The 2015 Turf Flat season begins with Sunday ’ s Lincoln Handicap card at Doncaster . Racemail answers some intriguing questions . Can Godolphin finally regain the ‘ fear factor ’ ? Only one European Group One winner in 2014 — Charming Thought in the Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket — was an unacceptably thin return for Sheik Mohammed ’ s lavishly-funded Godolphin operation . Ol ’ Man River among seven of Aidan O ’ Brien 's horses in the first nine in the ante-post betting for Derby . Charming Thought ’ s trainer Charlie Appleby was fully aware of the need to do better when he said in October : ‘ Ten years ago , we were at the top of the table and everyone was frightened of us . That ’ s where we will hopefully be again in a year or two. ’ The organisation , badly tarnished by the 2013 Mahmood Al Zarooni drug scandal , has seen significant changes , with horses now spread beyond the Appleby-Saeed Bin Suroor twin Newmarket operation . Horses will race in the Godolphin colours from the stables of Jim Bolger and Michael Halford in Ireland , Andre Fabre in France and John Gosden in Britain while they have acquired Richard Hannon ’ s 2014 2,000 Guineas winner Night of Thunder and a share in Roger Varian ’ s Dewhurst Stakes scorer Belardo . Top jockeys William Buick and James Doyle have been recruited and the Sheik spent another fortune on yearling talent . Appleby has cleaned up on this winter ’ s all-weather circuit but , given his ammunition , at times that has seemed like pitting Mitchell Johnson against a third XI batsman . The serious stuff is ahead for an organisation that has not punched its weight . Top jockey William Buick has been recruited by Godolphin . Is the Qatari juggernaut unstoppable ? They may lag behind the horse numbers of Dubai ’ s Maktoum family but Sheik Fahad Al Thani ’ s Pearl and Qatar Racing now have almost 250 horses while Sheik Joaan Al Thani , who retains Frankie Dettori , has doubled his European string to 150 , half of them based here . With the likes of Racing Post Trophy winner Elm Park and £800,000 buy Moheet , who scooted home on his Salisbury debut in October , in their team , a first British Classic win could arrive this summer . Expensive new sponsorships will also be rolled out for the first time at Newbury and Glorious Goodwood as the Qatari influence spreads . Is Aidan O ’ Brien nailed on for a fourth Derby ? When Australia followed up the Epsom successes of Ruler Of The World and Camelot last June it was a historic Derby hat-trick for Ireland ’ s dominant trainer and a fourth successive victory looks highly likely . He already has a vice-like grip on this year ’ s race with favourites JF Kennedy and Ol ’ Man River among seven of his horses in the first nine in the ante-post betting and Ladbrokes make it even money that an O ’ Brien horse wins the Derby . Jockeys title race likely to be the shootout between Ryan Moore and Richard Hughes ( right ) Will Jockeys Championship changes mean a new winner ? Despite the marketing vandalism of shortening the title race from 2,000 Guineas day at Newmarket on May 2 to Champions Day at Ascot on October 17 , it is likely to be the same shootout between Ryan Moore and the defending champion Richard Hughes , who retires at the end of the season . But do not rule out a hungry Silvestre De Sousa , freelancing and out to prove a point after being ditched by Godolphin . Richard Hannon to be champion trainer again ? Sheer weight of numbers would suggest so . Hannon , with more than 250 horses in his care , has to be favourite . He has lost Olympic Glory and Toronado to stud but closest rival John Gosden has waved goodbye to Kingman and Taghrooda . Both have a clutch of Classic hopes . Roger Varian — with St Leger winner and Arc fourth Kingston Hill plus 2,000 Guineas hope Belardo — could narrow the gap but it is a blow that injury means filly Cursory Glance misses the 1,000 Guineas . A final Classic win for Barry Hills ? Having retired in 2011 , Hills , 78 next month , took out his licence again when son John died last year . He retires again at the end of the season but is overseeing a string of almost 40 horses owned by Sheik Hamdan . Among them are 1,000 Guineas hope Fadhayyil and 2,000 Guineas hope Nafaqa .
Aidan O'Brien has seven horses in first nine of ante-post betting for Derby . The trainer is also looking to add a second horse to his stable after the death of his son Aidan.