German Runner Torquator Tasso Shocks In Arc With 71-1 Odds, Gutsy Closing Kick

The 100th edition of the Group 1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe belonged to German contender Torquator Tasso, who stunned horseplayers at odds of 71-1. The race was the first time rider Rene Piechulek had contested the Arc, and gave trainer Marcel Weiss his first win in the race. Weiss hung out his shingle just two years ago.

Heavy rains in Paris Saturday night changed the going of the turf to the advantage of the 4-year-old colt, who sat well off the early pace and closed through the Longchamp stretch, hitting his best gear in the very last furlong, passing Tarnawa and Hurricane Lane just before the wire. Adayar was fourth.

The win was the third for a German horse in the Arc, after Danedream in 2011 and Star Appeal in 1975.

Torquator Tasso was Horse of the Year in his native Germany last year, and prepped for the Arc with a winning effort in the Grosser Preis von Baden last month.

“I have no words. I can't believe I won,” Weiss told French media. “I started to think about the Arc during the winter because it had already shown class at three years old. He behaved very well this year, winning a Group 2 and a Group 1. But given the range of this 100th edition, we would have already been delighted to be fourth or fifth. The terrain helped him. He was able to attack on the outside as we had planned. I have been training for two years in Mulheim (Germany) but I have been working for Gestüt Auenquelle for many years. The owners of Torquator Tasso have turned down important offers for the horse and I am delighted to be able to train him. He's a star. We will discuss next week his future program, which will perhaps pass through Japan.”

The Arc, contested at 1 1/2 miles, is a Win and You're In race for the Breeders' Cup Turf. Though it remains unclear whether Torquator Tasso will come to Del Mar for the race, Racing Post reported that Tarnawa, last year's winner, could return to defend her title.

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Shock In The Arc As Torquator Tasso Prevails

It may have been the 100th edition, but ParisLongchamp's G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe proved again on Sunday it is no respecter of established tradition by throwing a curveball in the shape of the 72-1 winner Torquator Tasso (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}). Despite coming here off a victory in the G1 Grosser Preis von Baden, there was always going to be extra inflation in his starting price as a German raider from the small stable of Marcel Weiss with a relative unknown on his back in Rene Piechulek and he escaped much attention in the build-up as a result. What Gestut Auenquelle's bay did have in his make-up was the ability to sluice through the holding, deep surface prevalent after the abundant rainfall and that proved key as he overcame fellow closers Tarnawa (Ire) (Shamardal) and Hurricane Lane (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) in the final 50 metres to score by 3/4 of a length in this “Win and You're In” for the GI Breeders' Cup Turf at Del Mar in November. Tarnawa shaded the photo for second by a short head from Hurricane Lane, with the long-time leader Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) fading to fourth, three lengths away.

“It's very, very difficult to understand I've won this race,” Weiss said in the aftermath of one of the race's great shocks. “He has produced some very good performances and is a dual group 1 winner and even though I thought this was the strongest Arc of the last few years, we thought he deserved to run. We would have considered it a success if he had finished third, fourth, fifth or sixth. That he has won is a bonus. You can't really go higher than the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe–I've dreamt about it and now I've won it. It's absolutely unreal.”

Winding back to July 2020, Torquator Tasso sprung to prominence when coming off 3/4 of a length worse in a tussle with fellow son of Adlerflug In Swoop (Ire) as the runner-up in Hamburg's G1 Deutsches Derby. While that winner went on to run second in the G1 Grand Prix de Paris and get within a neck of taking this ultimate prize, Torquator Tasso stayed in Germany to finish third to Barney Roy (GB) (Excelebration {Ire}) in the G1 Grosser Preis von Baden, win the G1 Grosser Preis von Berlin at Hoppegarten and finish runner-up in Munich's G1 Grosser Preis Von Bayern. Only sixth on his return in the G2 Grosser Preis der Badischen Wirtschaft over 11 furlongs at Mulheim June 6, he rebounded with a 4 1/2-length success in the G2 Grosser Hansa-Preis der Baum Unternehmensgruppe at Hamburg July 3 before finishing second-best to Alpinista (GB) (Frankel {GB}) defending his crown in the Grosser Preis von Berlin Aug. 8.

