From €24,000 yearling to shock Arc hero: delve into Torquator Tasso's pedigree

This year's Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe represented something of a global gathering of the finest bloodlines around.

Frankel, who is well on course to claim his first champion sire crown, was responsible for leading fancies Adayar and Hurricane Lane, Sea The Stars fielded his own brace in Mojo Star and Raabihah, while the Aga Khan sent his top-class Shamardal filly Tarnawa to contest the €5 million prize.

Although the domestic challenge was not as strong as anticipated, with just Galiway's son Sealiway representing the French stallion ranks, there was a notable international presence courtesy of Japan, who sent runners by Bago, sire of Chrono Genesis, and Kizuna, sire of Deep Bond, while Coolmore's homebred Oaks heroine Snowfall is, of course, by the late, great Deep Impact.

Galileo has already supplied two Arc winners in Found and Waldgeist, but Love's withdrawal meant that his influence would be confined to the role of broodmare sire for the second year running, albeit that ended rather successfully when Sottsass claimed the 2020 renewal of France's flagship race.

Torquator Tasso: one of five Group 1 winners by AdlerflugCredit: Edward Whitaker

However, the breeding behemoths were stunned into silence on Sunday when the German-bred Torquator Tasso showed an abundance of class, courage and stamina to wear down Tarnawa and Hurricane Lane inside the final 50 yards.

There had been whispers about a son of Adlerflug relishing the conditions at Longchamp, but it speaks to the seismic shock that Torquator Tasso pulled off that he was not even considered the most likely winner out of his sire's two runners, with Alenquer, who finished ninth, much shorter in the betting.

The giantkilling nature of the result is only enhanced by a dive into Torquator Tasso's sales history, as he cost his owner Gestut Auenquelle a mere €24,000 at BBAG in October 2018.

The four-year-old was bred by Paul Vandeberg and is the second foal out of Tijuana, a daughter of the unheralded Cadeaux Genereux stallion Toylsome. Tijuana is a sibling to three black-type performers, most notably the German Group 2 scorer Tusked Wings, who is closely related to Torquator Tasso, being a daughter of Adlerflug.

Adlerflug: died aged 17Credit: Marc Ruehl (marcruehl.com)

In turn, Tusked Wings and Tijuana are out of a winning half-sister to Tertullian, a five-time Group 3 winner over six and a half and seven furlongs who went on to become champion sire in Germany in 2014.

Those who delved back into Torquator Tasso's pedigree would have found an important piece of Arc-winning form, as his third dam is a half-sister to none other than Urban Sea, winner of the race in 1993 and dam of Galileo and Sea The Stars.

Torquator Tasso was already among Adlerflug's five Group 1 winners prior to his career-best effort on Sunday, having won last year's Grosser Preis von Berlin and the Grosser Preis von Baden last month.

Given Torquator Tasso's owners already stand Soldier Hollow, German champion sire in 2016, 2018 and 2019, it seems entirely likely that the Arc winner will get the opportunity to do his bit to help maintain Adlerflug's influence.

The son of In The Wings, who died unexpectedly at the age of 17 after covering a mare at his home Gestut Schlenderhan in early April, is represented by other stallion sons including Gestut Ammerland's Iquitos and Gestut Erftmuhle resident Ito.

In Swoop, who came within a neck of supplying Adlerflug with an Arc winner in last year's race, has also found a place at stud, but will be covering jumps mares under the Coolmore National Hunt banner in 2022.

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