Irish raider Al Riffa, driven by Joseph O'Brien, had to settle for an honourable fourth place as Haya Zark unexpectedly won the Prix Ganay at Paris Longchamp.
Al Riffa, a previous Arc hero Ace Impact, was expected to double his top-level total on his first start since pushing the winner of the 2022 National Stakes, Group One winner Al Riffa, close in the Prix Guillaume d'Ornano at Deauville last August.
Dylan Browne McMonagle gave the four-year-old what appeared to be a winning opportunity in the home straight, and although his effort faded in the last furlong, connections will undoubtedly take heart from this first competitive outing in more than eight months.
The most recent victory at the Group Three level came from Haya Zark, trained by Adrien Fouassier, when she won the Prix Exbury at Saint-Cloud in the middle of March.
Halfway up the straight, the five-year-old son of Zarak moved up to challenge the leaders Crypto Force and Zarakem, with Alexis Pouchin filling in for the unavailable Christophe Soumillon. He found plenty of pressure to hold off Zarir's challenge by a head.
Al Riffa came in fourth, Feed The Flame in third, and Horizon Dore in fifth.
For this year's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, Betfair and Paddy Power cut the winner to 33-1 from 66s.
O`Brien said: “It was a really good run, he’s obviously an older colt and maybe he got just a little bit tired in the last 100 yards, but hopefully it’s an exciting and long season with him. We’re really pleased to get him back on track and we’re dreaming about Group Ones with him later in the summer.”