TEN TO FOLLOW FOR THE 2026 FLAT SEASON BY ANDY HOLDING
ABBEY ACTRESS – Johnny Murtagh
Opened her account this season with a promising performance at the Curragh over a trip short of her best and she looks the type that could easily run right through her current handicap mark into pattern company.
Making her debut for her new stable following an absence of 11 months, the daughter Make Believe was a little caught on heels as the tempo increased at the three-furlong pole, but from that juncture she picked up really nicely in the closing stages to finish a never-nearer third.
Considering her last three runs for Paddy Twomey were over races ranging from 1m2f to 1m4f, this effort has to go down as a commendable one and once given a stiffer test of stamina, the lightly-raced five-year-old can really come into her own.
ALTHER WALDEN – George Scott
Progressive stayer who made a bright start to the campaign at Newcastle recently, leaving the impression he could easily go the same way as several who has been expertly tutored by his astute handler in recent times.
Cast your minds back only 18 months and Caballo De Mar was rated just 65 but since then, George Scott’s inmate is regarded as one of the best stayers around, winning the Group 1 Prix De Cadren last season and opening this campaign with an excellent effort in the Dubai Gold Cup.
Obviously, the son of Study Of Man has a fair way to go reach those heady heights but he has a lot of similar attributes to his stable mate even at this very early stage and he has the scope to work his way through the ranks over middle distances and beyond.
ARCHIVIST – Hamad Al Jehani
A useful and progressive miler for William Haggas, the four-year-old chestnut proved he could be just as big a force for new connections with a taking success at Meydan last time out and it will come as little surprise if he weren’t plying his trade at pattern level sooner rather than later.
Despite being softened up at the head of affairs in his latest encounter, he still found a smart turn of foot to pull clear of his rivals late on and the speed figure he posted backed up the visual impression of his display.
A keen going sort in the past, the first-time hood clearly helped him take his game to another level and now 3-3 over a mile on turf, the son of Dubawi has the qualities to capture a Group 3 at the very least.
CALENDAR GIRL – Owen Burrows
Only defeated once in four starts at two and rounded off her campaign with a gutsy victory in the Group 3 Oh So Sharp Stakes at Newmarket.
Leaving the distinct impression she won with more in hand than the bare result suggested at HQ, she also shaped like she will get a mile well as a three-year-old and she is very likely to take in a 1000 Guineas trial prior to returning there for the big one in May.
A big girl, she has the size and scope to continue to progress throughout the season and she is fancied to play a big role in many of the Group 1-mile races against her own sex.
INTO THE SKY – Jim Boyle
Created a favourable impression both visually and on the clock when landing a maiden at Newbury back in August and, as a result, was a warm order to land the Group 2 Mill Reef Stakes on his return to the Berkshire venue on his final outing of the campaign.
Unfortunately for his supporters, he got run out of the argument close home by Words Of Truth having looked the winner for majority of the journey but it was a performance which boded well for the future and he looks the type to develop into a top-class sprinter as a three-year-old.
LIFEPLAN – Declan Carroll
The son of Kodi Bear posted an unusually fast time for a two-year-old novice event at Thirsk on debut and found the necessary improvement to land the Group 2 Gimcrack Stakes at York on his final start to the campaign.
Roughed off for the season at that juncture, he will hopefully return to run in some of the better early season three-year-old sprints with a view to aimed at something like the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot.
PUBLISH – John Gosden
Although beaten on his final start as a two-year-old, John Gosden’s inmate left the impression he was the main one to take out of the listed Ascendant Stakes at Haydock and he deserves to be followed accordingly this season.
Whereas the winner, Bow Echo, enjoyed a smooth passage towards the head of affairs at the Merseyside track, the son of Kingman was forced to endure a more circuitous route which left him with more on his plate than should have been the case.
To his great credit he almost pulled the race out of the bag and if the pair were to meet again, which is a distinct possibility in a trial for the Guineas or the big one itself, he is fancied to turn around the tables.
Currently second favourite in the ante post markets behind his old rival for the first classic of the season, he rates the value call to make up for the disappointment of Field Of Gold for same connections last season.
SABER STRIKE – William Haggas
William Haggas’ inmate cost 230k at a yearling and that purchase price already looks money well spent based on his sparking display on debut at Redcar.
Firstly, his overall speed figure at the Yorkshire venue was very good and then you look at the metrics, such as stride length and cadence, they are also quite revealing.
His maximum stride once in top gear was 8.63 and his minimum frequency was 2.13.
Both of these two figures point towards a horse who, based on historic data, should be fully effective over further than six furlongs, so the fact he managed to win in such taking fashion over that trip is testimony to his raw ability.
Any horse with a stride length over 8.00m, you would normal suggest they are likely to favour middle distances and the lower the stride frequency (turnover) would also back up that view. Any horse touching 2.5 stride frequency is more likely to be a sprinter.
Looking at some of the better two-year-olds last season provides some sort of context – here’s a small sample of what they achieved.
Albert Einstein – max stride length 7.65 and frequency 2.28. These figures suggest he might turn out to be a sprinter rather than a miler.
Bow Echo – 7.5 and 2.27 – a mile looks to be his best trip.
Gewan – 7.5 and 2.31 – similar comments apply with him too.
Gstaad – 7.72 and 2.19 – he might prove best beyond a mile.
Puerto Rico – 7.43 and 2.22 – miler
Hawk Mountain – 6.99 and 2.20 – unlikely to stay beyond a mile.
Saber Strike might turn out to be a bit of freak and buck all logical trends, but based on the data, it would come as a surprise if he is not fully effective over a mile at least. Either way, he remains one to follow once his ideal trip is determined.
SPACEMAN – Richard Fahey
Richard Fahey’s inmate was the main one to catch the eye behind Saber Strike on debut at Redcar and if the winner does turn out to be top class, there is a good chance the son of Starman will be a useful three-year-old to follow up the north.
The way he finished off his race from off the speed leant itself to a horse who should easily stay beyond six furlongs and a maiden in the opening weeks of the season will be a formality before going on to better things.
SOLDIERS TREE – Michael Tynan
Clocked a huge speed figure for a race of its kind at Dundalk over the winter and he looks an exciting prospect going forward – providing he can translate the ability he showed on the all-weather to the turf.
Since his victory back in January, the form has been boosted by multiple of his well-beaten rivals in behind and his rating of 88 looks to be someway short of his true worth based on the data to hand.