Connections of Treve were pleased to see some rain fall in Paris Monday ahead
of her bid to retain her Group 1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe crown at Longchamp
October 5.
The Criquette Head-Maarek-trained filly was an impressive winner of Europe’s
premier middle-distance prize last October when capping her undefeated
three-year-old campaign. The bay has had her fair share of problems since then
with a second behind Cirrus des Aigles in the Prix Ganay at Longchamp April 27
in her seasonal bow and a third to The Fugue in Ascot’s Prince of Wales’s June
18. However, she is reported to have done everything right since her latest run
in the Prix Vermeille, when she was fourth to Baltic Baroness.
“Treve is in good form,” commented Harry Herbert, manager to owners Al Shaqab
Racing. “They had rain in Paris today, so the more of that the better as far as
making it good or on the easier side of good, which would suit her best. There’s
no way I’ve lost faith in her. If she gets her ground and she will have needed
the run last time as well — hopefully she will go to the Arc spot on.”
Al Shaqab Racing also has an equally strong contender as part-owners in the
Elie Lellouche-trained Ectot, who burst into the picture with a smart
performance to win the Prix Niel on his first try at 1 1/2 miles after a
five-month layoff. A winner of the Criterium International at Saint-Cloud as a
juvenile, the bay looks to add another win at the highest level Sunday.
“Ectot worked this morning and did it very nicely,” said Herbert. “It was his
last gentle piece before the weekend. I thought it was a bold move to run him
over a mile and a half by Elie first time after a layoff. It said a lot about
the horse. He was very impressive and will come on a lot for that run,
obviously, match-fitness wise.”
Gordon Lord Byron left big-race pilot Wayne Lordan perfectly satisfied after
he enjoyed a post-racing workout at Roscommon in his build-up to the Group 1
Prix de la Foret at Longchamp Sunday. The Tom Hogan-trained gelding struck Group
1 gold in the Paris showpiece in 2012 and found only Moonlight Cloud too good
last year.
“All Tom wanted to do was to give him a blow, there were two-year-olds in
front of me and I left them off a bit,” said Lordan. “When I gave him a squeeze
to quicken up, he quickened up well and he pricked his ears in the last
half-furlong.”
The durable bay reported home third in the Boomerang Mile September 13 in his
latest effort before his return to Longchamp.
Added Lordan, “I was trying not to do too much on him, just get a slight blow
into him and he seems well in himself. He’s won the Foret before and I’m looking
forward to the ride on him.”
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