ALTHOUGH we have yet to experience the Irish and Aintree Grand Nationals and the Punchestown Festival, the start of the turf flat season kicks in this afternoon with the traditional curtain-raiser, the William Hill Lincoln Heritage Handicap (3.35) at Doncaster.

This year’s renewal has an extraordinary open look to it with last year’s first and second, Migration and Awaal, set to lock horns again. The winner gave the second home 2lbs and beat him a length-and-a-quarter and is now 4lbs better off so there should be little between the pair again. Both came down the stands side that day, the winner right against the rail and finishing very strongly, but this time around both are drawn on the low side where most of the fancied horses are.

The gamble of the week has been Liberty Lane, trained by the brilliant Karl Burke. His best run last term was a nose defeat of Sonny Liston in a class two handicap over the course and distance in September on soft ground off a mark of 97. He subsequently ran well down the Cambridgeshire field, 28^th of 34, but not for the first time that moderate run came on ground that would have been quick enough for the son of Teofilo. A rating of 102 will need him to produce a career best, but he still remains open to improvement on this his eighth start.

Still, he has been found in the marketplace and I am more than happy to let him win at the price so the each-way nod instead goes to THUNDER BALL at around the 16/1 mark.

The Paul and Oliver Cole-trained gelding has always been held in some regard without quite reaching the heights he once promised, ending last season with a clear-cut success on soft ground in a class two handicap at Goodwood off 90. A 6lbs penalty doesn’t seem too prohibitive and it is worth noting that this will only be the third time in 16 starts that he will run over a mile on soft ground.

Montassib, who finished well down the field in last year’s Lincoln, has successfully been running over sprint trips, winning a big pot at York on his final start of last season off 101. He steps up to Listed company in the Cammidge Trophy at 3.00, but may not be able to handle SOPHIA’S STARLIGHT. The bay filly ended last season with a cracking second in the Listed Boadicea Stakes at Newmarket and has a cracking record when fresh.

The William Hill Spring Mile Handicap (2.25) may give us a few clues as far as the straight line draw is concerned for the Lincoln and ninth in last year’s race, Lion Tower, looks sure to run well again especially with a run under his belt this season. However, a fast-run race with give in the ground looks sure to suit one of the relative outsiders, KALIKAPOUR. Roger Fell’s charge comes here with only six runs under his career belt and was stretched out to a mile-and-a-quarter last term but all to no avail. Sixth to Peking Opera on his career debut in October 2022, he has obviously not been easy to train, but this test should prove right up his street and an initial rating of 79 looks way too good to pass up here.

Also on the Town Moore card I have a strong fancy for CHARYN in the opening seven-furlong William Hill Doncaster Mile, especially as there are question marks about several of his rivals, most notably Knight who is arguably better over shorter.

Later on, MRS MEADER (4.45) looks sure to run well at a price in division one of the apprentice handicap over a mile-and-a-quarter, while the second division should see VECCHIO (5.20) improve on his recent Southwell run stepping up to this distance for the very first time in his career.

Back over the sticks, there is the traditional back-end spring meeting at Newbury with some good prizes up for grabs and the one horse I am really keen on here has to be BREAK MY SOUL at a fair each-way price in the BetVictor Novices Handicap Hurdle at 2.10. Following a second-wind operation this mare ran well at Warwick, but the key to her chance here could well be the drying ground.

I think that GUSTAVIAN (2.40) is too well treated to ignore in the two-and-half-mile handicap chase, while the Grade Two British EBF BetVictor National Hunt Mares Novice Hurdle has a wide open look to it. The hat-trick-seeking, Henry Daly-trained Party Vibes could well start favourite here, but at the prices I much prefer the claims of ENDLESS SUPPLY. Trainer Fergal O’Brien was so very unlucky not to get a run out of Dysart Enos in the Mares Novices Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival and this daughter of Westerner can give him a small amount of compensation here. She wasn’t suited by the very deep ground last time out at Uttoxeter and has been given time to mature and strengthen up by her astute trainer. A rating of 111 looks very fair in the circumstances and she is preferred to Larchmont Lass and the very lightly raced Lindy Reilly, another sure to be suited by this better surface.

Over on the all-weather evening cards, I shall be having a significant wager on POCKLEY in the Wolverhampton 6.15, while later on at the Dunstall Park track, BURABACK looks the call in the second division of the six-furlong handicap at 7.15. He shaped really nicely last time out at Southwell and this looks a very suitable opening.

The best bet at Newcastle could well be the well-treated ELEGANT ERIN in the five furlong handicap at 8.00. He should have come forward for his first run over the course and distance earlier this month following a 151-day break.