Criquette Head: Treve set the seal on career in which the charm was all natural

Whenever Criquette Head trained a big-race winner you would walk down into the winner's enclosure with a smile on your face.

The reasons were simple. In addition to an articulate account of the race and the winner, you knew you were in for a masterclass of manners, spiced with a touch of humour and leavened with that disarming modesty that has long been a trademark.

Sometimes the alleged quality of charm has a hint of contrivance about it, as when someone goes on a charm offensive. They have a goal in mind – an agenda for their own benefit – and somehow the smiles and unctuousness have something dodgy about them.