Treve Finishes Preparations for Royal Ascot
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Scintillating Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (Fr-I) winner Treve has completed her final preparations for next week's Royal Ascot meet, where she's aimed for the Prince of Wales's Stakes (Eng-I).
After going unbeaten at ages 2 and 3, capped last October by her five-length Arc win over Japanese star Orfevre, the 4-year-old daughter of Motivator suffered her first career defeat on her 2014 debut in the Prix Ganay (Fr-I) at Longchamp in April but was a creditable second to Europe's top-rated horse in training, Cirrus des Aigles. She looks to make amends in the Prince of Wales's.
While Cirrus des Aigles pulled up lame in his recent start, the June 7 Coronation Cup (Eng-I) at Epsom, and will miss the June 18 Prince of Wales's, Treve's main challenger could be trainer Aidan O'Brien's 2013 Breeders' Cup Turf (gr. I) victor Magician, who most recently was second to Noble Mission in the May 25 Tattersalls Gold Cup (Ire-I) at the Curragh.
Criquette Head-Maarek, who trains Treve for Sheikh Joaan Al Thani's Al Shaqab Racing, told At The Races she is pleased at how Treve has been training ahead the 1 1/4-mile Prince of Wales's, arguably Royal Ascot's most important race. She also has indicated that if the filly runs well at Royal Ascot, she could be aimed for the 1 1/2-mile QIPCO King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Eng-I) at Ascot July 26.
"There's no complications; she's on her way," Head-Maarek said of Treve. "If she wins (at Royal Ascot) she'll go for the Prix Vermeille (Fr-I) and then the Arc. If she doesn't win and we have to drop her in class; we'll see."
The Royal meet runs from June 17-21.