ST JAMES'S PALACE STAKES 1 Shamardal 7-4f (S Bin Suroor) K McEvoy 2 Ad Valorem 8-1 3 Oratorio 13-2 Round-up: Day one action

The horse was confirmed as the Godolphin runner, rather than Dubawi, just hours before the big race, and left his rivals trailing for a third Group One success this season.

Aidan O'Brien horses filled the remaining places with Ad Valorem three lengths behind, and the hard-ridden Oratorio 1� lengths further back in third.

Australian jockey Kerrin McEvoy, stepping in for the suspended Frankie Dettori, never looked in trouble as he clocked his first Royal Ascot win on Shamardal.

Trainer Saeed bin Suroor hailed the winner, who also claimed the French 2,000 Guineas earlier in the year.

"He's a great horse - it's only nine days since he ran last time, his last Classic in France," said Bin Suroor.

Shamardal may now be aimed at a mouthwatering showdown with Epsom Derby winner Motivator in the Coral Eclipse Stakes at Sandown.

QUEEN ANNE STAKES 1 Valixir 4-1 (A Fabre) C Soumillon 2 Rakti 5-6f 3 Starcraft 7-1

Valixir caused a shock in the Queen Anne Stakes when defeating hot favourite Rakti.

The 4-1 winner, trained in France by Andre Fabre, stormed clear for a convincing win under Christophe Soumillon.

Rakti was sent off 5-6 favourite despite being very unsettled before the start, while Starcraft (7-1) was third.

Valixir, owned by the Aga Khan, proved a length and a half too good for the runner-up.

Soumillon told BBC Sport: "He never had a real rush, but to beat Rakti - a true champion over a mile - like that he needed to be a true champion."

The jockey celebrated by throwing his whip into the crowd and asked where it was now, he added: "I gave it to the people."

Rakti's jockey Phillip Robinson revealed the colt was spooked before the start.

He said: "A racegoer leaning over the rails started to 'click, click, click' on our way from the paddock. It couldn't have been a worse thing to have happened. Rakti caught on and that was it."

Trainer Michael Jarvis said: "He got a bit buzzed up but there were no real excuses. Phillip did well to stay on him because I thought he was going to go through the rails. He was beaten by a better horse on the day."