CRIQUETTE Head-Maarek will go into the 2015 season not just hoping that Treve can go into the history books by becoming the first horse to land a hat-trick in the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe but with the strong possibility of picking up classics on both sides of the Channel.

This became a reality last Saturday when Epicuris stayed on impressively on heavy ground having made every yard of the running in the Group 1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud.

The colt was giving his sire Rail Link a first winner in this category and a fourth success in this 10-furlong contest for both owner/breeder Khalid Adbullah and Head-Maarek.

Thierry Thulliez was taking the race for a first time and this was the same team which won the Qatar Jean-Luc Lagardere with Full Mast who was awarded the race after the stewards demoted Gleneagles.

Thulliez was at the head of affairs soon after the start and stayed there until the finish where he had two and a half lengths to spare over the inexperienced German visitor Palang and Big Blue.

Then came Richard Hannon’s Crafty Choice but Fran Berry and Clonard Street ran out of steam a furlong and a half out having been given every chance.

sensible pace

Thulliez set a sensible pace and brought the field over to the stands side in the straight. Epicuris then proceeded to hold off all attacks and after a tap on his quarters he drew away inside the final to win with plenty in reserve.

The colt has yet to taste defeat or even to be put under any great pressure. He has now won over distances from a mile to 10 furlongs and on all variety of grounds.

Since the Criterium was added to the French programme in 1988, there have been few classic winners but Fame And Glory was an exception having gone on to run second to Sea The Stars in the Investec Derby before taking the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby. Head-Maarek has a high opinion of Epicuris. She said: “I was never fearful of defeat and never had the impression he could be beaten.

“Epicuris has speed and stamina and that is a sign of a very good horse. We must now try and find a leader for him. We certainly have a very good horse for 2015. He also acts on testing ground like his mother and that’s an advantage as he now adapts to all surfaces.

“We have the right to think about the Jockey Club and why not the Epsom Derby as I have always wanted to win that race. I must talk with the Prince.” At the beginning of 2013 and after two years where she was well behind in the trainers’ list, (64th in 2011 and 48th a year later) Head-Maarek may have occasionally thought about giving up her profession but then Treve came along and gave her another two Arcs.

Now she has Epicuris and Full Mast to strengthen the male side of her stable. She was third in the trainers’ list in 2013 and will be in the same place at the end of this year.