Heading back to the Grosser Preis von Baden Sept. 5, Torquator Tasso overcame the threat of this year's G1 Deutsches Derby hero Sisfahan (Fr) (Isfahan {Ger}) and although his odds here were no reflection of his genuine prospects, he did have several pounds of improvement to find with the main principals. Following Adayar from the break, he was soon left exposed on the wing with only Chrono Genesis (Jpn) (Bago {Fr}) wider out as Oisin Murphy took the “Golden Horn” route. Tracking the moderate pace in mid-division with the eventual second and third on his inner, he sauntered though the contest before being asked to step it up heading out of the back straight.

Hurricane Lane was bustled along there by James Doyle as he tried to build momentum for the pursuit of his stablemate, while Tarnawa was kept towards the inner by Christophe Soumillon and for a few seconds it seemed that Adayar could already be gone on the lead. What appeared to be another exhibition of “endless power”, as William Buick described it after the King George, was by the furlong pole becoming a painful slog for the Godolphin first string and the finishers were now well within range.

Torquator Tasso had weaved around at the top of the straight, but no sooner had he been given a left-hander by Piechulek at the furlong marker than he picked up steam and was thrusting with the whip only waved once from there. As Tarnawa and Hurricane Lane swallowed up the sinking Adayar on the fresh strip of ground towards the fence, the German challenger was doing slightly the better of the trio and in the end there seemed a degree of comfort in the outcome. Bought at the BBAG October Yearling Sale for €24,000, the winner had towered over some of the most expensive bloodstock in the world at the moment of truth with no hint of fluke.

Piechulek said after the thrill of a lifetime which has evaded some of the best in the business in the past, “I think it will be only tomorrow that I realise what it really means to win this race. When I got out of the stalls there wasn't a lot of pace. I tried to get as close to the leading horses as possible. I wanted to be in position, when we got into the final straight, to really launch my horse because he really quickens and gets faster the longer the straight is. I know the horse and am thankful the owner trusted me to ride him, even though I had never ridden in the Arc before.”

Weiss, who was assistant to Jens Hershberger before taking up his licence at the start of 2020, is based near Mulheim where he holds the position of private trainer for Gestut Auenquelle. “That was beautiful,” he said. “He's a very nice horse, he's all heart and is a very strong horse. Rene is a very cool jockey, very cool. It was his first ride in the race. It's very hard to digest and put into words how I feel, but our plan was hatched last winter. I felt he deserved to go for it and my hopes rose when the ground came in our favour. We planned to chase the leading horses and launch our challenge wide into the straight. It's a long straight and we knew he would finish strongly. I had 20 years as an assistant before taking the reins two years ago and I'm so pleased the owner turned down an offer for the horse. He could go to Japan, but let's get him back and see how he is in the next week or so.”

Karl-Dieter Ellerbracke, owner of Gestut Auenquelle, could not be in Paris but was equally overwhelmed with emotion. “We can hardly believe what has happened, we are so happy,” he said. “It had always been the plan to have a tilt at the Arc this year and we carefully planned his season for this race, building him up gradually which has now more than worked out. It is amazing. We will have to make new plans regarding next year, but I would very much like to stand him here as a stallion in Gestut Auenquelle.”

Dermot Weld said of Tarnawa, “It is frustrating to be beaten by so little. I was very happy with her, everything was perfect coming into the race but the ground made the difference today. It is gluey and she can't quicken as she usually does. We'll discuss her future now, but the Breeders' Cup is a possibility.”

Charlie Appleby said of his duo, who look set to stay in training at four, “We knew there wasn't going to be an end-to-end gallop due to the conditions and unfortunately there was no pace and William had to make a decision to go the front and let Adayar prick his ears. To be fair, he did that and got into a rhythm but William did say he didn't like the ground and was going into it rather than going through it. I always thought that this was a horse who wanted a trip, so I got that wrong but it was another brave performance by the horse and he showed his class there. On decent ground next year, over 10 furlongs and a mile and a half he's going to be dominating.”

