better place in terms of how the race unfolds. Furthermore, I think he'll quicken in the same way over 2,400 metres as he does over 2,100 metres.”


Ronan Thomas (the jockey of Look de Vega)
Quote sourced from the France Galop press conference

“Look de Vega has a very good temperament and boasts quite an impressive physique. He's grown even more during the summer. I think he stands between 1.67m and 1.68m [over 16.2 hands] tall... and he has the physical strength which enables him to bear all that weight! He's a very straight forward ride, and in tune with his rider and this enables him to pick up or ease off the pace when asked. Yes, he's a really straight forward type.
I had my first ride in the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in 2020, and I went very close to victory on In Swoop. At the end of the day, we were a mere 50 centimetres ‘shy’ [of victory] at the line...
When you do this job, you get used to working with a wide variety of people, whether they're owners or trainers, but whom you aren’t completely familiar with. Working alongside a friend such as Yann doesn't change our way of working, but it's a bit like the proverbial icing on the cake given that we’re so close and know each other so well. It provides for the personal touch emotionally. Being able to share victories and the good times together is a gift.”
 

Sosie and Aventure: the ‘Wertheimer’ challenge responds to the power of two
Following his victories in the Group 1 Grand Prix de Paris and the Group 2 Qatar Prix Niel, which was used as a prep race for the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, Sosie appeals as a leading contender. The 3-y-old colt is based at Chantilly with André Fabre, who is, quite simply, the record holder for the number [eight] of ‘Arc winners trained. Sosie is owned by the Wertheimer & Frère stable, whose name is very much synonymous with the Chanel fashion brand. The last victory of this stable in the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe was in 2012, and this following the triumph of the filly Solemia. Based at Chantilly, Christophe Ferland trains this stable's second ‘Arc contender. We’re alluding to Aventure, a 3-y-old filly, who recently finished second in the Group 1 Qatar Prix Vermeille, which also serves as a conduit to Sunday's feature. In common with Sosie, Aventure is a daughter of the stallion Sea The Stars, who won the 2009 edition of the Arc for the Tsui family.


Pierre Yves Bureau (the racing manager of the Écurie Wertheimer & Frère)
“Regarding Aventure, we deliberated long and hard with her trainer, Christophe Ferland, before deciding to run. The decisive factor proved to be the distance: as she's better over 2,400 metres as underpinned by her efforts in the Royaumont and the Pomone, and she also ran remarkably well in a very tough edition of the Qatar Prix Vermeille. Everything has been going well for Sosie. He loves ParisLongchamp and his victories in the Grand Prix de Paris and the Qatar Prix Niel have established him as the top French 3-y-old colt over 2,400m. It's now up to him to now prove that he's the best of all! As far as the ground is concerned, we just want to avoid extremes of going. Although he does act on soft ground.”


Shining the spotlight on the other French contenders
In addition to Sosie and Aventure, a number of other French contenders will also be on display in Sunday's Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. André Fabre (responsible for Sosie) will also go to war with the 4-y-old Sevenna's Knight, who represents the interests of the Australian racing syndicate OTI Racing, and the 5-y-old mare Mqse de Sévigné. The latter, owned by Édouard de Rothschild, has achieved the incredible feat of completing the Prix Rothschild - Prix Romanet double, two highlights of the Deauville Summer Meeting, for two consecutive seasons (2023 and 2024). This will also mark Mqse de Sévigné's first attempt over 2400 metres.

Second in the Prix de Diane Longines, Survie is trained in Chantilly by Nicolas Clément.Delius, trained by Jean-Claude Rouget, is coming off a second in the Group 2 Qatar Prix Niel. Meanwhile, Adrien Fouassier, based at the Senonnes training centre, runs Haya Zark. The latter is a 5-y-old owned by restaurateur Odette Fau. Lastly, the Marseille-based trainer Jérôme Reynier will be relying on Zarakem, a 4-y-old colt, and one representing the colours of the Écurie Sofiane Benaroussi.


Edouard de Rothschild (the owner-breeder of Marquise de Sévigné)
“Due to the presence of several contenders which have achieved an excellent level, this renewal looks very open. Everything has come together which should provide for a ‘quality’ renewal of the Arc de Triomphe. We can now look forward to the big day, hoping that the race will be run on autumnal ground – but not heavy – and with no hard luck stories...”


