Piechulek dreaming of another Arc – this time with Mendocino

PA Sport Reporters
September 4, 2022 4:19 pm

Crack jockey downs Torquator Tasso and sets sights on glory in Paris once again.

Rene Piechulek is dreaming of Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe glory once again having denied his old ally Torquator Tasso aboard his partner Sarah Steinberg’s Mendocino to land the 152nd Wettstar Grosser Preis von Baden for the second year in a row.

Piechulek, who was a part of the European Shergar Cup team captained by Frankie Dettori earlier in the summer, knows all about Torquator Tasso having guided him to success in this Baden-Baden Group One in 2021 and when following up to cause a shock in Europe’s richest middle-distance race.

And he put that knowledge to good use deny the Italian and the 7-10 favourite aboard the four-year-old son of Alderflug, with German Derby winner Sammarco third.

🇩🇪 A tight finish in the G1 Grosser Preis von Baden but Mendocino denies Torquator Tasso.pic.twitter.com/dPq7aNquVJ
— TDN (@theTDN) September 4, 2022

Anchored at the back of the field for much of the way, Piechulek made a race-winning move by bagging the stands rail once push came to shove in the home straight, and although Dettori made use of every ounce of Torquator Tasso’s proven stamina, it was not enough to stop the outsider of the field coming out on top.

Not only was the victory a first Group One success for the horse, it was a breakthrough moment for the winning trainer and a delighted Piechulek said: “It’s just amazing. I had the perfect race.

“Obviously it was only a small field, but there were two very strong opponents in the field. And to beat them, that is something else. I imagine it was too slow for Tasso. In fact, my horse would have preferred more pace as well.

Torquator Tasso and Rene Piechulek in action at Ascot (John Walton/PA)

“Seeing that my horse had had a long break, we were never going to get involved in the race at an early stage. So we were never going to lead or be close to the lead. We said we would ride him patiently in the back and see how much he would have in the tank.

“And now it looks like I will ride him in the Arc. It’s a luxury problem. Before the race, I didn’t know that I was going to beat Tasso. I know Tasso and I know Mendocino and there was a chance that we could get to the front, but we weren’t sure.

“Sarah Steinberg is my partner and this is her first Group One success.”

The triumph has the jockey dreaming of victory in Paris once again and he revealed he will maintain the partnership with Mendocino on October 2.

He continued: “Last year I went into the Arc knowing that we had a good horse, but without any pressure. Obviously we analysed the race and we didn’t have to hide. The aim last year was to earn money and that is the same aim we have now.

“I will go into the Arc with Mendocino just like I did last year with Tasso. I will arrive the day before, relaxed, and then I will ride him to earn some money. He is like Tasso, he likes soft ground. The softer, the better. If it rains again the day before, that would be great.”

Steinberg added: “The opposition was very strong. We would have been happy had Mendocino beat one home. He was coming off a break. He stayed out of all the muddle in the race and then really went for it in the final stages.

“It is a very emotional moment for me. I want him to come home, but obviously the Arc is probably his next goal.”