Torquator Tasso could be in need of some Frankie Dettori magic if he is to secure back-to-back victories in the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

The Marcel Weiss-trained chestnut caused an almighty shock in Paris 12 months ago – pouncing late to become Germany’s third winner of the Arc after Star Appeal in 1975 and Danedream in 2011.

A Group Two victory on home soil and a runner-up finish in the King George at Ascot this summer have dispelled any notion last year’s success was a fluke – and with Dettori on board and the forecast soft ground of no concern, Torquator Tasso’s claims are clear.

His supporters will have been left cursing their luck after the five-year-old was drawn wide in stall 18 of 20 – but if any jockey is capable of overcoming what is seemingly a nightmare starting berth it is surely the popular Italian, whose tally of six Arc winners includes victories aboard Sakhee from stall 15 in in 2001 and Golden Horn from gate 14 in 2015.

ANDY STEPHENS HAS ALL THE ARC STATS AND FACTS

“Torquator Tasso was in tremendous form when I flew over to ride him in work at Baden-Baden on Tuesday,” Dettori told his Sporting Index blog.

“He’s in great shape, any rain will help, and even though we’ve been drawn wide, I think we’ve got as good a chance as any if we get a nice trip.

“The draw isn’t ideal, but that’s what we’ve been dealt and there’s no point in complaining about it. We pulled off a miracle from a wide draw and trip on Golden Horn back in 2015 – I’ll never forget that one!

“He won’t mind the hustle and bustle at all, he stays well, is streetwise and handles testing conditions if the rain comes. He’s been second in a King George with some top-class horses in behind too, so there’s no issues with his form this season.”

Dettori was called up to ride Torquator Tasso for the first time in the Grosser Preis von Baden in early September, with his regular partner Rene Piechulek aboard Mendocino.

The latter came out on top by a head in what was a tactical affair and Weiss expects to see his stable star in a better light this weekend.

“The race was already decided after 200 metres because there was no pace in the race and the horse couldn’t get any cover,” said the trainer.

“It was a race that really went against us, Frankie tried to make the best of it by forcing the pace of the race early because Torquator Tasso needs some time to accelerate.

“Obviously this year it is a different experience. Last year we came into the Arc and we were an outsider, we were very relaxed, this year we’re going as one of the favourites.

“While last year we could have been happy to be placed, as much as I hate admitting it, this year if he’s not in the first three, we would be disappointed.”

“The Arc is one of those races, if you win it, you want to win it again – it’s really like a drug.”

Mendocino is drawn lowest of all in stall one and his trainer Sarah Steinberg is hoping her charge can complete the same double achieved by Torquator Tasso last autumn.

She said: “It’s very exciting. Mendocino is a late developer and for that reason we gave him some more time and didn’t run him in the (German) Derby last year.

“We waited for the autumn, especially because he likes soft ground, and he thanked us by finishing second to Alpinista. Following that second place, immediately the Arc became the target for this year.

“The race in Baden-Baden gave him a lot of confidence, he’s a very honest horse and he can’t wait for Sunday to arrive.

The Verdict: Angus McNae studies the Irish Champion Stakes

The home team is headed by Onesto and Vadeni – second and third respectively behind Aidan O’Brien’s ante-post favourite Luxembourg in the Irish Champion Stakes three weeks ago.

Onesto won the Grand Prix de Paris over the course and distance in July and trainer Fabrice Chappet is excited about his chances in Europe’s premier middle-distance contest.

He said: “He produced a remarkable performance in Ireland in a truly-run race, and one which enabled him to harness his turn of foot, which is his great strength.

“The colt has come out of the race in good order. He worked on Monday morning at the Piste des Reservoirs (training gallop), and his latest piece of work was very pleasing.

“He will have the advantage of having won over the Arc course. As for the ground, we hope, as with any horse of this class, that he will not be racing on extreme ground.”

Prior to placing in Ireland Jean-Claude Rouget’s Vadeni won the French Derby at Chantilly and the Eclipse at Sandown – and while it did not look likely for much of the season, connections have ultimately decided to roll the dice over a mile and a half for the first time.

Georges Rimaud, racing manager for owner the Aga Khan, said: “When you win the Prix du Jockey Club, you always hope to see that horse run in the Arc.

“It’s difficult to say what might have happened had he won in Ireland. You would always be tempted by the Arc and also he was not quite at 100 per cent in Ireland having come off a long break. Maybe he would have ended up in the Arc anyway.

“The horse has strengthened and improved. The Aga Khan’s stud is celebrating 100 years in racing, so it is very exciting to have a champion this year.”

Having previously come close with El Condor Pasa, Deep Impact, Nakayama Festa and twice with Orfevre, Japan has four runners in a bid to secure an elusive first Arc success.

There would be no more popular winner than Alpinista, should she prevail.

Trained by the genial Sir Mark Prescott, the five-year-old mare heads into the race on the back of five straight Group One wins.

It was in one of those in Germany last year that she beat Torquator Tasso, who subsequently won the Arc 12 months ago. It was at that point the form buffs began to sit up and take notice of Prescott’s mare.

While it is unusual for a multiple Group One winner to still be in training at the age of five, her owner Kirsten Rausing felt she would have to win elsewhere to get the recognition she deserved.

