Star miler Solow overcame trouble in running to make a winning seasonal debut in the Prix Montjeu at Chantilly.
Freddy Head's 1-5 favourite, who is now unbeaten in his last 10 starts, used this one-mile heat on the Polytrack as a stepping stone towards the Dubai Turf at Meydan last year.
He is now set to follow a similar path after a victory that was not without a degree of incident.
Maxime Guyon and his partner were fleetingly trapped for room by Vadamos on the far rail, but Solow's class soon came to the fore and he ended up stretching clear of that rival and winning tidily.
Solow was one of the marquee horses last season and also a regular on British shores, winning the Queen Anne at Royal Ascot, the Sussex Stakes at Glorious Goodwood and the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot.
Pierre-Yves Bureau, racing manager for Solow's owners, the Wertheimer brothers, said: "It was a bit scary during the race, but he proved yet again he is such an exceptional horse.
"He's really a quiet horse at home, but as soon as he gets to the track he comes alive - and then after a race he is back to being quiet again.
"If he comes out of the race well, we will go to Dubai with him to see if he can be as good as last year.
"We need to discuss it with Freddy, but he will probably go out there in two weeks' time.
"We are very lucky to have him."