Jérôme Reynier (the trainer of Zarakem), Calas-Cabriès (Bouches-du-Rhône)
“Zarakem could have been psychologically scarred by his trip to York (Great Britain [editor’s note: he was 11th Juddmonte International Stakes (Groupe 1) on August 21st], even if physically the horse has recovered well from his exertions. He had a public gallop at Marseille-Borély racecourse last Saturday, as I wished to try him out with a hood, and with the optic of getting Cristian Demuro acquainted with the horse. Everything went well in terms of timing, and I'm exactly where I wanted to be with him. Zarakem was shod at nine o’clock on Monday morning, and he will have his final canter on Thursday [October 3rd] before hitting the road on Saturday. He has really turned the corner from three to four. Being a late bloomer, he has progressed in stages: having made the transition from maiden, Class 2, Class 1 and Listed class. He ran a blinder at Royal Ascot when he was ridden for a place. He gained a lot of confidence by passing beaten horses. And I think that we'll have to ride him in the same way in the Arc. He’s indifferent to the state of the ground, and so we don't have to worry about the weather forecast!”


Terry Henderson (the president of OTI Racing – the Australian racing syndicate which owns Sevenna’s Knight)
“This will be our first runner in the Arc! It's some race. The race enjoys considerable prestige back home in Australia. Having a runner in the race is something of a rarity, and is viewed as such. I keep a constant eye on the weather forecasts. However, whatever happens, we'll be going to post. We're all ecstatic to be Arc bound.”
 

Ireland turns out in force
Viewed as one of the world’s racing superpowers, Ireland will rely on three runners, with Aidan O'Brien and his son Joseph responsible for providing the ammunition from a trainer’s perspective in the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. The former will be double handed via Los Angeles and Continuous; whereas the latter will saddle Al Riffa, who incidentally was bred at the Haras d’Étreham in Normandy.
 

Aidan O’Brien (the trainer of Los Angeles and Continuous), Ireland
Quote sourced from the France Galop press conference

“We’ve yet to see the best of him. He's a very big horse, is making progress and has a very imposing physique. We have done everything we could in the morning to ensure that he will run well in the Arc. The 2,400m trip suits him perfectly. He acts well on right-handed courses, like Longchamp. He could have run in the St Leger, but we had other horses [in mind] for that race. Hence the idea of going for the Arc, which has been the plan since his victory in the Irish Derby, and this via the Irish Champion Stakes (Group 1).

We were very happy with Continuous's last outing in a race [Prix Foy] that lacked pace. He needs a far more taxing pace. We've been toying with an autumn campaign with him for a long time. He should certainly fare even better than last year when he was fifth in the Arc.”

When drawn on the subject that his son will also be represented in the race he added: “I'm very proud of my son and I hope, as always, that he'll beat me!”.


Joseph O’Brien (the trainer of Al Riffa), Ireland
Quote sourced from the France Galop press conference

“Al Riffa was a Group 1 winner at two, and again at four (this year), and his second to Ace Impact in the Prix Guillaume d’Ornano at three was indicative that he had the required level to win a Group 1 race even at three (2023). He was being aimed at the Irish Champion Stakes last year only for a minor setback to scupper those plans. We've been toying with running him the Arc since the beginning of the season. His pedigree indicates that he should relish the 2,400m trip. His ability to act in any ground is also a big asset. He acquainted himself for the first time with Longchamp in the Prix Ganay. His fourth place was a very creditable effort. Then we went to the US and Sandown, where he was beaten a mere length by City of Troy no less! I thought that the Grosser Preis von Berlin would be the ideal Arc prep race for him, because it has afforded us more time between the two races. This race has a track record of generating future Arc winners... He won very nicely and showed that the trip (2400m) was well within his compass.”
 

Bluestocking and Sunway will fly the flag for Britain
Only two British-trained runners will line up in the 103rd edition of the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. Beginning with Sunway, a colt bred in Normandy by Guy Pariente, and owned in partnership with Qatar Racing. Sunway is trained in Britain (at Pulborough, West Sussex) by a... French national: David Menuisier. The winner of the Critérium International (Group 1) at Saint-Cloud at the backend of 2023, the 3-y-old colt is coming off a third in the St Leger (Group 1) at Doncaster. Several horses which have tackled the St Leger prior to Paris have achieved podium finishes in the Arc, the latest example being that of Hurricane Lane (Frankel).  

