Rene Piechulek admits he is feeling the pressure in his bid to make it a third victory for Germany in Saturday’s King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes on Torquator Tasso.
After riding last year’s shock winner of the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in a 5am gallop at Mulheim racecourse on Monday, the jockey believes the five-year-old is ready to follow in the footsteps of the country’s previous Ascot victors, Danedream (2012) and Novellist (2013). Piechulek, in the saddle when Torquator Tasso was the 72-1 winner of last year’s Arc at Longchamp, said: “As there have been two German winners in the King George, it does not give me confidence – it puts pressure on!
“Three German-trained horses have won the Arc, two German horses have won the King George, now I hope to be riding the third one to win it.” Torquator Tasso recently flagged up his credentials for Ascot’s £1.25million prize, the third richest race in Britain after the Derby and Champion Stakes, when returning to winning form at Hamburg last time out after a disappointing seasonal return.
