Head Mafia ready for raid

"The filly likes a straight track as she will experience at Newmarket. The 'Imprudence' was originally switched from Maisons-Laffitte's straight seven furlongs because of waterlogging to a round version at the main Paris track." Having won or been placed in all six of her outings so far, Stunning is ultra-consistent and jockey Olivier Doleuze was impressed by her finishing speed at Longchamp.

There is a certain extra joie de vivre about Cricquette at the moment. Having been pursued by most of the eligible bachelors in the French racing game at some time or other, she took the plunge and married Gilles Maarek, the racing correspondent of the

Apart from Alec, mother Ghislaine, and daughter Criquette, the Head family also contains son Freddie, a former French champion jockey.

Freddie, unfortunately, gained the reputation of being unable to ride the Epsom Derby course, sometimes taking the scenic route over the north Surrey Downs.

However, Alec, now 77, did train

the winner of our major classic in 1956 with Lavandin and soon afterwards bought the most beautiful stud in Normandy, the Haras du Quesnay, now one of the leading breeding establishments in France. The operation there is directed by his other daughter, Martine.

Cricquette says: "We are a bit like the Mafia, the Head Mafia. Papa is still the boss and he has shown that he knows how to place his chess pieces. I would love to win the Derby as he has done. Papa is both my father and my mentor and I owe him everything. I needed him when I started and I still need him now."

Alec observes: "Cricquette's success gives me just as much satisfaction as I ever got from training. I still take a close interest in the yard.

"Cricquette faxes me every day and I go and see the horses when I am in Chantilly. But she is very much the boss and does her own thing.

"We go back a long way. Lester Piggott's grandfather and my grandfather rode against each other at Aintree, so the Heads and the Piggotts have a long tradition. Lester rode for me a lot and I have always been very fond of him."

There are nearly 200 horses in Cricquette's stable and she knows each one's characteristics and foibles intimately, being up at five every morning to supervise work.

A massive half of her string is owned by Wertheimer et Frere, to whom the heady fragrances of Chanel belong, yet Stunning runs in the silks of businessman Robert Clay.

All of Cricquette's One Thousand Guineas winners has been ridden by a different jockey. Brother Freddie was on board Ma Biche in 1983, George Moore partnered Ravinella five years later and Walter Swinburn was triumphant on Hatoof in 1992. The tradition will be continued if Doleuze pulls off the four-timer.

Stunning came out well in a searching gallop at Chantilly last week. There is not much of her, and Cricquette says: "She is not big, but she's very good-looking and well proportioned. She likes to be hidden and come off a strong pace."

Back on a straight course - and they don't come any straighter than the Rowley Mile - Stunning can show her true worth.