Winners look remarkably difficult to unearth on a traditionally tough opening day to the turf Flat season at Doncaster's Town Moor.

Hard-nosed punters will be no doubt be keeping their powder dry until the form settles down, but for die-hard backers keen to blow away the winter blues Night Flight (2.50) is worth a small each-way investment in the afternoon's most valuable contest, the £30,000 five-furlong randombet.com Showcase Handicap.

Richard Fahey's ever-popular Yorkshire-trained grey speedster fits the bill onthree counts.

For starters, he'll not mind the forecast soggy surface. Secondly, he's sure to have benefited from a recent spin on the all-weather track at Wolverhampton, where he finished a promising fifth to Prince Of Blues. And last but not least, Night Flight has dropped down to a winning weight as a result of several disappointing performances last season.

Once again it's only an each-way recommendation, however Bawsian (1.45) has the potential to reward the Les Eyre faithful by repeating his victory of 12 months ago in the opening Racing Schools Apprentice Handicap.

Unfortunately Bawsian is 7lbs higher than when winning the event last year, although in his favour it's arguably a slightly weaker field.

The game seven-year-old revels in the mud and goes well for David Nolan, who steered the tiny gelding to a cosy neck success over The Butterwick Kid in 2001.

Tops in terms of quality on a busy card is the Listed Doncaster Mile featuring, among others, Geoff Wragg's Swallow Flight (3.25).

Two seasons ago Swallow Flight was made favourite to take the £25,000 race, just losing out to the Barry Hills-trained Hasty Words in a ding-dong tussle to the line.

The useful six-year-old clearly does not take much getting ready and will not want for assistance from the saddle, with his regular rider Darryll Holland taking the mount.

Even taking into account the miserable weather of late, Mark Johnston's horses are fairly well forward and both Risker (3.55) and Systematic (4.30) are in with a shout in their respective races.

Risker, a handsome son of top USA sire Gone West, won his maiden in pleasing style at Thirsk last September and now goes for the Balby Handicap, the only worry being his unproven ability to handle the testing ground.

Systematic, a beautifully-bred colt by Rainbow Quest, has always been highly-rated by his astute handler and should give a good account in the Badsworth Maiden Stakes.

Johnston also supplies the nap selection, Hearthstead Pride (3.45), in the Betdirect Maiden Stakes over a mile-and-a-half at Southwell.

Despite the fact that the three-year-old failed to justify favouritism at Wolverhampton, it appears as if Amanda Perrett's representative, Our Imperial Bay, is the sole danger.

Wincanton stages the only jumping action and at a course where Paul Nicholls has a superb record, his Kadarann (2.25) has the class to land the odds in the General Dynamics UK Novices' Chase.

Kadarann has won three of his last five starts and seems head-and-shoulders above all bar Another Raleagh in the £6,000 event.

DEALER'S CHOICE sent followers of Janus (Colin Woods) home happy from Ludlow yesterday when landing the nap at a whopping 9-1.

Newcastle and Nottingham have been forced to make a number of changes to their scheduled Flat cards next week.

The round course at Newcastle has been deemed unraceable for the meeting on March 26 and the BHB has agreed to alternative races. The Tyne Bridge Stakes will now be run over seven furlongs instead of ten, and the Gosforth Park Suite Handicap Stakes will be ten furlongs shorter than planned, being run over six furlongs only.

Nottingham's six-furlong start will be unraceable for at least the course's first two Flat fixtures