Snow joke! The Flat really is back with a cracking Lincoln to excite us all

This is not an early April Fools' joke, the Flat really is back. It might seem a blink of the eye since the runners passed the post in the Grand Annual, but the changing of the racing seasons is upon us.

With the snow not long melted after the harshest of winters, the Flat feels like it has crept up on us – and in many ways it has, as the traditional starting point has fallen at its earliest point on the calendar for ten years.

32Red Lincoln Handicap card, form and betting

But, instead of being startled, we should be thankful as nothing quite rings in spring like the Lincoln.

There won't have been a Flat yard anywhere this week where excitement levels had not reached fever pitch. Everyone is starting afresh, dreams are alive and aspirations hold no limits.

O'Meara hoping Glitters is gold

David O'Meara will be one trainer itching to get going on turf as he bids for consecutive victories in Doncaster's 32Red-sponsored showpiece with the hugely exciting Lord Glitters and last year's winner Bravery.

Without a victory from 72 all-weather runners in Britain this year, it has been a winter of discontent at his stable in York, but that could all be about to change.

It has been proved on many occasions that you need a horse with Group-race potential to win a big handicap like the Lincoln and, in Lord Glitters, O'Meara possesses a contender who falls into that category.

The €270,000 purchase, bought by owners Geoff and Sandra Turnbull as a replacement for retired globetrotter Mondialiste, captured the imagination with his exhilarating last-to-first victory in the Balmoral Handicap on British Champions Day.

Connections passed up the alternative option of the Doncaster Mile to go for the big one and jockey Danny Tudhope has been impressed enough with what he has seen to jump off 2017 scorer Bravery.

Layers fearing Moore punishment

Tudhope was a saviour for the bookmakers last year when denying Ryan Moore a four-timer on the card on heavily-backed favourite Oh This Is Us.

Having reeled off the opening three races, Moore's narrow defeat in the Lincoln resulted in a betting industry swing estimated at £40 million.

Moore, fresh from becoming the first British jockey to win the Hong Kong Derby this century, is poised to ride another well-backed Lincoln favourite with the Michael Bell-trained Fire Brigade hot property through the week.

On the subject of properties, if it wasn't enough to get his metaphorical house in order in time for the start of the season, Martyn Meade has to do likewise with his actual one.

Before his move from Newmarket to Manton on Sunday, the trainer fields two live Lincoln chances in Chelsea Lad and Dolphin Vista. Who was it that said men can't multi-task?

Fresh talent and familiar faces

One of the traditional highlights of the meeting is the first glimpse of the juveniles in the Unibet Brocklesby Conditions Stakes (4.10), which unfortunately will again be run once the ITV4 cameras have gone off air.

Bill Turner and Richard Fahey are trainers to fear in the race but perhaps Declan Carroll, who took the first division last year with the ill-fated Santry, has another starlet in €100,000 yearling Langholm.

While the day marks the beginning of the turf campaign, the all-weather season is building to its Good Friday crescendo and there are a couple of appetisers at Lingfield with winter warmers Spare Parts and Captain Lars in action within 35 minutes of each other.

Both have done connections proud with seven victories apiece, and another win for either could prove decisive in the battle for the all-weather's winningmost horse title and accompanying £10,000 prize.

The dishing out of the all-weather awards can wait a few more days as the focus is very much on the dawn of a new Flat season – however early it has come.

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