Officials with Al Shaqab have moved to quash rumours about why its three horses with Criquette Head-Maarek were removed from the trainer's yard.
Head-Maarek suggested in an interview with Paris Turf over the weekend that her gender may have been the reason, but Khalifa Al Attiya, General Manager of Al Shaqab, said on Monday, “Al Shaqab had never intended for this to be the end of our professional relationship with Criquette Head-Maarek. The decision was taken to move a filly away from her yard due to the virus concerns. As a result we were told that we should move the three of them together, which we did.”
Head-Maarek, who trained Treve (Fr) (Motivator {GB}) to wins in the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in 2013 and 2014 for Al Shaqab, said she had not been offered an explanation for the move.
“I've no idea why they moved them, of course it was a surprise,” she said. “You can't do much better than giving an owner two Arc wins. I've not spoken to anyone; they just called me a month ago and said they are going. It's not going to change my life.”
“I don't think they will come back,” she added. “They went, what can I do? I've got no clue [why], maybe in my imagination it was because I am a woman.”
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