Alam is on course for the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, with trainer Mikel Delzangles declaring himself happy with the three-year-old colt.
The son of Zarak is owned by Al Shaqab Racing and while he has won just one of his seven career starts to date, he has course experience at ParisLongchamp and form which ties in with some of the better-fancied runners in this year's autumn showpiece.
Alam won the Group 3 Prix Greffulhe at Saint-Cloud on his second start of the season before going on to be beaten three lengths by Constitution River in the Prix du Jockey Club and only half a length by Maltese Cross in the Grand Prix de Paris on his Longchamp debut.
After a 54-day break, the colt returned with an encouraging second to Varandir in this month's Qatar Prix Niel, an outing his experienced trainer expects will have put him spot-on for the big race on Sunday week.
Back to winning ways! 🤩
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) September 6, 2026
Varandir storms to success in the Qatar Prix Niel! 🏆🇫🇷@AgaKhanStuds | @GraffardRacing pic.twitter.com/5yFDE81SYa
Delzangles said on Sky Sports Racing: "He did a good piece of work yesterday and I was very happy with his last race in the Niel.
"The horse behaved well and did everything the jockey asked him to do. We had a bad draw and decided to be quite patient with him, I was very happy with his last run.
"Obviously, he's run very well at Longchamp which is a good thing. So he's ready to go."
As for the unseasonably warm weather and dry forecast into next week, Delzangles has no concerns over the conditions of the track.
"I wouldn't mind, he's won a Group 3 on soft ground and he's run very well on fast ground, he should be alright. He knows the track, he's a very easy horse and an easy ride - able to go near the lead, or wait if the race goes very fast. So I'm very happy."
Pierre-Charles Doudot has ridden Alam in his two most recent starts and is expected to maintain the partnership in the Arc, for which the horse is a 25/1 chance with Paddy Power and Sky Bet who make reigning champion Daryz their 7/4 market leader as he looks to go back-to-back in the October 4 contest for trainer Francis-Henri Graffard.
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