“Credit to Hurricane Lane, who unfortunately got shuffled back and with the lack of pace that wasn't ideal for a horse who we knew was going to see the trip out well,” Appleby said of the third. “When he did get out, it looked at one stage that he was going to produce a run that was potentially going to win an Arc but full credit to the winner. We knew it was going to be a gruelling race at the finish and that's what it was. They are two 3-year-old colts who have done the team proud and have lost nothing in defeat. I hope they will stay in training, but I need to discuss it with His Highness. They have plenty of scope and I always said that whatever they did this year they'd be better next year. It sounds mad when they've both won a Classic and won multiple group 1s, but I genuinely think they could progress at four.”

Following Star Appeal (Ire) in 1975 and Danedream (Ger) (Lomitas {GB}) in 2011, Torquator Tasso becomes the nation's third Arc hero and also the third from this leading German dam line. Making the early demise of Adlerflug all the more keenly felt as a result, he is the second foal out of Tijuana (Ger) (Toylsome {GB}) who is a half-sister to three black-type performers including the G2 Diana-Trial winner Tusked Wings (Ire) also by Adlerflug and Titurel (Ger) (Dr Fong) who was third in this track's G2 Prix Maurice de Nieuil.

The third dam is the Listed Prix Occitanie runner-up Turbaine (Trempolino), a half-sister to the 1993 heroine of this prize and stellar producer Urban Sea (Miswaki) who produced three black-type winners headed by the leading German sire Tertullian also by Miswaki. Torquator Tasso is therefore linked to the G1 Epsom Derby-winning pair of Galileo (Ire) and Sea the Stars (Ire), with the latter emulating his dam in taking the Arc in one of the great renewals in 2009. The fourth dam is the legendary blue hen Allegretta (GB) (Lombard {GB}), in turn a full-sister to Adlerflug's second dam Alya (Ger). Tijuana also has the 2-year-old colt Tunnes (Ger) (Guiliani {Ire}), a yearling full-sister to Torquator Tasso named Tiara Hilleshage (Ger) and a colt foal again by Adlerflug.

Sunday, ParisLongchamp, France
QATAR PRIX DE L'ARC DE TRIOMPHE-G1, €5,000,000, ParisLongchamp, 10-3, 3yo/up, c/f/m, 12fT, 2:37.62, hy.
1–TORQUATOR TASSO (GER), 131, c, 4, by Adlerflug (Ger)
     1st Dam: Tijuana (Ger), by Toylsome (GB)
     2nd Dam: Tucana (Ger), by Acatenango (Ger)
     3rd Dam: Turbaine, by Trempolino
(€24,000 Ylg '18 BBAGO). O-Gestut Auenquelle; B-Paul H Vandeberg (GER); T-Marcel Weiss; J-Rene Piechulek. €2,857,000. Lifetime Record: MG1SW-Ger, 11-5-3-1, €3,248,800. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Tarnawa (Ire), 128, m, 5, Shamardal–Tarana (Ire), by Cape Cross (Ire). O-H H Aga Khan; B-His Highness The Aga Khan's Studs SC (IRE); T-Dermot Weld. €1,143,000.
3–Hurricane Lane (Ire), 125, c, 3, Frankel (GB)–Gale Force (GB), by Shirocco (Ger). (200,000gns Ylg '19 TATOCT). O-Godolphin; B-Normandie Stud Ltd (IRE); T-Charlie Appleby. €571,500.
Margins: 3/4, SHD, 3. Odds: 72.00, 4.00, 3.00.
Also Ran: Adayar (Ire), Sealiway (Fr), Snowfall (Jpn), Chrono Genesis (Jpn), Bubble Gift (Fr), Alenquer (Fr), Mojo Star (Ire), Broome (Ire), Raabihah, Baby Rider (Fr), Deep Bond (Jpn). Scratched: Love (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by TVG.

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The Weekly Wrap: Euro Delights Aplenty

We head towards a weekend featuring the final British Classic of 2021, the Arc Trials and Irish Champions Weekend with the last week having offered plenty of food for thought across Europe.

