The Flat turf season starts at Doncaster on Saturday afternoon and we can follow the action live on ITV with a few nice investments.

The opening race is the Cammidge Trophy at 1.50.

This Listed contest over six furlongs is usually won by a horse having their first start of the calendar year, having had its last run somewhere towards the end of the previous year.

That was swept aside by last year’s winner Tupi who turned up under Ryan Moore to land the spoils at 7/1.

At the head of the market you can see eight-year-olds Lancelot Du Luc and Perfect Pasture, who can both be ruled out considering the age stats of the previous winners.

The last 10 winners have all been under eight-years-old.

DANZENO  is fit from a campaign in Dubai and can follow in Tupi’s footsteps having wintered in sunnier climes.

He has the assistance of top jockey Silvestre De Sousa and represents a stable with a fantastic strike rate over the last fortnight. 

The consolation race, known as the Spring Mile, takes place at 2.25.

This race is for horses that missed the weights cut in the Lincoln (later on the card at 3.35). Some good horses and stables have scooped this ‘second prize’ over the last few years and it’s always been a good race in its own right.

Some people watch this race to judge the draw for the bigger race which takes place about an hour later, although the last few years have favoured a low draw in this race and then a high draw in the main race. Go figure!

LORD OF THE ROCK , KING’S PAVILLION  and BRILLIANT VANGUARD  all warrant each-way support at big prices for various reasons.

Lord Of The Rock is proven over course and distance and won this very race in 2016. He’s still only six and can pop up and win every now and again.

King’s Pavilion was three lengths down on Lincoln favourite Fire Brigade when last seen on a racecourse. He looks well handicapped here.

Brilliant Vanguard won three double-figure field handicaps over the course of last season – all over a mile. An investment on that trio each-way will produce a positive return, even if only one of them makes the first four home. But there’s no reason to say it won’t be a better outcome than that. 

We should keep it simple in the Doncaster Mile at 3.00. ZABEEL PRINCE is a very worthy favourite and has excuses when seen in defeat at Ascot in October of last year. Prior to that he racked up a hat-trick and can get this season off to a flying start – albeit at a short price. 

The flagship race at the start of the Flat turf season is the Lincoln at 3.35.

Always a tough race to call, but one that does have a significant number of strong trends which help to narrow the field down.

We need to focus on horses carrying 9st4lb or less and ones that are six-years-old or younger. Both of those trends have a 100 per cent record over the last decade.

There hasn't been a winning favourite since 2010, with the average winning SP since then a generous 18/1.

GREY BRITAIN  wintered in Dubai, without success, but based on a Listed win at Newmarket about 10 months ago has the ability to land this race off a favourable weight in the middle of the handicap. Additional investments on Chelsea Lad and each-way on DOLPHIN VISTA  and STAMP HILL would not be discouraged.

Once ITV go off air we have the first two-year-old race of the season, The Brocklesby.

Ron Harris had a torrid time with his juvenile horses last season but the early-foaled colt CLEVEDON  must have a strong chance of getting him back among the winners in this sphere. He could be streets ahead of the opposition at over a month older than some of his rivals.