50 TO FOLLOW FOR THE FLAT 2026

We would like to thank Owen Johnson for kindly forwarding 10 of his 50 To Follow for the Flat 2026. We have seen the exceptional work and results so this is just a taster of what he has to offer. If you want to work closer with Owen then you can learn more here:  Patreon.com/OwenJohnsonRacing  

1) Pierre Bonnard - Trainer: Aidan O'Brien

As with many Aidan O'Brien debutants Pierre Bonard was in need of his first run when fourth and outpaced at Leopardstown. Interestingly the third that day Montreal (also trained by O'Brien) won by eight lengths on his next start at Leopardstown. Pierre Bonard then got off mark comfortably at Dundalk, then he came over for the Zetland Stakes at Newmarket in which he won readily under Christophe Soumillion. However, what impressed me here was the steady nature of the race shouldn't have suited him and therefore may have hid his superiority over his rivals. O'Brien then sent Pierre Bonard to the Criterium de Saint-Cloud in which he asserted well after being shaken up to beat A Boy Named Suzie by two lengths. This Camelot colt looks every inch a Derby horse to me and hopefully my 16/1 bet for that contest looks good come June.

2) Publish - Trainer: John & Thady Gosden

As promised it's time to talk about this son of Kingman who was unlucky not to make a winning start after he ran into trouble on a couple of occasions under Colin Keane, and would certainly have won had he not met interference. Publish though made no mistake back at the Esher track when winning the Martin Densham Novice a race Juddmonte have tended to run their better two year olds in. Then just before the Juddmonte International I bumped into Juddmonte's Racing Manager Simon Mockridge, and asked him for a two-year old to follow. His answer was: 'Our best two year old is Publish by some distance'. Given that Juddmonte have some other nice two year olds this was a strong statement to make. However, as aforementioned he got beat by Bow Echo in the Ascendant Stakes. William Buick I'm sure on reflection would like that ride back as he gave Publish a lot to do but when asked he quickened smartly but that burst may have paid late on as he hung his chance away to give Bow Echo the victory. Shayem who was a further one and three quarter lengths behind then won his next two starts beating a nice of Andrew Baldings in Alfaraz, and then won the Listed Silver Tankard at Pontefract easily. Just to add another chapter to Publish I was on the gallops with Thady Gosden in October and asked him about Publish with his response being: 'He's got plenty of talent and will be even better next year'. With all that said the 20/1 about Publish for the 2000 Guineas may look better value than the 10/1 about Bow Echo given the regard he's held and there may be more improvement to come in his three year old year.

3) Turty Tree - Trainer: Andrew Balding

This New Bay like colt like most Andrew Balding newcomers was in need of the run on its debut, but it didn't stop him running an eye-catching race. With two furlongs to go Turty Tree was pushed along by PJ McDonald but rallied strongly up the hill gaining on the winner all the way to the line, under hands and heels to be only beaten one and three quarter lengths. Put away after that I would be surprised if Balding can't find a race for Turty Tree to win in the spring before going onto better things this year.

4) My Ophelia - Trainer: William Haggas

Another horse who really caught my eye at Book 1 in 2024 was this Wootton Bassett filly who was put forward by professional gambler Patrick Veitch to another professional gambler in Tony Bloom who alongside Ian McAleavy paid 1.7 million for her. Despite the hefty price tag My Ophelia won without turning a hair on debut at Newbury when always in control to win by two lengths. Before she made her debut I caught up with a member of the Haggas team on Warren Hill and asked him about My Ophelia in which he replied: 'Yeah she's a nice filly will probably be one for next year'. A couple of days later after Binaheer had won at York I also asked Haggas assistant trainer about My Ophelia and he said: ' I ride her every day and she's lovely. She'll be better next year but I like her'. Then if you didn't need anymore My Ophelia quotes Tom Marquand was interviewed in the Weekender newspaper by Georgia Cox and when asked for a horse to follow Marquand said: 'My Ophelia was one that really impressed me. She's a beautiful, rangy filly, and it felt like coming into this year was when we'd start to see her step up to her best physically'. Then asked about her family he continued by saying:' They've all been talented and they've all had their own characters. In her own way, I thought she's got quite a good mind. She probably has a bit more speed and zip than the others, so hopefully that'll be the bridge to her being top class'. With all this you'd say it's not a given that My Ophelia will be an Oaks filly and therefore the 1000 Guineas could potentially be on her agenda in which she is a 25/1 shot.

