Racing TV presenters and pundits pick their horses to follow for the Flat season

This time last year our presenters and pundits picked out some beauties to follow on the Flat, including the likes of dual scorer Eastern Sheriff (Rachel Candelora), Irish St Leger winner, Search For A Song (Donn McClean), and Passion (Fran Berry).

You can keep tabs on each one by clicking on the horses names, and adding them into your Racing TV Tracker.

Trainer: Ed Walker.

Age: 4.

He has done well physically for his winter break and I always believed would be better as a four-year-old. He’s going to be an exciting horse in those decent handicaps and could make up into a stakes horse.

Trainer: Aidan O’Brien.

Age: 3.

Very impressive on her third start in October following on from two defeats in June and July when the stable’s two-year-olds were out of form. Her dam Peeping Fawn was a late developer, and this American Pharaoh filly should really improve at three. 40-1 for the Oaks certainly appeals.

Trainer: Mike Smith.

Age: 5.

Despite seeing his mark rise by the thick end of a stone due to his exploits last year, Mike Smith is predicting more success from this bargain-basement buy.

The Ayrshire trainer reports that the gelding, a four-time scorer on his first campaign for his new connections, has really filled out during the winter and his physical appearance gives him plenty of confidence that more success awaits in 2021.

He’s a tough little warrior who never wins by far and look out for him rampaging around the northern scene at trips between a mile and slightly further on most types of ground.

Trainer: David Simcock.

Age: 3.

Followed up a good debut second at Newmarket with a win, over a mile, at Kempton in December. That Kempton form has been franked umpteen times.

This son of Acclamation is from the family of Melbourne Cup winner Almandin and, being owned by Australian Bloodstock, middle distance handicaps over the summer could be followed by an autumn international campaign.

Trainer: Roger Varian.

Age: 3.

Took the eye in the paddock, the market and the race on his Newmarket appearance in October. A breeze-up purchase last July, the son of Make Believe was firmly on top at the line, even though he did not look ideally suited by the heavy ground. Looks the type to make a decent mile to ten-furlong performer.

Trainer: Richard Hannon.

Age: 3.

Ended last season with a disappointing run in the Dewhurst but his previous form lines had proved very strong, notably his win at Ascot in July. He has a good cruising speed and easy way of doing things and should stay a mile at three. His fluent stride means ground on the fast side suits well.

Trainer: William Haggas.

Age: 3.

Back end two-year-old all-weather maidens are very often a breeding ground for future stars more and more over recent seasons, and I think Sea Empress fits the bill as just that. I believe she beat a very good fully in Teona at Newcastle, despite being very green. With an excellent trainer in William Haggas, she could well make into an Oaks filly this season.

Trainer: Jessica Harrington.

Age: 3.

Taipan won his maiden at Naas very impressively to get up on the line on his only start. He has wintered extremely well and has some fancy entries, and I can really see him shaping up into a top-class middle-distance horse. He won on slow ground, but his action suggests he will be only better on better ground.

Trainer: William Haggas.

Age: 4.

Unbeaten in three starts last season, the William Haggas trained four-year- old remains favourably treated and looks tailor-made for some of the top-class summer middle distance handicaps.

A son of Golden Horn, he enjoys fast ground and, according to the head of Somerville Lodge, the Jorvik Handicap at York’s Dante meeting in May could be his first port of call en route to a trip to Royal Ascot for the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes.

Trainer: Andre Fabre.

Age: 3.

Broke his maiden at Chantilly in November, over six and a half furlongs, and followed up over the same course and distance in a February Conditions race in which he showed a tenacious attitude conceding weight to most of his rivals.

This Godolphin-owned son of Showcasing is out of a ten-furlong winning mare of the Aga Khan, so a mile should not be the limit of his stamina.

Trainer: John Gosden.

Age: 3.

There are few better families than the one Darlectable You hails from. As a daughter of Dar Re Mi, she numbers Too Darn Hot and Lah Ti Dar among her siblings and I’m sure she will follow suit by winning Group races. She made a promising debut at Newcastle in December and it’s not impossible she could be an Oaks filly if she’s ready early in the season.

Trainer: Aidan O’Brien.

Age: 4.

Following the retirements of Enable and Magical, Love will be expected to establish herself as the heir to their throne. Kept busy as a juvenile, running seven times from June to October, we only saw Love on three occasions last year. Encountering her preferred good ground on each run, she managed to take our breath away at Newmarket, Epsom and York.

Now it’s time to rise from Princess to Queen! I think this filly could be versatile from a mile to 12 furlongs and, ground permitting, Love could conquer all in 2021.

Trainer: Hugo Palmer.

Age: 3.

Second on debut at Nottingham, this Australia half-sister to Wigmore Hall really caught my eye when bolting up at Lingfield, belying her pedigree. I would not be at all surprised to see her starting off in an Oaks trial for Hugo Palmer, whose strike rate since the beginning of September has been most eye catching.