Torquator Tasso (Ger) paid a posthumous tribute to his champion sire Adlerflug (Ger) by adding victory in the G1 Grosser Preis von Baden to his 2020 win in the G1 Grosser Preis von Berlin. Second in last year's Deutsches Derby to another son of Adlerflug, the recently retired In Swoop (Ire), the 4-year-old beat this year's Derby winner Sisfahan (Fr) (Isfahan {Ger}), who hassled the winner all the way to the line to boost the 2021 Classic form in Germany.

Torquator Tasso owns an intriguing pedigree, with both his sire and dam being female-line descendants of Anatevka (Ger) (Espresso {GB}) through the full-sisters Alya (Ger) and Allegretta (GB), both by Lombard (Ger). He thus has a double shot of the the family that can be credited with doing more to raise the profile of German breeding internationally in recent decades than any other. Torquator Tasso's owner Karl-Dieter Ellerbracke has indicated that the Arc is now the likely target for his colt, and that he may well stay in training next year before joining Ellerbracke's Gestüt Auenquelle. The stud is currently home to the veteran Soldier Hollow (GB) and Torquator Tasso's eventual arrival will give breeders another option for tapping into the Adlerflug/In The Wings line which has worked so well in Germany of late.

The Grosser Preis success was also another major feather in the cap of Marcel Weiss, who for the last two years has been training the Auenquelle horses at Mulheim. He had previously served his time as feedman for several trainers, including Heinz Jentzsch and Jens Hirschberger.

Half an hour later and some 500 kilometres away in Paris, Baaeed (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) continued his unbeaten progression to the top with his first Group 1 strike in the Prix du Moulin de Longchamp. He is the 15th Group 1 winner for his sire and the second to have won at the top level over a mile after Zelzal (Fr), who landed the Prix Jean Prat before it was reduced in distance. 

Anatevka and her daughter Allegretta of course appear in Baaeed's pedigree as the third and second dams of Sea The Stars, and on the bottom line the Queen's former star Height Of Fashion (Fr), who has been the bedrock of the late Sheikh Hamdan's Shadwell Stud, appears again in another top prospect as Baaeed's fifth dam. 

William Haggas's star pupil Baaeed is out of Aghareed, a listed winner in her racing days for John Hammond and a daughter of Kingmambo. It is a cross which has been seen to good effect with Sea The Stars, whose Group 1-winning sons and young French-based stallions Cloth Of Stars (Ire) and Zelzal are both out of Kingmambo mares.

Ryan On Point For Major Owner

It was a day to remember for Sheikh Mohammed Obaid and Kevin Ryan on Saturday at Haydock, where the freewheeling tactics of Emaraaty Ana (GB) (Shamardal) paid off when narrowly denying the even-money favourite Starman (GB) (Dutch Art {GB}) in the G1 Sprint Cup. The 5-year-old former Gimcrack winner has been in good form all summer and was most recently second to Winter Power (Ire) (Bungle Inthejungle {Ire}) in the G1 Coolmore Nunthorpe S. at York.

The owner/trainer duo had started the day well when supplying the latest stakes winner in a tremendous season for Frankel (GB) through Triple Time (GB) in the listed Ascendant S. The 2-year-old's dam Reem Three (GB) (Mark Of Esteem {Ire}) can very much claim her fair share of the credit, however, as she has been a wonderfully dependable broodmare for the sheikh, providing six black-type performers by six different stallions, including G2 Prix Daniel Wildenstein victor Ostilio (GB) (New Approach {Ire}).

Sheikh Mohammed Obaid has enjoyed a decent run of late, with seven winners from 17 runners over the last fortnight. They include the smart-looking 2-year-old homebred Razzle Dazzle (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}), who has two black-type entries at Doncaster later this week.

Intello To The Fore

It was also a good weekend for Haras du Quesnay's Intello (Ger), who was represented by three new group winners in France and Germany. 