The other British hopeful is Bluestocking. A 4-y-old filly, Bluestocking is trained in Hampshire (GB) by Ralph Beckett. She’s coming off a win in the Group 1 Qatar Prix Vermeille, and a recognised stepping stone to the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. She’s owned by Juddmonte Farms, the racing operation set up in the late 1980s by the Saudi Arabian Prince Khalid Abdullah, who made a considerable impact as an owner-breeder prior to his death in 2021. Bluestocking was never originally entered in the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and she has had to be supplemented (the payment of a late entry fee) in order to be able to run. So the filly’s owners have had to stump up €120,000 for the privilege of taking part.
 

David Menuisier (the trainer of Sunway), Britain
“We've been mulling over with Guy Pariente whether to go for the Arc, and it seems to be the case of now or never. Especially, as the horse is flying at the moment, having been in good form all year. There's no reason not to go for the Arc. Sunway deserves to take his chance, and he goes there with a fighting chance of being in the money, and the colt also has every right to win the race. He finished very close to a horse of the calibre of Los Angeles (Camelot) last time out. He will be ridden by Oisin Murphy. He's had no luck this year. We're waiting for the day when his luck will turn. Let's hope that it starts with a good draw in the Arc! A very good horse, and courageous and sound on top of it, he  ever allows himself to get down. He's straight forward in the morning to train. In the St Leger, he was returning after a break and needed the race, as confirmed by Christophe Soumillon. Sunway is one of the toughest horses that I've ever trained, and he never stops giving of his best. If he were to win, he wouldn't be the first Arc winner to open his seasonal account on the big occasion. He deserves to renew rivalry with horses that he's battled against all season, having been unlucky on several occasions. We've learned to understand him better over time. He can handle all types of ground but the key with him is pace. He needs a strong pace, and all the more so because he's endowed with genuine stamina.”
 

Shin Emperor and the Japanese dream
A great racing nation, Japan has yet to win the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. Shin Emperor, bred in Normandy by the Écurie Monceaux, was acquired at the Deauville Arqana Yearling Sales specifically for this purpose. Trainer Yoshito Yahagi paid €2.1 million on behalf of his owner Susumu Fujita in order to acquire him. Shin Emperor is none other than the full brother of the 2020 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Sottsass!

If Shin Emperor were to win on Sunday, it would represent a reversal of fortune, as past Japanese challengers have been bedevilled by bad luck in the past. Above all it would enable his dam, Starlet's Sister (Galileo), to become the first broodmare to foal two winners of this great race!


Kazanari Yoshida (assistant to Yoshito Yahagi, the trainer of Shin Emperor)
“It's difficult to put your finger on why we haven't won this race yet despite Japan’s successful record in the world's top races. I think it's partly down to the ground. Testing conditions have certainly put the skids under the Japanese challenge in the past. Shin Emperor is a horse that doesn't cause any problems during a race. A straight forward ride, he easily adapts easily to the different tactical scenarios that unfold during a race... Shin Emperor is the type of colt who genuinely needs a prep race prior to a major assignment. His run in Ireland [he was third in the Irish Champion Stakes] has really helped him to improve his fitness levels. The plan we have mapped out for him is going as expected. We're in a positive frame of mind and our ambition remains that of winning the race.”
 

Fantastic Moon goes for Germany
Three years ago, which coincided with the the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe centenary, the race went to a surprise winner: Torquator Tasso, trained at Mülheim by Marcel Weiss on behalf of owner Gestüt Auenquelle. Torquator Tasso became the third German horse to win the race – some ten years after his compatriot Danedream, who still holds the race record race (2m 24.49s over 2,400 metres for an average speed in excess of 60 kms per hour). Nursing doubts that the ground will prove to be too soft for him, his connections have waited until the last possible moment before giving the green light, but Fantastic Moon will indeed form part of the forthcoming Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe field.
 

ParisLongchamp ground/weather updates for the week-end of October 5-6 :
Penetrometer reading as of Thursday 3 October 2024 at 9.30am: 3.8 (VERY SOFT)
Amount of rain forecast in the next 24hrs: 1.0 mm
Amount of rain fallen in the last seven days:  6 mm
Weather: variable
Temperature: 16°C
Wind: NORTH-EAST: 10 to 15 kms/per hour
Going Stick: 6.9 (Good to Soft).

Weather outlook in the coming days:
Friday/Saturday October 4-5:  cold but sunny with northerly (drying) wind.
Sunday October 6: A 70 per cent chance of light scattered showers in the morning.

Forecast going :
•    Saturday October 5: 3.6 (SOFT)
•    Sunday October 6: 3.6 to 3.7: some scattered showers forecast:  (SOFT)
 

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