Sky Sports Racing ambassador Hollie Doyle has shared the ten horses she is most excited about for the 2026 flat campaign, offering a glimpse of the talent she believes will shape the season. Below is a detailed look at each contender, why they caught her eye, and what lies ahead for them as the calendar turns toward the classics and Group races. 1. Richard Hannon’s Five-Year-Old Performer The Hannon stable’s five‑year‑old has taken a significant step forward since the autumn of last year.
After securing a valuable handicap win at Ascot in October, he followed that up with a strong performance in the Listed Cammidge Stakes at Doncaster, where he beat the higher‑rated Jasour on the opening day of the flat season. Doyle notes that the horse fits the profile of the type that Richard Hannon and his team excel at developing, and she expects a smooth transition into Group company as the season progresses.
The combination of proven stamina and a recent upgrade in class suggests he could be a serious contender in the middle‑distance Group races later in the year. 2. New Bay‑Sired Son with a Promising Debut A large, well‑built son of New Bay impressed Doyle when he made his debut at Chelmsford City in early March. Despite being a green youngster, he handled a ten‑furlong maiden race with composure and finished strongly.
Joint‑trainer Jamie Insole is reportedly targeting a valuable spring handicap at Newbury for the colt, and Doyle believes the early experience will serve as a solid foundation for a step up in class. If he continues to develop, the horse could be aimed at the mid‑season Group contests over similar distances. 3. Caravaggio‑Sired Three‑Year‑Old from Aga Khan Studs The third horse on Doyle’s list is a three‑year‑old gelding, a son of Caravaggio, who made a late but dazzling debut in a newcomers’ race at Saint‑Cloud at the end of March.
Over a mile, he toyed with his rivals and displayed a turn of foot that immediately marked him as a potential star for the Aga Khan operation. Although he has already been compared to the great Caledonian, the comparison is a testament to his natural ability. Trained by Francis Graffard, the gelding is expected to continue his ascent, perhaps targeting the Group 3 and Group 2 mile races for three‑year‑olds later in the spring.
4. Wootton Bassett‑Sired Son of Aidan O’Brien Aidan O’Brien’s son of Wootton Bassett missed the Group 1 Futurity Trophy last autumn but ran a respectable race that hinted at Classic potential. Out of the champion mare Hydrangea, who won both the Champions Day Fillies’ and Mares’ races, the colt inherits a blend of stamina and speed that could make him a serious Derby prospect. Doyle expects the horse to improve over longer distances as the season unfolds, and she anticipates that a strong showing in a trial such as the Lingfield Derby Trial could cement his status as a Derby hopeful.
5. Kingman‑Sired Half‑Brother to King Of Change William Haggas has a son of Kingman who is a half‑brother to the Group 1 winner King Of Change.
The colt showed promise in a Newbury debut in October, finishing a close second, and then progressed further at Doncaster’s Lincoln Meeting, where he was hampered in the final stages but still displayed a powerful finishing kick. Although his entry for the 2000 Guineas may not be taken up, the fact that the connections have entered him indicates the high regard in which he is held. Doyle believes the horse could be aimed at the Guineas trial races before potentially stepping up to the Derby distance.
6. Expensive Filly from William Haggas (Owned by Tom Marquand) Tom Marquand’s filly, owned by the Marquand family, captured attention when she won her debut at Newbury late last season. Purchased for a staggering £1.7 million, the filly carries a hefty price tag but also a pedigree that links her to Haggas’s Group performers My Oberon and My Prospero.
Doyle is eager to see Marquand continue the partnership, especially as the filly holds an entry for the Irish Oaks, suggesting that her connections view her as a top‑class middle‑distance filly for the classic season. 7.
Havana Grey‑Sired Son of Archie Watson Archie Watson’s son of Havana Grey won a maiden at Lingfield last summer but subsequently ran poorly in the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot, finishing well down the field. Since then, the horse has matured physically and returned to form with a solid performance in a Listed sprint at Deauville in early March, despite some rustiness.
Doyle believes the colt has not yet shown his true ability and could develop into a stakes performer, particularly over sprint distances, as he gains more experience. 8. Starman‑Sired Filly from David Ward (Trained by Ed Walker) David Ward’s daughter of the top sprinter Starman has already made a strong impression. After a dominant win in a six‑furlong Nottingham maiden last summer, she stepped up to a Group 2 contest at Newmarket, the Rockfel, where she finished a close second to Zanthos.
The filly, a favourite of trainer Kieran Shoemark, is entered in the 1000 Guineas and appears to possess the stamina to stay a mile. Doyle expects her to continue progressing and possibly target the Guineas or the Oaks trials later in the season.
9. Sea The Stars‑Sired Son of Archie Watson Archie Watson’s son of Sea The Stars delivered a spectacular debut win at Newcastle, impressing Doyle with the ease of his victory. While the horse was already known to be talented, the debut performance exceeded expectations, suggesting a high ceiling. He has been entered for the Feilden Stakes at Newmarket, a key trial for the Derby and other Classic races.
Doyle anticipates that a strong showing there could establish him as a flagbearer for the Watson yard this summer and potentially set him up for a Group 1 attempt later in the year. 10. Night Of Thunder‑Sired Son of Karl Burke The final horse on Doyle’s list is Karl Burke’s son of Night Of Thunder, who went unbeaten in four starts last season, culminating with a dominant win in the Group 2 Joel Stakes at Newmarket in September, where he beat Godolphin’s highly rated Opera Ballo.
Burke reports that the colt wintered well and is now being aimed at the Group 1 Lockinge Stakes at Newbury, a logical target for a miler of his calibre at this point in the season. Doyle believes the horse’s confidence and proven ability at the Group 2 level make him a genuine contender for the Lockinge and possibly other top‑level mile races. In summary, Hollie Doyle’s selections reflect a blend of proven performers, promising youngsters, and horses that have shown rapid improvement over the winter. Her insights, drawn from firsthand experience as a top jockey, highlight the depth of talent expected to shape the 2026 flat season, from early‑season handicaps to the ultimate Classic battles.
Doyle concluded her interview with Sky Sports Racing’s Simon Mapletoft by emphasizing that the season promises excitement, and she looks forward to seeing how many of these horses will fulfill their potential on the biggest stages.