Flat season 2026: Five things to look forward to Flat turf racing returned to Ireland at the Curragh on Sunday and their card featured the Irish Lincolnshire. The Lincoln takes place at Doncaster in a couple of weeks time and that fixture signals the return to the turf for Flat racing in Britain. We’re in for yet another enthralling campaign of action, with twists and turns galore. Some things never change and Aidan O’Brien is expected to dominate once again. Here are five important things to look forward to as we head into the 2026 Flat season. 1. Ryan Moore returns Right up there with the best Flat jockeys of all-time, Ryan Moore is the best rider on the planet at the moment and he was sorely missed for a significant period of the season last term, as a result of a broken bone suffered during a race. He’s back now, however, and watching him ride winners in big races is poetry in motion. Tactically astute and unbeatable in a finish, hopefully Moore will stay fit for the whole season this time around and if that’s the case, we’ll get to see plenty of him on the racecourse. 2. Who are the young jockeys coming through? Every season brings new apprentice jockeys starting out on their journeys to become established and fully-fledged professionals. It’s always exciting to see who has the potential to become the new Billy Loughnane and the apprentice title often goes to the wire. Some jockeys have already burst on to the scene, such as Toby Moore and Nicola Burns, but the new season gives them the opportunity to develop further. Experience always makes a better rider and there will undoubtedly be some interesting newcomers to follow. 3. Aidan O’Brien’s Ballydoyle superstar factory Obviously it helps that Aidan O’Brien gets to train the most expensive and well bred horses on the planet, but there’s no doubt that he is more successful than most would be with the same support. He’s one of the most well respected figures in the sport and for good reason. O’Brien dominated the two-year-old races at Royal Ascot last summer and that definitely bodes well for his crop of three-year-olds this time around. Albert Einstein is reportedly a monster, while Derby favourite Pierre Bonnard and Charles Darwin also look special. 4. The Classics The Classics are a very important part of the Flat season and are of vital importance to the breeding industry. They are some of the most valuable races of the year and winners often go on to produce future Classic victors further down the line. Starting off with the 1000 and 2000 Guineas at Newmarket in May, both races are run over a mile. Epsom then takes centre stage in June, with the most famous Flat race in the world, the Derby, as well as the Oaks for the fillies. The St Leger is at Doncaster in September and the extended 1m6f race is the final Classic of the season. 5. Royal Ascot It might not be the Cheltenham Festival, but Royal Ascot is definitely the closest that Flat racing can get. It’s a more international affair, with runners from Japan, USA and Australia and there’s also a lot more French representation. It kicks off on Tuesday 16th June this year and concludes on Saturday 20th June. There are many top races to look forward to across the five days and chief among them are the St. James’s Palace Stakes, Prince Of Wales’s Stakes and the Ascot Gold Cup.