Trainer: Ken Condon.

Age: 3.

An impressive winner of her maiden on her racecourse debut at The Curragh in July, Thunder Beauty did well to finish fifth in the Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes on just her second run, showing signs of greenness and coming from the rear and racing wide. Her dam won over a mile and a half, and she shapes like a filly who could progress for the step up to middle distances this season as a three-year-old.

Trainer: William Haggas.

Age: 5.

A setback meant we saw him only once in 2020. Previously a progressive staying three-year-old, I hope he makes it back to full fitness. Although now five he is lightly raced and could develop into a Cup horse. Some cut in the ground suits him well.

Trainer: Aidan O’Brien.

Age: 3.

Finding the Derby winner usually means identifying the best son of Galileo in the race. He has sired five winners of the great race and I am backing him to make it six with High Definition. This unbeaten colt has won his two starts and looks a potential superstar. On both occasions he surged home from seemingly impossible positions to win with ease.

He has plenty of stamina on the dam’s side of his pedigree so will stay 12 furlongs. He should be backed at 7/1 to win the Epsom Derby and potentially could be the best we have seen for quite some while.

Trainer: John Gosden.

Age: 3.

I think this filly is going to be one to follow this season and was my tip for the Oaks in a preview programme recently. I feel it may well be that it is best following her from the Oaks onwards as others may be too quick for her in the first half of the season as she is by Dubawi out of a Montjeu mare so is all about stamina.

She ran three times last season all over a mile, winning on her debut and then landing the Group 2 May Hill at the St Leger meeting on just her second start. She ran another cracker in the Group 1 Fillies Mile on her final start, still looking inexperienced.

She is obviously with a master trainer in John Gosden and has already shown she is tough, having her three runs in six weeks, as well as very talented. I will be most disappointed if she is not profitable to follow in 2021.

Trainer: Brian Ellison.

Age: 4.

Punxsutawney Phil (named after the hog in Groundhog Day) won a competitive bumper at Newcastle on Groundhog Day (February 2nd). Held in very high regard, the well-bred son of Shirocco raced keenly in midfield but kept on well after making smooth headway over two-out.

Related to winners with stamina including Burn Some Dust and Nordic Combined, Punxsutawney Phil should be a typical dual-purpose type for Brian Ellison, so keep him in mind for some quality Flat races in the summer.

Trainer: Richard Fahey.

Age: 3.

A gorgeous horse who is sure to improve as a three-year-old. I felt after his maiden he could have won the Acomb, but he wasn’t seen to best effect after when trip and ground went against him twice. I believe if stepped up in trip this year then we will see a seriously smart horse.

Trainer: Denise Foster.

Age: 4.

Yes, I realise this is a “flat horse to follow” feature and at the time of writing Zanahiyr is favourite for the Triumph Hurdle. Whatever happens at Cheltenham though, the Nathaniel gelding has the potential to make up into a smart stayer on the level later in the year.

At the very least he can be expected to do some damage off an initial handicap mark that is likely to be in the low eighties.

Trainer: Joseph O’Brien.

Age: 3.

I must admit to being slightly shell-shocked when he got well and truly put in his place in the Dewhurst by St Marks Basilica and Wembley. From what I witnessed in the National Stakes at The Curragh, where he extracted himself from a pocket inside the furlong pole and sprinted to success by a length and a half, defeating Wembley, I thought ‘superstar’.

One swallow doesn’t make a summer, and all that, but whether it’s over a mile or back down to six furlongs at Newmarket for the July Cup, I will be following Thunder Moon.

Trainer: Hughie Morrison.

Age: 3.

From a family the trainer knows well, the son of Iffraaj made a highly promising debut at Doncaster last September. Finishing runner-up that day over a mile, he will appreciate at least another two furlongs and should break his maiden tag this spring before going on to bigger targets.

Trainer: Mark Johnston.

Age: 3.

Caught the eye with a highly promising debut at Ayr’s Gold Cup meeting in September. Made all to get off the mark over 1m2f at Bath next time, then displayed tenacity aplenty to repel all challengers in making a successful handicap bow dropped to 1m at Newcastle in November.

While a Derby entry may prove fanciful, I expect this Australia colt to leave a revised mark of 78 well behind during his three-year-old season, especially when he steps up to middle distances.

Trainer: Charlie Appleby.

Age: 3.

I was very taken with the horse physically for his debut, a race won by stable companion Master Of The Seas. A big brute of a horse and hooded for that debut, he looked entirely unfurnished and one who would improve with time and age.

He finished off his season winning the Haynes, Hanson & Clark over a mile and comes into this three-year- old campaign rated 100. A brother to Nassau winner Wild Illusion, he should excel over another two furlongs this year.