Hollie Doyle's Top Picks for 2026: Rising Stars and Seasoned Champions

Sky Sports Racing ambassador Hollie Doyle shares her excitement for the upcoming flat season, highlighting ten horses that have caught her attention. Richard Hannon's five-year-old has shown significant improvement since autumn, with notable wins at Ascot and Doncaster. Doyle expects a seamless transition into Group company for this talented horse. Another promising contender is a big son of New Bay, who gave Doyle a positive feel on his debut at Chelmsford City. Despite his inexperience, he demonstrated control in his 10f maiden and is expected to make progress. A three-year-old son of Caravaggio made a stunning debut at Saint-Cloud, effortlessly outpacing his opponents. With the guidance of Francis Graffard, this gelding is poised to become a star. Aidan O'Brien's son of Wootton Bassett, who outran expectations in the Group 1 Futurity Trophy, is another horse to watch. As the son of Hydrangea, he is likely to excel over longer distances and become a serious Derby contender. William Haggas's son of Kingman, a half-brother to King Of Change, has shown promise in his debuts at Newbury and Doncaster. Although his Guineas entry may not be pursued, it highlights his potential. Doyle's husband, Tom Marquand, has high praise for a filly who won her debut at Newbury and has a hefty price tag to live up to. As a relative of My Oberon and My Prospero, she has a bright future ahead. A son of Havana Grey, despite a lackluster performance at Royal Ascot, has developed physically and showed encouraging signs in his comeback run. David Ward's daughter of Starman could be his next headline horse, having dominated a Nottingham maiden and finishing strongly in the Group 2 Rockfel. Archie Watson's son of Sea The Stars made a remarkable winning debut at Newcastle, and it will be interesting to see how he performs in more challenging waters. Karl Burke's son of Night Of Thunder, who won the Group 2 Joel Stakes, has wintered well and is aimed at the Group 1 Lockinge Stakes. These horses are sure to make an impact in the 2026 flat season.