Final declarations are Friday, when post positions are drawn for Sunday’s card, which includes five Group 1 races supporting the main event. She is back to her best, that is for sure.
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No horse has won the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe three times, and in fact, no horse even has tried – not until Sunday, when Treve can etch even more deeply her place in racing history if she wins her third Arc.
“I walked that track (Keeneland) the other day when I was over there for the sales, it’s in good condition, and there’s no reason that couldn’t be a swansong for him at the end of the year which is something to consider as well”, the trainer said to Weatherbys.
But the reputation of Treve means a smaller field than usual will contest the race and Head-Maarek has consequently chose to run a pacemaker in Shahah. “It’s not a thing one can [really] discuss now, but I was wrong a year ago when I talked immediately after the race that she’d be heading off to visit Dubawi, so I’m not going to put my head on the line again and say she’s definitely going to be retired until Sheikh Joaan has made his mind up and that won’t be until a few days after the Arc”. She is exactly the same, the only change is that she is stronger physically.
“Vincent (Cheminaud) would have the call on which one he would want to ride, but I would imagine he’ll want to ride New Bay“.
Mme Head-Maarek wasn’t convinced Dettori was the right man for the filly and Jarnet was back on board for the Vermeille when she finished a well-beaten fourth.
She has not raced much this year and I think that little bit of freshness will count. “Whatever happens, there won’t be any excuse”.
“With the Treve hat on we’re hopeful she’ll be highly competitive”.
Encouraging O’Brien tried to dethrone Treve in last year’s Arc with another three-year-old filly, Tapestry, and she could return to Longchamp on Sunday for the 10-furlong Prix de l’Opéra after her hugely encouraging return to action behind Ribbons in the Blandford Stakes.
The John Gosden-trained Golden Horn lost his unbeaten record when Arabian Queen shockingly defeated him in the Juddmonte global, but he bounced back to win the Irish Champion last out, though only after ducking away from a grandstand shadow in deep stretch and impeding the rallying Free Eagle, also a likely Arc starter.
There have already been duels of words between Golden Horn owner Anthony Oppenheimer and Jarnet this week with the Englishman suggesting that his colt could beat Treve if the ground is good on Sunday.
Weld’s stylish Moyglare Stud-owned Prince Of Wales’s Stakes victor will be stepping up from 10 furlongs, having had his Irish Champion Stakes chance compromised by Golden Horn’s dramatic swerve. The 48-year-old Frenchman, for his part, said that he was not impressed by the Irish Champion Stakes victor.
Last year’s victor Move in Time also deserves plenty of respect. The two grandstands, erected in the 1960s, will make way for a futuristic replacement.
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Next year’s Arc will be held in Chantilly before returning to its Paris home in 2017.