The lightly-raced Waldbiene (Fr) continued an excellent run for graduates of Andreas Putsch's Haras de Saint Pair when winning the G2 T Von Zastrow Stutenpreis at Baden-Baden on Saturday. A daughter of Waldjagd (GB) (Observatory {GB}), she hails from an excellent family which includes the St Leger winner Masked Marvel (GB) (Montjeu {Ire}) and Arc winner Waldgeist (GB) (Galileo {Ire}).

The following day the 11-year-old son of Galileo (Ire) notched two Group 3 winners in just over an hour at ParisLongchamp. The first came with victory for 4-year-old Dawn Intello (Fr), bred by Viktor Timoshenko at Haras de Montaigu, who clearly enjoyed dropping back in trip to 2000 metres for the La Coupe de Maisons-Laffitte.

Bubble Smart (GB) then delivered the Prix Gladiateur for her trainer Mikel Delazangles and the family of his late Moroccan breeder Zakaria Hakam to complete a hat-trick of staying wins since June 26. The 4-year-old half-sister to Prix du Jockey Club runner-up Bubble Chic (Fr) (Chichicastenango {Fr}) was raised at Haras de Maulepaire, not far from Le Mans, and her dam is one of around seven mares kept by Ali and Amina Hakam at the stud.

Run by Pierric Rouxel for the Comtesse de Tarragon, Maulepaire also raised arguably the most famous horse to have emerged from the Delzangles stable, the globetrotting multiple Group 1 winner Dunaden (Fr), as well as some notable stars of the jumps scene, including La Bague Au Roi (Fr).

Ardad And Time Test Step Up

Ardad (Ire) leapt to the head of the European first-season sires' table on Saturday courtesy of his second group winner, Eve Lodge (GB), who notched the second victory of her career in the G3 Sirenia S. at Kempton. Ardad's leading performer of the season is the G1 Prix Morny and Gr Norfolk S. winner Perfect Power (Ire). 

The Overbury Stud resident has had 17 individual winners at the time of writing, so he is eight behind the leader Cotai Glory (GB) in that category, but ahead on prize-money, largely thanks to his stakes winners. 

The freshman who took perhaps the biggest step forward this week is the National Stud's Time Test (GB), who had Group 3 winners on consecutive days and now lies equal with Galileo Gold (GB) for number of black-type winners on three. 

At Baden-Baden on Wednesday, the Peter Schiergen-trained Rocchigiani (GB) became his sire's first group winner in the G3 Renate und Albrecht Woesten Zukunftsrennen, swiftly followed 24 hours later by the success of Romantic Time (GB) in the G3 Dick Poole Fillies' S. The William Stone-trained filly had previously beaten Eve Lodge into second when the pair met in a novice race at Yarmouth on July 7.

For Eve Lodge's trainer Charlie Fellowes, it was a case of as one door opens, another closes, and in this case it was a pretty big door. Thirty-five minutes after Eve Lodge became the trainer's first group winner on home soil, his beloved stable star Prince of Arran (GB) ran his final race when finishing last of five in the G3 September S. That race had been intended as a prep run before the 8-year-old went into quarantine for a fourth tilt at the Melbourne Cup, but the stringent new pre-travel vetting requirements for overseas runners ruled him out of a return to Australia. 

Fellowes will miss him terribly but he can look back with great pride at the career of a really likeable horse who helped to bring his trainer's name to wider attention internationally. Prince Of Arran retires sound and well with six wins to his name from 49 starts, and more than £2 million in prize-money. His most memorable victory came in the G3 Lexus S. on Derby day at Flemington, where he was also placed three times in the Melbourne Cup. There aren't many like him and he deserves a long and happy retirement.

Baden-Baden Gets It Right For Racing

Following an encouraging day at the BBAG Yearling Sale on Friday, BBAG president Karl-Dieter Ellerbracke then witnessed his Torquator Tasso take Baden-Baden's biggest race on Sunday to set him on course for a tilt at the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. 

In the spring the sales company became a shareholder in its neighbouring Baden-Baden racecourse, a symbiotic relationship which makes perfect sense. There is great relief in German racing that the action is now continuing at Baden-Baden under a 10-year lease to the newly formed Baden Galopp.

