Treve's sister puts family reputation on the line

1.20 Saint-CloudPrix Cleopatre (Group 3) | 1m2½f, 3yo f | ATR

Terre's full sister Treve was one of the great modern day Arc winners while Terrakova is the product of a dream union between Galileo and the mighty Goldikova.

Something has to give between the two on the road to the Prix de Diane, while it shouldn't be overlooked that both fillies are stepping up to Group 3 company from maiden wins, wheras several of their opponents already have experience in better company.

Terre had two pleasing efforts to her name over a mile without having shown anything to suggest she had the talent to match her illustrious sibling, before running out a clearcut winner under Alexis Badel when stepped up to a mile and a quarter at Chantilly three weeks ago.

"Stepping up in trip worked out well for her last time and she accelerated well at the finish," said trainer Criquette Head-Maarek, who also masterminded Treve's extraordinary career. "We're drawn well but obviously this is tougher. Terre has a bit more of an imposing physique than Treve at the same age, who was quite light as a three-year-old. Does she has the same speed as her sister? That’s another matter because Treve was devastating but what she did the other day was pretty good."

Terrakova made a decent impression when running away from her rivals over 1m1f on her sole start at two and it would be no surprise to see punters side with her on that evidence.

Trainer Freddy Head sees no issue with the extra furlong, a step which found out her mother Goldikova when she finished third to Zarkava and Gagnoa in a vintage 2008 edition of the Diane.

"She's well and this race has always been the plan," said Freddy Head. "She has developed as normal from two to three and has been working well so now we have to see what she can achieve. I think she stays a bit better than her mother and I think she will get 2,000 metres [a mile and a quarter]."

Of the established Pattern form, Rythmique was third to Sistercharlie in the Group 3 Prix Penelope at this track in April, while Penny Lane was not far behind Terrakova's stablemate Gold Luck when fifth in the Prix Vanteaux at Chantilly.

And one who sets the benchmark . . .

Noble Mission

Following the unbeaten world champion Frankel was an unenviable task but Noble Mission had won four of his 14 career starts by the end of his three-year-old career. But he really began to blossom at four and, after landing a first Group 1 at the Curragh, he grabbed another at Saint-Cloud before reaching a peak with a hard-fought win over Al Kazeem in the Champion Stakes, two years on from his brother Frankel's final bow at Ascot.