French racing star Treve (Motivator) is reportedly pleasing trainer Criquette
Head-Maarek ahead of her eagerly awaited seasonal debt in the Prix Corrida
(Fr-G2) at Saint-Cloud May 29. The brilliant mare was last seen galloping to a
second successive victory in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (Fr-G1) in Paris last
October and her campaign this season is very much geared to securing a third
victory in the middle-distance contest.
The five-year-old will be partnered by Thierry Jarnet this season and Harry
Herbert, racing manager to owners Al Shaqab Racing, said, “Treve is in terrific
form and is moving well. Criquette Head has got her exactly right where she
wants her. She will run at the end of May all being well and as long as the
ground is in her favor. Hopefully she will then go for the Grand Prix de
Saint-Cloud. She won’t go to Royal Ascot this season as she is a proper
mile-and-a-half horse. Everything is being primed for her to try and win a third
Arc, which is very exciting for her owners.”
Al Shaqab Racing may be without Treve on their Royal Ascot squad but they
will still field a strong team with fellow French trained Ectot (Hurricane Run)
in line for a tilt at the Prince of Wales S. (Eng-G1). Though well beaten in
last year’s Arc, the Ellie Lellouche trained four-year-old blew his chance by
pulling hard during the race and Herbert is hopeful of a good season ahead.
“I went to see Ectot and he looked really well. He will be going for the
Prince of Wales’s S. at Royal Ascot. He won’t run before Ascot as he has had a
little bit of an infection in his foot but he is fine now. It looks like it
could be one of the races of the meeting and one with a real international
flavor to it.”
Herbert also offered an update on Toast of New York (Thewayyouare), last
year’s globetrotting UAE Derby (UAE-G2) winner who was purchased privately by Al
Shaqab earlier this year before being sidelined by a soft tissue injury. Herbert
said Toast of New York is unlikely to race this year, but he expressed optimism
for the four-year-olds prospects.
“Toast of New York is recuperating well,” Herbert noted. “(Trainer) Jamie
Osborne and the team vets are delighted with how he is progressing. I am not
sure he will be seen again this season and I would say that the most likely
scenario is getting him ready for next year’s Dubai World Cup.”
Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires.com