For a start, the closure of any racecourse should be met with regret, and it is no secret that German racing is under threat from dwindling prize-money and a reduction in the number of broodmares in the country. Most people who spent time at Baden-Baden racecourse, or at the sales, over the last few days would not have formed that impression, however. 

The one problem British racing does not face is a lack of racegoers but there is growing consternation about the unruly behaviour, often fuelled by drink and drugs, at a number of the country's top meetings. 

Baden Galopp may be a new company but the people behind it are long-term supporters of and participants in the sport. The meeting they staged over this weekend could be used as the copybook for the perfect racing experience, whether for the sport's professionals or for the casual fan.

For a start, the layout of the racecourse allows visitors to get properly close to the action, both on the track and when the horses are led back in after the race along the fabulous walkway bearing the names of the winners of the Grosser Preis, like racing's own special version of the yellow brick road. There is the history of the great race right there, writ large under our feet.

It was extremely hot over the weekend but plenty of shade was provided by the many lovely old trees in the public areas where there is no segregation, apart from the parade ring and winner's circle area naturally being restricted to owners, trainers and jockeys. But if you want to see the horses you can, very easily, and plenty of people did, as it was three or four deep around the parade ring on both days.  The rail in the long home straight was lined with folk throughout the day, and with the jockeys' tendency to bring the horses wide to that stands' rail, the runners whizzed by so close you could almost touch them, much to the delight of the many children watching on (and one very big child with a reporter's hat on).

For time out from the equine action, there was plenty of seating all around the course to enjoy a picnic from the open air bars and bratwurst stands. Not once over the weekend was there any sense of drunken, loutish behaviour. It was truly a wonderful sporting day out that could be properly enjoyed by family members of all ages, not to mention their pet dogs, of which there were many on course throughout the weekend.

There is much to celebrate about the return of racing to Baden-Baden at whatever level your interest in the sport may be.

One notable absentee from the sales and racing in Germany was leading trainer Andreas Wohler, 59, who suffered a heart attack on the previous Friday but has subsequently been released from hospital to continue his recovery. We wish him well.

Mighty Weekend For Spanish Racing

Among those taking full advantage of all the delights Baden-Baden has to offer was a group of 20 friends and family of Angel Saenz, who travelled to Germany from Madrid with their trainer Guillermo Arizkorreta to plunder group races on the Saturday and Sunday.

It was a mighty raid by Spain's champion trainer, who has long been lauded in his home country but deserves the wider recognition that his first Group 3 and then Group 2 wins internationally will bring.

A former amateur rider who cut his teeth with his friend and fellow Basque-born jockey Ioritz Mendizabal, Arizkorreta spent a number of years assisting Luca Cumani in Newmarket, where he honed his perfect English speaking skills. He returns to the town regularly for the sales, and both his group winners, Kitty Marion (GB) (Iffraaj {GB}) and Rodaballo (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), had been bought at Tattersalls, the former from last year's July Sale for just 3,000gns by Edgar Byrne, and Rodaballo from Ardglas Stables at the Guineas Breeze-up Sale.

Two such notable wins outside Spain, which has a racehorse population of only around 65o, clearly meant an awful lot to Arizkorreta, who has won multiple Classics at home, including last year's Poule de Potros (Spanish 2000 Guineas) with the Aston House Stud-bred Rodaballo.

He said on Sunday, “We are always very passionate about our racing and our horses, so going abroad and proving that we are good enough to compete in these races is very important for Spain. We are very proud.”

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Grosser Preis Von Baden Glory For Torquator Tasso

Third in last year's G1 Wettstar Grosser Preis von Baden, Gestut Auenquelle's Torquator Tasso (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}) was on top this time as he mastered the G1 Deutsches Derby hero Sisfahan (Fr) (Isfahan {Ger}) in a pulsating finale to Sunday's contest. Sent off the 9-5 favourite, the 2020 G1 Grosser Preis von Berlin hero who was runner-up in the most recent renewal of that Hoppegarten prize last time Aug. 8 raced in fourth early with Rene Piechulek content to wait off the steady pace. Delivered to tackle Godolphin's Passion and Glory (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}) approaching the furlong pole, he soon had that rival's measure before fighting off the attentions of the 3-year-old to score by a length, with 3 3/4 lengths back to the tiring Passion and Glory in third. There was a footnote to this edition, with the filly Pessemona (GB) (War Command) planting in the stalls and tailing off and the French challenger Millebosc (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) running out on the bend to the back straight and being pulled up.

