Italian riding legend Frankie Dettori suffered a huge blow as it was revealed he had lost the ride on last year’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe champion Treve for this weekend’s Group One Prix Vermeille.
Treve’s trainer Criquette Head-Maarek took the decision to replace the 43-year-old Italian with Thierry Jarnet.
Jarnet was on board Treve when she won Europe’s most prestigious race last year as Dettori cruelly had broken his foot in an innocuous fall earlier that week.
While Dettori, who remains the retained jockey to Treve’s owner Qatari Sheikh Joaan Al Thani, won the Vermeille last year on Treve he has been on board her for her two runs this season which have both resulted in defeat.
Dettori, who the Sheikh had rescued offering him a lucrative contract last season after he had served a six month ban for taking cocaine, was said to be ‘upset’ by the news that 47-year-old Jarnet had replaced him.
“It was my decision, nobody else’s. I think it is the best decision for the filly and when I told Frankie he was very good about it and understood my point of view,” said Head-Maarek.
“Thierry did very well on the filly last year and there is nothing more to say.”
Head-Maarek, for whom Jarnet had ridden and won three times on Treve prior to Sheikh Joan buying her before the Vermeille last year, said that logic dictated Jarnet would go on and ride her in the Arc on October 5 at Longchamp.
“Frankie is not going to ride her in the Vermeille as I have decided Thierry Jarnet will ride. Normally, that means Thierry will ride in the Arc,” said Head-Maarek, whose filly will be bidding if she runs to become the first horse to win successive Arcs since Irish great Alleged in 1977/78.
Harry Herbert, spokesman for Sheikh Joaan’s Al Shaqab Racing, said the owner had bowed to Head-Maarek’s judgement.
“Of course Frankie is upset but he is an amazing team player. He understands Criquette’s reasons,” Herbert told the Daily Mail.
“There is nothing more to read into this other than it is a trainer’s request.
“It is all tiny percentages at this level and Criquette, seeing how well Jarnet gets on with Treve, particularly in the mornings (training gallops), feels it is an advantage which should be taken.
“We are all big Frankie fans but the Sheikh felt that if Criquette felt that strongly it was her decision.”
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