Criquette Head-Maarek

Criquette Head-Maarek
Criquette Head in April 2014
Occupation	Trainer
Born	(1948-11-06)6 November 1948 Marly-le-Roi
Major racing wins
British Classic Racewins: 1000 Guineas(1983, 1988, 1992, 2010) French Classic Racewins: Poule d'Essai des Pouliches (1979, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1994, 1995, 1997) Prix de Diane(1982, 2000, 2013) Prix Royal-Oak(1984) Prix du Jockey Club(1986) Poule d'Essai des Poulains(2004) Other Major Wins: Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe(1979, 2013, 2014) Deutschland-Preis(1981) E. P. Taylor Stakes(1984, 1985, 1992) Beverly D. Stakes(1994)
Significant horses
Ma Biche,Ravinella,Hatoof,Special Duty,Treve,Anabaa,African Rose,Three Troikas,American Post,Bering

Christiane "Criquette" Head(born 6 November 1948 atMarly-le-Roi,nearMaisons-Laffitte,France) is a retired Frenchracehorse trainer.Known as Criquette, she was born into theThoroughbred horse racingbusiness. Her great grandfather was ajockey-turned-trainer as was her grandfatherWilliam Headwho was a very successful jockey, trainer, and owner in bothflat racingandsteeplechaseevents. Her father,Alec Head,became a successful trainer andbreederand the owner ofHaras du QuesnaynearDeauville.The eldest of three daughters, her brotherFreddy Headwas the champion jockey six times in France who now trains horses, and sister Martine oversees the operations at Haras du Quesnay.

Background

In her teens, Criquette Head studied for three years in the United Kingdom at schools inGuildfordinSurreyandEastbourneinEast Sussex.She started riding ponies as a child then at age 18 began competing as a rider. Trilingual (French, English and Spanish), she lived in Spain for several years before returning home in 1974 where she worked in a brokerage firm but decided on a career in racing.

Training career

She began as an assistant trainer for her father and in 1978 obtained her training license. The following year thePrix de l'Arc de Triomphebecame a true "Head" family affair. WinnerThree Troikaswas owned by her motherGhislaine Head,was ridden by Freddy Head, and trained by Criquette. Her victory in the most prestigious French horse race was the first ever by a female trainer.

The Head family has had a long association in horse racing with the Wertheimer family, proprietors of theHouse of Chanelperfume company and owners of successful racing stables. Alec Head trained horses for bothPierre Wertheimer(1887-1965) and his sonJacques(1909-1996). In 1983, Criquette Head took over as Jacques Wertheimer's trainer. In 1986 she was the champion trainer in France. She continued to have great success with Wertheimer and his sonsAlainandGérarduntil they ended their working relationship in August 2006 following a disagreement over the owners' retained jockey, Olivier Peslier.

Criquette Head lived and trained in Chantilly and is president of the French Trainers' Association. A registered bloodstock agent since 1976, she trains for other notable stable owners such asPrince Khalid Abdullah,John T. L. Jones, Jr.and until his death in 2006Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

Personal life

Head-Maarek married journalist Gilles Maarek in 2000.She announced her retirement in February 2018.

Major wins

Partial list of races won by horses trained by Criquette Head:

France:

• Critérium de Saint-Cloud(1994, 1997, 2007, 2014)
• Critérium de Maisons-Laffitte(1984, 1987, 1989, 1997, 1998)
• Grand Prix de Chantilly(1996, 2001)
• Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud(2015)
• La Coupe(1987, 1988, 1989)
• La Coupe de Maisons-Laffitte(1986, 1990, 1993)
• Poule d'Essai des Poulains(2004)
• Poule d'Essai des Pouliches(1979, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1994, 1995, 1997)
• Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp(1996)
• Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe(1979, 2013, 2014)
• Prix d'Arenberg(1978, 1983, 1987, 1990, 1993, 1994, 1996, 2000, 2003)
• Prix du Calvados(1982, 1995)
• Prix de Diane(1982, 2000, 2013)
• Prix Eclipse(1984, 1987, 1999)
• Prix de la Forêt(1983, 1990, 1997, 2002, 2003)
• Prix d'Ispahan(1995)
• Prix du Jockey Club(1986)
• Prix Jean-Luc Lagardère(1982, 2000, 2003, 2014, 2016)
• Prix Jean Prat(1991, 1996, 2002)
• Prix Marcel Boussac(1992, 1994, 1997, 1998, 2008)
• Prix Maurice de Gheest(1988, 1996, 1997)
• Prix Miesque(2003, 2005, 2006)
• Prix Noailles(1981, 1986, 1998)
• Prix de l'Opéra(1984, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1992)
• Prix Robert Papin(1982, 1985, 1987, 1992, 1993, 2009)
• Prix Royal-Oak(1984)
• Prix Saint-Alary(1979, 1982, 1985, 1988, 1991, 2003)
• Prix de la Salamandre(1982, 1985)
• Prix Vermeille(1979, 2013, 2015)

Canada:

• E. P. Taylor Stakes(1984, 1985, 1992)

Germany:

• Deutschland-Preis(1981)

Great Britain:

• 1000 Guineas(1983, 1988, 1992, 2010)
• Champion Stakes(1993)
• Cheveley Park Stakes(1982, 1987, 1996, 2009)
• Coronation Stakes(1993)
• Falmouth Stakes(1996)
• July Cup(1996)
• Racing Post Trophy(2003)
• Sprint Cup(2008)

Singapore:

• Krisflyer Sprint(2001)

United States:

• Beverly D. Stakes(1994)

References

• Trainer Magazine profile
• Biography and race record for Criquette Head at France Galop