PARIS, France. – Four-year-old filly Treve came back to her brilliant best with a sensational back-to-back win in Sunday’s Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe over 2400m at Longchamps Raceourse.  Treve, with jockey Thierry Jarnet in the irons, came home two lengths clear of Flintshire, followed by Taghrooda and Kingston Hill.

It was announced that Treve, a daughter of Motivator, would be retired to stud immediately and her jubilant trainer, Criqquette Head-Maarek, said she was always keen to run the filly here one last time. “When you bring a horse to the racecourse it’s because you think it should win. The only problem we had was everyone was saying she should be retired, but today she proved to be coming back to her best.

“Last year I had a horse that I knew was going to win. This year I had a horse that was not 100 per cent. We had a fantastic race. When I saw her going into the straight I knew she was going to win, she’s got that fantastic turn of foot. She is a very special horse.”

Harry Herbert, racing manager to Treve’s owners Al Shaqab Racing, was in awe of Head-Maarek. “”She’s a remarkable trainer, she never lost faith,” he said. “She rang me after a piece of work and said ‘she’s back’. It was a remarkable performance.”