Track biases have decided this season's biggest Flat races so far - plus why Aidan O'Brien stars may not be primed for the Guineas

It's been a frustrating start to the Flat season for many form-based punters and it is clear from the late market moves that many are now waiting to see how the tracks are riding and what the conditions are like before having a bet.

It started at the Lincoln meeting at Doncaster, where it became clear that those who raced up with the pace into a headwind had no chance whatsoever. The winners of the two big-field mile races, Godwinson and Pearl Eye, were last or one from last at halfway. Basically those up front early were hugely disadvantaged.

Then there was the Craven meeting at Newmarket last week. On the first day anyone who'd had a bet the day before or in the morning was probably on a hiding to nothing because they could have had no idea how soft the ground was going to be after loads of rain.