Arc surprise one bookmakers will remember for ‘long, long time’

Keith Hamer
October 3, 2021 5:15 pm

‘As results go, we couldn’t have asked for better’.

The 100th running of the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe turned into a champagne centenary for the bookmakers thanks to the shock success of Torquator Tasso.

The German contender was the forgotten horse in an open renewal of Europe’s premier middle-distance race at ParisLongchamp.

The four-year-old, representing virtual unknowns in trainer Marcel Weiss and jockey Rene Piechulek, returned at an industry price of 80-1 with betting exchange Betfair recording an SP of 139-1.

“It was a memorable result for the bookmakers,” said Coral’s David Stevens.

Rene Piechulek shocked Longchamp with his Arc heroics aboard Torquator Tasso (PA)

“It was one of the most open Arcs from a betting point of view we can remember, with Adayar and Tarnawa vying for favouritism all week.

“Then today there was a big move for Hurricane Lane and all the soft-ground horses were being backed – but the one horse nobody was backing was the German horse.

“The 100th running of the Arc will be one that bookmakers will remember for a long, long time.

“He had all the fancied horses in behind him so it was hard to think it was a fluke. He won on merit.

“It was a brilliant race and turnover was fantastic because it was so open.”

With punters celebrating the 25th anniversary of Frankie Dettori’s ‘Magnificent Seven’ at Ascot in the past week when the layers were hit with an estimated GBP 30million loss, it was the turn of the bookies to cheer.

“This is the polar opposite to Frankie’s ‘Magnificent Seven’ – bookmakers have had a bonanza and Torquator Tasso was by far the best result in the book,” said William Hill spokesman Rupert Adams.

Ladbrokes reported a similar story.

“As results go, we couldn’t have asked for better,” said their head of public relations Nicola McGeady.

“There was non-stop support for the front four in the betting all day. Of the outsiders, our traders quite liked Torquator Tasso, kept him on side and didn’t see a penny for him.”