Sky Sports Racing ambassador Hollie Doyle shares her top ten horses to watch in 2026 as the flat season gets underway. Richard Hannon's talented five-year-old has made significant strides since autumn, scoring impressive wins at Ascot and Doncaster. With his progression, he's poised to make a seamless transition into Group company. Another promising contender is the big son of New Bay, who showed great potential in his debut at Chelmsford City.
Despite being green, he demonstrated control in his 10f maiden and is expected to build on this performance. A three-year-old gelding by Caravaggio also caught attention with a stunning debut at Saint-Cloud, leaving a lasting impression and earning comparisons to Calandagan. Aidan O'Brien's Wootton Bassett son is another notable mention, having made a strong claim for the Classics with his performance in the Group 1 Futurity Trophy.
William Haggas's Kingman son, a half-brother to King Of Change, has also shown promise, particularly in his Newbury debut and subsequent run at Doncaster. A filly purchased for 1.7m gns, trained by William Haggas, is highly regarded and has a hefty price tag to live up to. She's closely related to Group stars My Oberon and My Prospero and holds an entry in the Irish Oaks. Archie Watson's Havana Grey son, despite a slow start, has the potential to develop into a stakes performer.
David Ward's daughter of Starman could be a headline horse, having already shown her class in a Nottingham maiden and the Group 2 Rockfel at Newmarket. Another notable mention is Archie Watson's Sea The Stars son, who made a spectacular winning debut at Newcastle and will be interesting to watch in deeper waters. Karl Burke's Night Of Thunder son, a four-time winner including the Group 2 Joel Stakes, is also one to watch, with the Group 1 Lockinge Stakes at Newbury being his target.