ALL signs point to Scotland today for the resumption of the Flat Turf season.

Having kicked off at Doncaster last weekend, the campaign, having died a death for much of this week, picks up again at Musselburgh this afternoon when Richard Fahey will be hoping to carry on his impressive start.

The Malton trainer, who saddled four winners on the opening two days, including landing the Lincoln Handicap with Gabrial, is set to saddle Spring Offensive in the £50,000 totequadpot Royal Mile Handicap.

The mount of Paddy Mathers, Spring Offensive ran only three times last season as a juvenile. He got off the mark in maiden company on his second start at Redcar and then was narrowly beaten in a nursery at York in September. Gelded in the interim, he looks the type to make a useful three-year-old.

Today’s race is a competitive affair with Paul Hanagan journeying north to pull on the Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum colours aboard the William Haggas- trained Tadqeeq, a Wolverhampton winner on his third start last September. Richard Hannon (Tom Hark), Mark Johnston (Chadic and Mister Universe) and John Quinn (Moonlightnavigator) are all represented by potentially smart types.

But Spring Offensive figures at the right end of the weights and, from a stable which has already landed running this season, is fancied to come out on top.

Fahey can also win on the card with Third Time Lucky, the mount of Hanagan, who contests the totepool Maiden Stakes over seven furlongs.

The three-year-old finished in the money in three of his four starts as a juvenile and showed enough to suggest he can win a race of this nature.

The £50,000 mytotepool.com Balmoral Cup sees Fahey’s Gabrial The Terror going for a five-timer after winning his last four starts on a synthetic surface. But it might be asking too much to expect Tony Hamilton’s mount to oblige once more, despite his proven fitness and well-being.

Preference is for Alan Swinbank’s Aramist, who was a three-time winner last year and who finished off the season with solid runner-up efforts at York and in Doncaster’s November Handicap. Robert Winston has the mount.

The most popular winner on the Musselburgh card would undoubtedly be Borderlescott running in his very own race, the totepool Borderlescott Sprint Trophy.

Narrowly beaten in this contest last year, the popular sprinter, who has switched from Robin Bastiman to his daughter Rebecca, who took over the family’s training licence earlier this year, has a tough task at the veteran age of 13, but plenty will be willing him on under Patrick McDonald.

A more likely winner of this five-furlong dash is Robot Boy, who showed some fine form last season and who is napped to have been readied for this £25,000 pot by Thirsk trainer David Barron.

Interestingly, David Brown saddles a runner in the opening toteplacepot Scottish Brocklesby Conditions Stakes in Tribesman, the mount of Sean Levey.

Owned by John Fretwell, this £35,000 yearling buy is a son of the speedy Equiano. It would be no surprise if he were to make a winning bow, though Mark Johnston’s runner Sixth Sense is feared given the way the Middleham trainer has set off this season with his youngsters.

Today’s only other meeting is on the Polytrack at Lingfield, but it’s a sterling affair, the All-Weather Championships worth more than £1 million in prize money.

In the £150,000 Sprint, Alben Star, trained by Fahey, bids to win for the second successive year. But Ryan Moore’s mount may have to play a supporting role this time behind Pretend, who beat him last time out and who was previously successful at Wolverhampton. He looks a very talented performer in the making for Charlie Appleby.

Appleby could also hold the key to the £200,000 Coral Easter All-Weather Classic with Tryster.

William Buick’s mount is four-from-four this year and looks more impressive every time he appears. Winner of the Winter Derby here three weeks ago, the four-year-old has plenty going for him.

Musselburgh today: 1.55 Tribesman, 2.25 Aramist, 2.55 Spring Offensive, 3.30 Robot Boy (NAP), 4.00 Noble Asset, 4.30 Pressure Point, 5.00 Third Time Lucky.

Lingfield today: 1.40 Don’t Be, 2.10 Pretend, 2.40 Lexington Times, 3.15 Captain Joy, 3.45 Tryster, 4.15 Primrose Valley, 4.45 Hidden Gold.

Tomorrow’s meetings: Carlisle, Haydock, Kempton and Newton Abbot.