TREVE’S NEVER BEEN BETTER!
Trainer’s boast ahead of historic bid
TRAINER Criquette HeadMaarek has insisted Treve is in the form of her life ahead of her attempt to win the Qatar Prix de L’Arc de Triomphe for a historic third time at Longchamp on Sunday.
Head-Maarek believes another win in Europe’s premier all-age, middle-distance race would place Treve at the head of a list of all-time great race mares.
Treve, who has her final serious pre-Arc workout this morning on the Chantilly trial grounds, was beaten in the Prix Vermeille in the build-up to last year’s race amid a season of physical problems but demolished her rivals by six lengths in this year’s Vermeille just over two weeks ago.
‘She is better than last year,’ said Head-Maarek. ‘She is back to her best. Last season her feet were not right and then her back was all over the place. There have been no problems this year.’
Head-Maarek, who has had only 10 winners this year, three courtesy of Treve, added: ‘I have had a lot of sick horses this season and, apart from Treve, I have had a terrible year.’
Treve, who will be ridden by Thierry Jarnet, is the odds- on Arc favourite ahead of John Gosden’s Derby winner Golden Horn and Andre Fabre’s French Derby winner New Bay.
However, such is Treve’s reputation that the field will be smaller than usual, and HeadMaarek will run a pacemaker in Shahah.
The trainer said: ‘When there are lot of runners there is no need for a pacemaker but if there are only two or three horses to beat, it can be a tactical race and I don’t want that. I am not worried about the dry week ahead. It will be good to soft, perfect ground.’
Head-Maarek denied that Treve’s Vermeille success might have taken a lot out of the filly. She added: ‘She did not do anything. Thierry did not move on her.’