As the flat season gets underway, Sky Sports Racing ambassador Hollie Doyle shares her enthusiasm for ten horses that are set to make a significant impact in 2026. Richard Hannon's talented five-year-old has been making waves since autumn, with impressive wins at Ascot and Doncaster, and is expected to transition smoothly into Group company. Another promising youngster is the big son of New Bay, who gave Hollie a nice feel on his debut at Chelmsford City and is being aimed at a valuable spring handicap at Newbury.
A three-year-old son of Caravaggio also caught Hollie's attention with a breathtaking debut performance in a Saint-Cloud newcomers race, and is already being hailed as a potential star. Aidan O'Brien's son of Wootton Bassett is another horse to watch, having made a strong claim for Classic contention with his performance in the Group 1 Futurity Trophy. William Haggas's son of Kingman, a half-brother to Group 1 star King Of Change, is also expected to show significant improvement.
Hollie's husband Tom Marquand is a fan of a filly who made a winning debut at Newbury and has a hefty price tag to live up to, but still has tremendous potential. Despite a disappointing run in the Coventry Stakes, a son of Havana Grey has done well physically and is shaping up to be a stakes performer. A daughter of Starman, trained by Ed Walker, is another exciting prospect, having won a maiden at Nottingham and finishing close behind Zanthos in the Group 2 Rockfel.
Hollie's boss Archie Watson has been patient with a son of Sea The Stars, who made a spectacular winning debut at Newcastle, and will be interesting to watch in deeper waters. Karl Burke's son of Night Of Thunder, who won the Group 2 Joel Stakes at Newmarket, is also one to keep an eye on, with the Group 1 Lockinge Stakes at Newbury being his target.