Treve

First job in the Thoroughbred industry? I started riding for Stephane Cerulis during the summer holidays back in Belgium when I was aged 14. Biggest influence on your career? Criquette Head. She is like a second mum, the best advisor and most importantly she made me fall in love with training. Favourite racehorse of all time, and why? Treve. I was lucky enough to ride her while she was in training which was a fantastic experience. Who will be champion first-season sire in 2023? Blue Point. Greatest race in the...

by Sue Finley & Katie Petrunyak Since 1958, the Head family has been raising champion Thoroughbreds at Haras du Quesnay, just a few kilometers from the Arqana sales ring. But now, with the passing of the family patriarch, Alec Head, and the sale of the historic nursery, the family's colors will fly for the last time at the December Breeding Stock sale, with the complete dispersal of the Heads' bloodstock interests. Le Quesnay will offer 48 broodmares, fillies and foals during the sale. "It's a big bunch of horses, and...

The Haras du Quesnay dispersal at the forthcoming Arqana December Breeding Stock Sale will be one of the most notable bloodstock events of recent years, Quesnay having been synonymous with excellence for longer than most people can remember. Its history is that of the Head family, a family which is revered the world over not only for its horsemanship and understanding of the bloodstock game, but also for its integrity. The Quesnay story is the Head story, and within it lie the stories of many of the greatest horses of...

Historic breeding establishment Haras du Quesnay announced it will disband its operation, including 40 broodmares, fillies and foals, during the upcoming Arqana Vente d'Elevage Dec. 3-6. "The Lov Group will purchase the stud," Freddy Head told JDG Sunday. "I believe le Quesnay will remain a stud, that's the objective. However, it is too early to tell. In any case, it won't take place until next year. All of the Haras du Quesney stock will be sold in December. Personally, I will continue to breed on my end." Haras du Quesney...

Few people genuinely deserve to be described as a legend in their own lifetime. Lester Piggott was one, while Alec Head, who passed away on Wednesday at the age of 97, was another. One of the greatest names in the world of both training and breeding, Alec Head was also a very accomplished jockey in his youth and, coming from a great racing family, he passed on his skills to the subsequent generations, to the extent that one could say that the influence of his family will live forever. As their...

Jean-Claude Rouget is not prone to hyperbole so, when the decorated French handler compared the unexposed Al Hakeem (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) to his only G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Sottsass (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) earlier this week, some people did a double take. Not Benoit Jeffroy, who manages Haras de Bouquetot on behalf of the Al Shaqab operation. Jeffroy has long been aware of the standing in which the multiple Classic-winning trainer has held Al Hakeem and, when the colt won the Listed Prix de Suresnes at Chantilly on...

Since Al Shaqab Racing's first foray into racehorse ownership, the organization has grown exponentially with strong investment in bloodstock globally. The company has built an impressive stud farm at Haras de Bouquetot, which houses its nine-strong stallion roster as well as playing host to a broodmare band that includes dual G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe heroine Treve (Fr) (Motivator {GB}) and multiple Group 1 winner Qemah (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) to name a few. However, it may be Al Shaqab's investment in personnel that sees the company thrive and...

Nothing sacred just appears out of the wilderness; it is always the outcome of an evolutionary process with many layers of development. In racing, France and arguably Europe's self-proclaimed 'monument', the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, emerged from a lengthy spell of planning and forethought into how the country could showcase its own talent in direct competition with its neighbours. With the hippodrome at Longchamp superseding the worn-out Champ de Mars circuit in 1857, the Societe d'Encouragement pour l'Amelioration des Races de Chevaux en France looked to provide some prizes...

Treve (Fr) (Motivator {GB}) looks likely to take the next step en route to her historic bid for a third G1 Prix De L'Arc de Triomphe when she lines out for the G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud in Paris this Sunday. A field of 13 have been left in at this stage including the Andre Fabre-trained Flintshire (GB) (Dansili {GB}) runner up to Treve in last years Arc, and the Alain de Royer-Dupre trained Group 1 winner Dolniya (Fr) (Azamour {Ire}). Treve made a very smooth comeback in the G2...