Giant-killers: recalling past Arc winners who also upset the odds in Paris

Only two of the previous 99 winners of the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe started at longer odds than Torquator Tasso.

His pari-mutuel odds were 72-1 (most British bookmakers offered 80-1) so the record of 119-1 is still held by Star Appeal, the first of the three Arc winners trained in Germany, the second being Danedream in 2011.

In 1975, Star Appeal had already won the Eclipse decisively and would have started at pari-mutuel odds of around 19-1, not 119-1, had he not been trained in Germany – or West Germany, as the country was still divided back then.

Most pundits dismissed his chance for that reason alone, although he had lost his three races since the Eclipse, coming only ninth behind Grundy and Bustino in the King George, and he was the complete outsider of the 24 runners.

The apparent no-hoper was still towards the rear turning for home, but Greville Starkey conjured up a devastating burst from his mount, who scored by three lengths.

Allez France, the winner 12 months before, was expected to confirm her status as France's greatest filly or mare, but she was not the force of old and finished only fifth.

Only Arcangues's 133-1 victory in the 1993 Breeders' Cup Classic has been a bigger international upset since then.

Topyo provided the Arc's second-biggest shock at odds of 82-1 in 1967. He benefited from the late defection of Busted, the Noel Murless-trained Eclipse and King George winner who was clearly the best horse in Europe but broke down on the gallops nine days before.

In a record field of 30 runners, Topyo only just held on in a desperate finish from two fast-closing British raiders, Salvo and Ribocco.

Until Torquator Tasso, the longest-priced Arc winner this century was Solemia at 33-1 in 2012.

Longest-priced Arc winners

119-1 Star Appeal 1975
82-1 Topyo 1967
72-1 Torquator Tasso 2021
53-1 Gold River 1981
52-1 Oroso 1957
52-1 Levmoss 1969
40-1 Soltikoff 1962
797-20 Priori 1925
37-1 Urban Sea 1993
33-1 Solemia 2012

Pari-mutuel odds

Three previous German stars

Star Appeal was trained by John Oxx senior in Ireland for his first two seasons, coming third in the Irish St Leger and 13th in Rheingold's Arc before being transferred to Germany.

Trained by Theo Grieper, he improved dramatically as a five-year-old in 1975, winning the Gran Premio di Milano, causing a 20-1 surprise in the Eclipse, and relishing the soft ground when bringing off his astounding Arc upset, with Allez France and Dahlia among the also-rans.

Danedream, Germany's greatest filly, won the Arc in 2011 and the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes as a four-year-old the following year.

She triumphed at Longchamp in record time by five lengths at odds of 20-1, while at Ascot she won on the nod from Nathaniel.

Trained by Peter Schiergen, Danedream also won the Grosser Preis von Baden twice, plus the Oaks d'Italia and Grosser Preis von Berlin, but a swamp-fever ban prevented her attempt at a second Arc.

Danedream (near side) runs down Nathaniel to win the King George in 2012Credit: Edward Whitaker

Novellist gave Germany its second consecutive victory in the King George at Ascot, as the four-year-old triumphed in 2013 by spreadeagling his rivals to score by five lengths from Irish Derby winner Trading Leather.

Trained by Andreas Wohler, Novellist won Group 1s in four different countries, numbering the Gran Premio del Jockey Club Italiano, Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud and Grosser Preis von Baden among his other victories, but he never ran in the Arc.

Read more on the 2021 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe:

Torquator Tasso stuns big-name rivals to spring shock success for Germany in Arc

'If we hadn't had so much rain we'd have won' – Weld rues Tarnawa near-miss

Appleby points to lack of pace after Godolphin challenge comes unstuck in ground

'If the winner wasn't 80-1 we'd be saying it was the best Arc for decades'

How the 2021 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe unfolded on testing ground at Longchamp

2021 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe result: where your horse finished

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