Adelaide© Photo Healy Racing
Adelaide finished an unlucky third in the Qatar Prix Niel at Longchamp.
Aidan O'Brien's Secretariat Stakes winner was left with nowhere to go a furlong out, but flew home once switched wide by Ryan Moore and may well have claimed top honours with a clearer run.
Ectot made a winning return to action with a stylish display, though. The prolific Elie Lellouche-trained colt had been off the track since landing the Prix de Fontainebleau over a mile in April, but was a 15-8 favourite for his comeback, stepping up half a mile in trip.
Jockey Gregory Benoist settled the three-year-old - in whom Al Shaqab recently purchased a half-share - at the back of the field for much of the journey and he made effortless progress when given his head in the straight, quickly swooping to the lead.
The lack of a recent outing was perhaps a factor as he began to tire in the final furlong, but he was ultimately well on top as he passed the post ahead of Teletext.
Lellouche said: "He was very fresh because he had not run in a while. If you have a good horse it can go over any distance and I was always confident he could run over a mile and a half. I always thought he was a very good horse and it was a good performance.
"I told the jockey to keep him out of the race and to not give him a hard time, to be at the back as it was his first run in a very long time.
"I won't forget when Hurricane Run (sire of Ectot) beat me with Westerner in the Arc - Hurricane Run had won the Niel and I hope that the same can happen in my favour this year and the Niel winner can win the Arc.
Benoist said: "I was riding to instructions. The horse was calm, for him today he was quite relaxed. He went really well, he needed a breather but he stuck out his head and did everything I asked of him."
Benoist also has the option of riding unbeaten filly Avenir Certain in the Arc, potentially leaving Frankie Dettori to ride Ectot.
He added: "I have plenty of time to make my mind up."
Pascal Bary said of Teletext: "He ran a cracking race, but he's definitely not going to run in the Arc."
