Piggott tips Treve to complete her Arc hat-trick

Thierry Jarnet after riding Treve to a second Arc victory at Longchamps last year. Picture: Getty

The ‘Long Fellow’ claimed the great race three times in his illustrious career, with the Piggott-ridden Alleged in 1977 and 1978 being the last dual winner before Treve in 2013 and last year.

When asked if Treve will make history at Longchamp today, Piggott, who also won on Rheingold in 1973, said: “She should do. It’s good ground, but I’m not sure that will be a problem for her.

“Golden Horn was a good Derby winner and is a very good horse, but the way the mare (Treve) won last time was exceptional.”

Trainer Christiane ‘Criquette’ Head-Maarek believes Treve is simply “desperate to go racing”.

It has been plain sailing for the brilliant mare since her connections sportingly reversed their initial decision to retire her to the paddocks after her second jaw-dropping victory in Paris last October. Successive triumphs at Saint-Cloud earlier in the year left her primed for the autumn and she looked better than ever when pulverising the opposition in last month’s Prix Vermeille, form boosted by runner-up Candarliya on the opening day of Arc weekend.

Seemingly ideally positioned in stall eight and with ground conditions not a concern, the stars appear perfectly aligned for the magnificent five-year-old to enter the record books. Head-Maarek said: “I can see she is desperate to go racing now, she just wants to gallop. Health-wise she is better than she was this time last year and her preparation has gone very smoothly.

“She is drawn in stall eight, which is a good draw and the pacemaker (Shahah) is in stall two, so everything is fine.”

One of the more interesting outsiders in the field is the Francis-Henri Graffard-trained Erupt.

He is unbeaten in his first four starts including a comprehensive Group One success in Longchamp’s Grand Prix de Paris.