Her season did not get under way until the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud in July, but she won that easy enough and then disposed of this year’s Oaks winner, Tuesday, at York.

Now it is the big one. A race both Rausing and Prescott would love to win and while it may have been some time since the last five-year-old mare took the laurels, Arc winners Enable (2018), Solemia (2012) and Sea The Stars (2009) all broke from her same berth in stall six.

Sir Mark Prescott was a special guest on The Friday Club

“She’s drawn in six and the experts say that’s not too bad. I’ll have to hope they are right,” said Prescott.

“I haven’t looked into winning stalls yet, I’m still a bit put off from doing my own research as the last thing I looked for was the last five-year-old mare that won – and it was 1937!

“I don’t suppose many have tried having won five Group Ones, but on the other hand, those that had would normally be retired by now.”

While Prescott admits her two wins this season have brought her more recognition, he wonders how much more is left in the locker.

“So far she has got better and better with age, but can you do it again? That’s the question. They all reach a ceiling and it’s a case of ‘have we got there yet?,” he said.

“Her two wins this year have been her two most high-profile ones, certainly. But those German races last year were perhaps better than we realised.

“There were people pitying me and Miss Rausing, saying those German races didn’t really amount to much. Then, after the Arc, they were asking why she hadn’t run in it! It was all those who had been decrying the form!”

Kirsten Rausing told Jess Stafford mopre about Alpinista before the mare ran in the Yorkshire Oaks

While Alpinista does handle soft ground, Prescott does not feel she needs it to be seen at her best.

“All of us trainers are like farmers, really. When it comes to the ground we are never quite happy,” he said.

“I wouldn’t know what to make of the Japanese horses, you wouldn’t have thought they’d want the ground too soft but you just wouldn’t know. Obviously they are all good horses in their own right.

“I’m just taking the view that our horse is there, we were always going to be whether Mr Haggas ran Baaeed or not, we said we’d have a go at it this year and her whole year has been geared around it, so we’re going.

“I’m going, as Miss Rausing has insisted – despite it being sales season!”

Aidan O’Brien’s Luxembourg is likely to go off favourite having been beaten just once in his career – in the 2000 Guineas. He missed the Derby with an injury but has been brought back expertly by his trainer and landed the Irish Champion Stakes last time out. He will race over the trip for the first time.

“The plan was always to start in the Guineas and then maybe go to the Epsom Derby and the Irish Derby, but he pulled a muscle behind after the Guineas and he had to have a good, long break,” said O’Brien.

“He was just about ready for his first run at the Curragh and he was trained hard for his second run in Leopardstown.

“Obviously his work hasn’t been as hard from Leopardstown to Longchamp because of the nature of the races, but he seems in good shape at the moment.

“We always thought a mile and a quarter/mile and a half would be well within his compass and we had it mapped out that he would go from the Guineas to the Derby – we always felt that that would really suit him.

“Leopardstown was a perfect race after the Royal Whip. He put his head down and fought hard to the line, so we were very happy with that.”

O’Brien also runs Broome, winner of the Hardwicke at Royal Ascot in June.

Rob Hornby gave us the latest news on Westover on The Friday Club

Westover won the Irish Derby in fine style but has not been seen since disappointing in the King George. His connections shunned the St Leger to run in the Arc.

“It’s all systems go with Westover. We’re looking forward to it. His preparation has gone well,” said trainer Ralph Beckett.

“I’m very happy with the draw (seven) for Westover. Draws are all very well if you are good enough. You wouldn’t want a wide draw.

“All preparations have gone as well as can be expected. He is very well. Let’s hope he is good enough.”

Barry Mahon, racing manager for owners, Juddmonte, said: “Stall seven looks nice. I don’t know historically how it’s gone, but I don’t think anyone has any complaints with the draw.

“The horse is in good form, Ralph is happy and Rob (Hornby, jockey) is happy. Let’s just hope he gives a good account of himself on the day.

“We have no doubt the ability to do it is there and if we get a bit of luck in running and it plays out nicely, hopefully we’ll be in with a good shout.

“The first couple of furlongs are important and you see where you’re going to slot in. After that you need to get the gaps and you need the luck.

“It’s a very wide-open race. I think Luxembourg and Vadeni are two top-class colts, as is Mishriff. The Japanese horses look very strong and then you have last year’s winner Torquator Tasso.

“It is a strong renewal and it will be interesting to see how we compare.”

John and Thady Gosden run both Mishriff and Mostahdaf, but neither fared well in the draw, receiving berths 17 and 16 respectively, while William Haggas’ Alenquer is among the outsiders.

The country’s leading hope appears to be Titleholder, who earlier this year became the first horse to win the Tenno Sho and the Takarazuka Kinen in the same season since Deep Impact 16 years ago.

Trainer Toru Kurita said: “The horse has really improved, not only physically but also mentally this year, and he has confirmed to us that he has speed that he can maintain over a long distance.

“At the beginning of the year the Arc was a dream, and when he won the Tenno Sho it was still a dream. But after his last win in the Takarazuka Kinen, which is over the same trip as the Arc, that was when it became a reality.

“We thought there were only a few weeks between the Arc trials and the Arc and we decided to give him a bit of a break instead of running twice over that short time.

“Even though he has not had a prep race close to the Arc, the basis of his training has been completed and he will be ready.”

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