Torquator Tasso, who had been denied only by In Swoop (Ire) (Adlerflug {Ger}) in the 2020 G1 Deutsches Derby before his third to Barney Roy (GB) (Excelebration {Ire}) in this, was seen out only twice more last term when winning the Grosser Preis von Berlin and finishing second in Munich's G1 Grosser Preis Von Bayern. Sixth on his return in the G2 Grosser Preis der Badischen Wirtschaft over 11 furlongs at Mulheim June 6, the bay bounced back with a 4 1/2-length success in the G2 Grosser Hansa-Preis der Baum Unternehmensgruppe at Hamburg July 3 before losing out to Alpinista (GB) (Frankel {GB}) defending his crown in the Grosser Preis von Berlin. Paying a handsome compliment to Kirsten Rausing's filly here, he can lay claim to being his country's leading middle-distance performer as a result and now has the ultimate prize in his sights.

Karl-Dieter Ellerbracke, owner of Gestut Auenquelle, said, “This was a very emotional victory, it was our first victory in this race following two seconds before with Gonbarda and Oriental Tiger. Torquator Tasso showed his class and will now run in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and will be ridden by Rene Piechulek again. If all goes well, he will also remain in training as a 5-year-old and eventually take up stud duties at our stud.”

The dam Tijuana (Ger) (Toylsome {GB}) is a half-sister to three black-type performers headed by the G2 Diana-Trial winner Tusked Wings (Ire) also by Adlerflug. The listed-placed third dam Turbaine (Trempolino) is kin to the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe heroine and remarkable producer Urban Sea (Miswaki), which links the winner to Galileo (Ire) and Sea the Stars (Ire) et al while the fourth dam is the legendary blue hen Allegretta (GB) (Lombard {GB}) who is related to Adlerflug himself. Tijuana's unraced 2-year-old colt Tijuan Hilleshage (Ger) is by Guiliani (Ire), her yearling is a full-sister to Torquator Tasso named Tiara Hilleshage (Ger) and she also has a colt foal again by Adlerflug.

Sunday, Baden-Baden, Germany
149TH WETTSTAR GROSSER PREIS VON BADEN-G1, €160,000, Baden-Baden, 9-5, 3yo/up, 12fT, 2:29.21, g/s.
1–TORQUATOR TASSO (GER), 132, c, 4, by Adlerflug (Ger)
     1st Dam: Tijuana (Ger), by Toylsome (GB)
     2nd Dam: Tucana (Ger), by Acatenango (Ger)
     3rd Dam: Turbaine, by Trempolino
(€24,000 Ylg '18 BBAGO). O-Gestut Auenquelle; B-Paul H Vandeberg (GER); T-Marcel Weiss; J-Rene Piechulek. €100,000. Lifetime Record: 10-4-3-1, €391,800. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Sisfahan (Fr), 125, c, 3, Isfahan (Ger)–Kendalee (Fr), by Kendargent (Fr). (€20,000 Ylg '19 ARNOV). O-Darius Racing; B-Guy Pariente Holding (FR); T-Henk Grewe. €33,000.
3–Passion and Glory (Ire), 132, g, 5, Cape Cross (Ire)–Potent Embrace, by Street Cry (Ire). O/B-Godolphin; T-Saeed bin Suroor. €17,000.
Margins: 1, 3 3/4, 2. Odds: 1.80, 2.50, 2.70.
Also Ran: Kaspar (Ger), Vallando (Ger), Pessemona (GB). Also Ran (DNF): Millebosc (Fr). Scratched: Isfahani (Ger). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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