Dream Ahead failed to fire as Moonlight Cloud struck a blow for three-year-old fillies by taking the Group 1 Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville in France Sunday.
Khalifa Dasmal's colt was held up, but failed to quicken after initially not getting a run. The three year old, trained by David Simcock, had been aiming for his fourth win at the highest level for Dasmal, the UAE businessman, who founded the Dubai-based Bin Dasmal Group.
Moonlight Cloud, trained by Freddie Head and ridden by Thierry Jarnet, came with a rattling run along the centre of the course to win from James Fanshawe's Golden Jubilee winner, Society Rock.
The Roger Charlton-trained Genki was involved in a photo finish with Marchand D'Or for third, and Wootton Bassett ran his best race of the season in fifth.
But Dream Ahead, the Newcastle July Cup hero, was unable to put in a sustained challenge under William Buick. Fellow British raider Markab, trained by Henry Candy, took the field along in the early stages, with Richard Hannon's Libranno also prominent.
Wootton Bassett hit the front well over a furlong out, but he had no answer to the finishing kick of Moonlight Cloud, who was beaten by Godolphin's Blue Bunting in this year's English 1000 Guineas in May.
Society Rock was a highly creditable second and Genki ran the race of his life when just denied third place behind the eight-year-old Marchand D'Or.
