Free Eagle© Photo Healy Racing
Pat Smullen is expecting a "huge run" from Dermot Weld's Free Eagle in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp on Sunday.
The Prince of Wales's Stakes hero finished third in last month's Irish Champion Stakes after a controversial barging match with eventual winner Golden Horn.
Free Eagle is tackling a mile and a half for the first time at Longchamp, but Smullen sees the longer trip as a plus rather than a negative.
"He's in tremendous form. We're all going there trying to beat Treve, but I expect a huge run from him," the jockey told At The Races.
"You'd settle for (stall) 12. You'd prefer to be a bit lower, towards the middle, but it's better to be there than slap down on the fence.
"We've always held him in high regard, there's very little mileage on the clock and he's done nothing wrong. It was unfortunate what happened in Leopardstown. There's no doubt I would have given Golden Horn a very good run for it.
"Whether we'd have beaten him, we'll never know, but I can't see why he (Free Eagle) is 16-1 and Golden Horn is whatever he is.
"I always thought he'd go a mile and a half and maybe he'll find a bit of improvement for going that trip. He's by no means slow, but I always felt a mile and a half was well within his compass."
Trainer Criquette Head-Maarek believes Treve is simply "desperate to go racing" ahead of her bid for an unprecedented third Arc.
It has been plain sailing for the brilliant mare since her connections sportingly reversed their initial decision to retire her to the paddocks after her second victory in Paris last October.
Successive triumphs at Saint-Cloud earlier in the year left her primed for the autumn and she looked better than ever when pulverising the opposition in last month's Prix Vermeille, form boosted by runner-up Candarliya on the opening day of Arc weekend.
Seemingly ideally positioned in stall eight and with ground conditions not a concern, the stars appear perfectly aligned for the magnificent five-year-old to enter the record books - but her trainer remains cool as a cucumber.
Head-Maarek said: "I'm feeling good. I am pleased to have a runner in the Arc - it is much better than being in the stands watching the race without a runner.
"She had a good canter this morning and I can see she is desperate to go racing now - she just wants to gallop, which is a good sign.
"Health-wise she is better than she was this time last year and her preparation has gone very smoothly. She just has one more step to take, but it is the biggest step and the hardest one, as the competition is tough.
"She is drawn in stall eight, which is a good draw and the pacemaker (Shahah) is in stall two, so everything is fine. All I hope for now is a smooth race and hopefully the best horse will win. The dice is rolling now."
