Noble's Promise, Metropolitan Man draw well

The two American hopefuls at Royal Ascot on Tuesday have drawn ideally in their respective races.

Noble's Promise, who will be saddled by Ken McPeek and ridden by Kieren Fallon in the one-mile, Group 1 St. James's Palace Stakes, drew the rail in a nine-runner field of 3-year-olds that includes 2000 Guineas winner Makfi and Irish 2000 Guineas winner Canford Cliffs. The race will be run on the old Ascot mile, the first five furlongs of which are all uphill before a right-handed, 90-degree turn into the 2 1/2-furlong stretch.

In the listed five-furlong Windsor Castle Stakes, the Wesley Ward-trained Metropolitan Man drew post 7 in a 15-strong field of 2-year-olds. This is considered a good draw for a five-furlong straight race at Ascot, although Metropolitan Man's rider, Elvis Trujillo, may have to make an early decision to go right or left if the field splits into two groups, as so often happens in straight races in England.