The Miracle of Mulheim: meet Marcel Weiss and Arc hero Torquator Tasso
Scott Burton travels to Germany to discuss an extraordinary victory
The headline in the Racing Post said it all: "Torquator who?" Paris-Turf went with "sensation", and even the website of German racing's rulers, Deutscher Galopp, proudly boasted of the "miracle" of the country's third Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner.
At Longchamp, trainer Marcel Weiss appeared to be floating above all the mayhem, calmly rationalising the fact that in just his second season with a licence he had sent out a 80-1 chance to win Europe's greatest prize under a jockey having his first ride in the race.
Ten days later the excitement is still vivid for all those involved, everyone connected to the Weiss's stable in this small Ruhr valley suburb having their own recollection of how they lived through those incredible two and a half minutes.
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Copy- ‘I’ve never had to deal with that in my career and I did find it hard - you start asking yourself what you’re doing wrong’
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- 'I don't want to be part of this narrative that Irish trainers are better than us - I think that's rubbish, it drives me nuts'
- 'I don't even know what day of the week it is - I'd love a day off but racing is so relentless that you can't do it'
- ‘I’ve never had to deal with that in my career and I did find it hard - you start asking yourself what you’re doing wrong’
- ‘I’ll be there to see the kids open their presents but then it’s a coffee, bang, out the door’ - life in a racing yard at Christmas
- ‘I miss the craic of going racing but it’s a young person’s game these days - and I don’t know how they survive, to be honest’
- 'I don't want to be part of this narrative that Irish trainers are better than us - I think that's rubbish, it drives me nuts'
- 'I don't even know what day of the week it is - I'd love a day off but racing is so relentless that you can't do it'