Araafa heads Palace field

Jeremy Noseda’s Irish 2000 Guineas winner Araafa heads a field of 15 at the five-day stage for the St James’s Palace Stakes on the first day of Royal Ascot.

Run over a mile for three-year-old colts, the Group One contest has produced many high-class winners down the years including last year’s impressive victor Shamardal, Azamour 12 months earlier and Rock of Gibraltar in 2002.