DALAKHANI suffered his sole defeat in nine starts on his only venture outside France. Unbeaten in three juvenile starts, the best of which was the Group 1 Criterium International at Saint-Cloud, he was rated the best of his generation in Europe at three.

He travelled to Ireland as a classic winner in 2003, having garnered that honour with victory in the Group 1 Prix du Jockey Club-French Derby, but he found another colt owned and bred by His Highness the Aga Khan too good for him at the Curragh. He was beaten by the John Oxx-trained Alamshar.