5) My Love Is King - Trainer: John & Thady Gosden

This Kingman colt came to my attention before he made his debut, as when I was in Newmarket for the sales in October I went to the bottom of Warren Hill and chatted to one of the Gosden's assistant trainers, and he was kind enough to run me through their string. Without asking he said: 'This is a nice two year old here by Kingman out of Fallen In Love, he'll be worth following'. Therefore, it was no surprise that My Love Is King was a hot favourite for his debut at Newcastle. Despite being ridden early on by his jockey Luke Catton, the penny dropped and the Kingman colt ran out a ready winner by one and three quarter lengths from Ilraawi who was a rare all weather runner for his owner Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum. Given the comments from Gosden's assistant and what he did on debut, I'm looking forward to seeing what My Love Is King does this season. A mile to a mile and a quarter would look to be best for him.

6) Venetian Prince - Trainer: Andrew Balding

The last horse to talk about from that Newmarket maiden won by Distant Storm is this St Mark's Basilica colt. he was quietly fancied to run well in that sed maiden at Newmarket, but despite travelling well he hung left and weakened a furlong out looking like he needed the run. On his next start at Newbury Venetian Prince was hammered to get off the mark, however it nearly went wrong before he made the racetrack as he seemed to get an allergic reaction to something on his short journey to Newbury, and as a result had snot pouring from his nostrils. Thankfully, it cleared up and he was allowed to run and rewarded his backers by beating subsequent winner Wechaad by a length. Venetian Prince was given a long break after that but was out early in 2026 when hot favorite for a novice at Southwell. However, disaster struck late on when the reins broke late on and Venetian Prince hung left as a result and in the process costing him certain victory. This could be a blessing in disguise however as Venetian Prince is now rated eighty seven which looks lenient to me, with a tilt at all weather finals day on the cards for this Kingsclere inmate.

7) Item - Trainer: Andrew Balding

As promised this Frankel colt gets his turn now and I'm very excited about his prospects this year. He was liked before making his debut when beating Ya Karim and co but the way he did it from a bad draw in stall eleven marked him out as a smart horse. In addition the second Devon Island has won twice subsequently in Meydan and was second in the UAE 2000 Guineas on his latest start. Item, then went to Bath for his next run which was a small field, but readily dealt with the Clive Cox trained Blue Courvoisier, who before that had broken the two year old track record at Leicester, and was well backed to beat Item on the day but could only get within three and half lengths of him. Afterwards Item's jockey Rob Hornby said: 'He felt like he had a big engine there and he'd only been on the grass once at home but he got a beautiful big stride on him he's one to look forward to'. Item was then due to run the Vertem Futurity at Doncaster but swerved that due to the ground. I have backed Item at 50/1 for the Derby and I'm more than hopeful he can become a serious contender come June.

8) Ya Karim - Trainer: Harry Charlton

This son of Ghaiyyath made an encouraging start at Kempton as he was slowly away but then made stylish headway to finish third after being backed before the off under Finley Marsh. The winner Item (more on him later) won again since, and Ya Karim himself made no mistakes on his second start when winning comfortably by a length at Yarmouth, and taking the majority of the back straight to pull up, which is always a good sign. However, given the stable's liking for the London Gold Handicap at Newbury in May it will be interesting to see what race Charlton chooses for Ya Karim when he reappears, but I can see the handicap in May being an early season target a race last won by the stable with King's Gambit who carries the same colours as Ya Karim.

9) Miss Scott - Trainer: John & Thady Gosden

This filly by Night Of Thunder was one of my top picks from Book 1 in 2024, and so far she hasn't let me down being unbeaten one from one so far in her career. At Leicester she beat some horses with experience and did it coming nearest the unfavoured stands rail. After running a bit green in the early stages, Miss Scott got the message and ran out a nice winner by one and a quarter lengths from Sydney Rock who had finished second twice before that. Reported to have done well over the winter, it will be interesting to see if the Gosdens run her in a guineas or oaks trail in the spring as she looks exciting on the track as well as off it having gone 650,000 guineas as a yearling.

10) Haaderr - Trainer: Ed Bethell

This gorgeous Mohather colt was the first horse Ed Bethell had trained for Sheik Ahmed Al Maktoumn who went too 175,000 guineas to secure him and is also related to last year's fifty to follow entrant Le Botte. Haaderr was unlucky not to get off the mark at the first time of asking at Haydock, when he ran into trouble in the run and then hung left at a vital stage, and was still only beaten a head. It looked Haaderr had a straightforward task on his second start at Thirsk, but for my money Callum Rodriguez rode him with too much confidence and as a result failed to beat his main market rival Hasbro Market. Nothing was left to chance on his third run however when Rodriguez made all on him at Southwell to win eased down by one and three quarter lengths. In doing so he beat Nova Centauri, who finished behind Spyce and Lightning Thunder previously at Yarmouth, and on debut was third to Venetian Prince. So Haaderr treated him with contempt which marks him out as a smart horse, and a rating of eighty six looks lenient to me, and could he make up for Le Botte's misfortunate, and go one better in the Britannia this year?