Torquator Tasso sprang a huge surprise with victory for Germany in the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp on Sunday.

Trainer Marcel Weiss had said in the build-up he had been hoping for a place "with a perfect race and perfect conditions" but last year's German horse of the year exceeded his expectations.

After the shock win, at a reported 80-1 industry SP, Weiss paid tribute to Torquator Tasso and to rider Rene Piechulek. "He's a very strong horse," the trainer said of the winner. "And Rene is a very cool jockey."

Tarnawa was second with Hurricane Lane third and Adayar fourth.

Torquator Tasso was a third German winner in the Arc after Star Appeal (1975) and Danedream (2011).

Bookmakers were celebrating and Nicola McGeady of Ladbrokes said: "As results go, we couldn't have asked for better. There was non-stop support for the front four in the betting all day.

"Of the rags, our traders quite liked Torquator Tasso, kept him on side, and didn't see a penny for him."

Tarnawa went very close to giving Dermot Weld a first Arc and her odds for the Breeders' Cup Turf, which she won last year, were cut into 11-4 from 7-2 by Paddy Power.

Weld was left rueing the rain for Tarnawa and said: "She's run a superb race. She was in great order coming into the race. Her speed was of limited value today.

"I honestly believe if we didn't have all the rain last night she'd have won.

"This had always been my target but second is a lonely place. When she won the Breeders' Cup she showed tremendous pace. When she won her two Group 1s here last year she showed a lot of pace. You didn't quite see that pace today because of the gluey ground.

"The Breeders' Cup Turf again or the Breeders' Cup Fillies and Mares would be considered."

William Buick led from before halfway from his wide draw on Derby and King George winner Adayar and went clear early in the straight.

But his mount could not maintain the advantage in the testing conditions and faded into fourth late on.

Trainer Charlie Appleby said: "William said he didn't like the ground – he was going in it not going through it.

"Coming back on decent ground next year I can see this horse being at the top of his game between ten furlongs and a mile and a half. Turning in you felt William's got everything right and he went there to go and win the race. We knew the challengers were going to come with that late run."

'The winner's not bad, you know'

Ryan Moore was out of luck on Snowfall but warned that Torquator Tasso should not be underestimated just because he was a surprise winner.

"The winner's not bad, you know," he said. "He'd been all right in Germany and probably seriously underestimated. He ain't too bad at all.

"Snowfall ran well. I'm a bit disappointed but she hasn't run a bad race."

Torquator Tasso had won the Group 1 Grosser Preis von Baden at Baden-Baden and in the build-up to the Arc Weiss had warned: "He's always been special since he was a two-year-old, he showed himself very early on and he's done it right through his racing life. He's always improving.

"German horses have won the Arc and run well in it. There is not much respect for them from the bookmakers – but I hope we can prove them wrong!"

Racing Post