THE Royal meeting opens tomorrow with three consecutive Group 1 races and Gladiatorus (2.30) can have the bookmakers on the back foot early.

He takes on nine rivals over a mile in what has traditionally not been a good race for favourites.

Godolphin have won seven of the last 13 runnings, yet their big hope for the meeting does not have the services of crowd-pleaser Frankie Dettori aboard.

Instead, the very capable Ahmed Ajtebi will partner the hugely impressive winner of the Group 1 Dubai Duty Free. He annihilated 15 rivals at Nad Al Sheba in March, with a relentless display of front running.

Gladiatorus will be making his British debut following his move from Mubarak bin Shafya's yard and drops back a furlong here.

While that is a slight concern, he is one of only two horses in the line-up to have won at the top level, the other being the Richard Hannon-trained Paco Boy, who took the seven-furlong Prix de la Foret at Longchamp in October.

Paco Boy was behind Dettori's mount Alexandros, an unlucky runner-up in the Lockinge Stakes over a mile at Newbury, after the jockey lost his whip.

But Paco Boy was found to have been suffering from a foot infection after the race and has been significantly well supported over the last two days.

Connections have put forward £30,000 to supplement Main Aim, who is not only stepping up in class but also trip, as he has won over six and seven furlongs for trainer Sir Michael Stoute.

But at around 10-1, better place value lies with Aqlaam, who suffered a stress fracture when winning the Group 3 Jersey Stakes at this meeting last season.

Less exposed than most of his rivals in this competitive race, he found the ground too taxing in the Lockinge Stakes on his return to action but William Haggas believes his campaigner is the best horse in his yard.