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IT IS the official start of the turf flat season and once again Doncaster withhold an ultra-competitive card on ground that will be as testing as most of the entries will care for, and probably too deep for the juveniles on show.

The weights for the Lincoln Handicap (3.35) are headed by the mud-loving MIGRATION and I think he is a fabulous bet to defy his mark of 107, less his jockeys’ 3lbs claim taking him down to 104.

Lightly raced through 2022, with only the three runs under his belt, he still ran up to near his very best when a neck off Modern News in the Newbury Spring Cup first time out, and a similar run could well be good enough here off a 2lbs lower mark.

The more rain that falls through tomorrow will be a further boon to his chances and I fancy him as a solid each-way wager at a massive top price of around 16/1, especially with the enhanced place terms up for grabs.

With 21 rivals trying to take advantage of the weight they are set to receive from the selection, there are any number of dangers and they are probably headed by Montassib (threatening to win a big handicap), and also the market leaders Al Mubhir and the very lightly raced Awaal.

Earlier on, the Spring Mile at 2.25 may well give us a guide as far as the draw is concerned to the big one, and there are several really well handicapped horses in the 22-runner entry.

My picks are Maysong off a mark of 75 near the bottom of the weights, and my main fancy DEVASBOY off a rating of 73. The last named is trained by the brilliant dual purpose handler Ian Williams.

This grey gelding finished down the field at Wolverhampton first time up, but that will give him a solid fitness advantage over his higher-rated rivals and he is unexposed on a deep surface which has every chance of suiting him based on his breeding lines.

Because he is such a massive price, I will also be having a saver on BROKEN SPEAR with the outstanding Billy Loughnane taking a hugely valuable 5lbs off his back.

The last named has good back-end form over seven furlongs here on deep ground, and if he can be hidden in the pack for long enough, there is surely no reason why he cannot be as effective over the extra 220 yards.

I think that the Cammidge Trophy over six furlongs at 3.00 looks at the mercy of KING’S LYNN (nb). David Probert’s charge didn’t get the deep ground he craves so much on his six starts through 2022, yet still landed the Group Two Temple Stakes at Haydock Park and finished a close-up fourth in the Listed Rous Stakes at Ascot, both on ground that may have been a tad too quick for him.

Elsewhere on the card, the lightly raced TOIMY SON may land the Listed Doncaster Mile at 4.10, while the first division of the 10 furlong handicap at 5.20 may go to the nicely treated MENELAUS.

This four-year-old has only visited the racecourse on just the six occasions, but was a real eye-catcher over the course and distance two outings back when making some stealthy late headway from an uncompromising position, and gets the nod over top weight Zuraig and Mac Ailey.

It is hard to look beyond SECRET STATE in the feature Magnolia Stakes at Kempton Park due off at 2.05. This looks a lovely starting point for the Godolphin charge and he should be able to see off the likes of Phantom Flight and Foxes Tales.

The Queen’s Prize is the big handicap of the day on the Sunbury-On-Thames card and I really like the chance of BASCULE, who is surely way better than he showed when a beaten favourite on his final start last season here, when he didn’t get the run of the race from the rear of the field.

CUBAN BREEZE could go a long way to defying top weight in the fillies’ handicap over six furlongs at 4.25, while if there is any money for DESTINY QUEEN in the finale at 5.00 I shall be having an each-way interest.

The ground at Stratford will be unusually soft for this time of the year for their national hunt card and that should suit FAKIR in the two-and-a-half-mile handicap chase at 2.10, while QUOI DE NEUF can gain compensation for being a beaten favourite last time out at Ludlow, where he was just outstayed over three miles at the Shropshire track.

Finally, have a look at the evening card at Chelmsford where the progressive VILLALOBOS can add yet another win to his CV under William Carver in the 6.00. He has a high cruising speed which is always a huge asset at the Essex track.

At the back end of the card, I will also be looking for support in the market for CONCIERGE (nap) in the six furlong handicap at 7.30. The Michael Attwater trained charge now resides on a mark of 68 after running off a rating of 90 18 months ago and the make-up of this race looks perfect for the seven-year-old.