Hollie Doyle's Top Picks for 2026: Exciting Horses to Watch

Racing ambassador Hollie Doyle shares her top 10 horses to watch in 2026 as the flat season gets underway. Richard Hannon's five-year-old has shown impressive form since autumn, winning a valuable handicap at Ascot and the Listed Cammidge Stakes at Doncaster. He is expected to make a smooth transition into Group company. A lovely big son of New Bay gave Hollie a nice feel when scoring on debut at Chelmsford City and can hopefully build on this performance. A three-year-old's debut performance in a Saint-Cloud newcomers race was impressive, toying with opposition over 1m and showing potential as a star in the making. Aidan O'Brien's son of Wootton Bassett made a strong claim for the Classic after making virtually all the running in the Group 1 Futurity Trophy. William Haggas can find improvement in a son of Kingman, who is a half-brother to Group 1 star King Of Change. A filly, partnered by Tom Marquand to a debut win at Newbury, has a hefty price tag to live up to but still has potential. Despite a weak finish in the Coventry Stakes, a son of Havana Grey has done well physically and can still develop into a stakes performer. A daughter of Starman could fit the bill as a headline horse for David Ward, having been too classy for her rivals in a 6f Nottingham maiden. A son of Sea The Stars made a spectacular winning debut and will be interesting to see how he copes in deeper waters. Karl Burke's son of Night Of Thunder made it four from four in the Group 2 Joel Stakes and is aiming for the Group 1 Lockinge Stakes at Newbury.