Ed Walker has revealed that it is unlikely that Almaqam will take his chance in next weekend’s Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe due to forecast ground conditions.

Ed Walker had been looking to take a chance in Paris with his four-year-old son of Lope De Vega but will now look towards the Champion Stakes at Ascot on October 18th in hope of softer ground.

A four-year-old son of Lope De Vega, Almaqam has only been sighted four times this season, finishing third in the in the Gordon Richard Stakes at Sandown in May before defeating subsequent Prince Of Wales's Stakes hero Ombudsman in the Brigadier Gerard Stakes a month later.

He missed the bulk of the summer season due to quick conditions but returned to action with a solid second in the Sky Bet York Stakes, before finishing third behind the Arc-bound Japanese contender Byzantine Dream on his first outing over a mile and a half in the Qatar Prix Foy earlier in the month.

When questioned if Almaqam was still on track for Paris' middle-distance showpiece, Walker said: "I doubt it, sadly. In a funny kind of way, I'll be quite happy if it is fast ground at Longchamp because I'm so torn between the Arc and the Champion Stakes.

"I know you could do both, but 13 days is tough. I really worry about running him over 2400m in a deep ground cavalry charge of an Arc and not getting home and then having to miss the Champion Stakes, which has always been for well over a year, his race.

"I'd be gutted to leave his race at Longchamp, so hopefully the sun carries on shining there.

"I'll speak to the owners' team and see what they want to do but looking at the forecast, I'd be inclined to leave it and wait for Ascot."

Almaqam is now a general 10/1 chance for the Champion Stakes at Ascot next month.