France’s biggest horse race is nearly upon us, the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. The 2,400 metre course is one of the most prestigious horse races on the calendar and its 2014 prize fund of €5,000,000 makes it the richest turf race in the world and the second-richest horse race after the Dubai World Cup.

Upon reading the slogan of the Longchamps race “Ce n’est pas une course, c’est un monument” - “It’s not a race, it’s a monument”, the realisation of how momentous winning the event is. Winning the race once places horses in the uppermost echelons of greatness, winning it twice immortalizes the horse. You can only imagine that excitement that Criquette Head Maarek, the trainer of Treve; the 2013 winner, must be feeling as she prepares her horse for the event. If Treve, she is heavily favoured, wins the Arc she will be the first horse since Alleged in 1977/78 to win successive Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe’s and only the seventh horse in 94-year history of the race to record back-to-back wins.

It is as if the stars have aligned for Treve as it seems extremely unlikely that the horse Australia will be competing at the Arc after its defeat in the Irish Champion Stakes. The closest the steed’s trainer, Aidan O’Brien, will get to winning a race will be on the Champion of the Track online pokie game - follow link for the best place to play pokies - but compared to the €2.8m first prize it is not going to be of much compensation.

Head-Maarek has made the bold decision to replace racing icon Frankie Dettori with Thierry Jarnet, a veteran French jockey who she believes has a better understanding of the filly. Jarnet was the jockey who rode home Treve for the victory last year, Dettori injured himself after falling in the week leading up to the race.

Jarnet, a three time Arc winner, has never lost on Treve. He was in the saddle for he win at the French Oaks last year before the horse was bought by Sheikh Joaan Al-Thani of Qatar. Dettori is Al-Thani’s retained jockey so naturally was given the seat before Head-Maarek pushed for Jarnet recently.

"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."

Harry Herbert, the racing manager for Sheikh Joaan, stated: "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," said Herbert.

"We are all big Frankie fans but the Sheikh felt that if Criquette felt that strongly it was her decision."

Treve, who had a back injury in the summer, will arrive at the Arc as a vision of health; she’ll also be paired with her favourite jockey while the potential absence of Australia makes for good reading.

Will Treve be able to pull of a historic win?

Right now: yes.