Ed Walker can look back at the 2025 season with great pride after saddling two Royal Ascot winners and smashing through the £2 million barrier in domestic prizemoney for the first time in his career.
But Walker knows as well as anyone racing is all about looking forward, and while those memories will be cherished forever, the Lambourn handler is eager to build on the achievements with his ever expanding string.
With both his winners from last year’s Royal meeting, Never Let Go and Noble Champion, back for more, together with the high-class Almaqam, it could easily be that Walker breaks more personal records this campaign.
Add into the mix several unexposed three-year-olds, some with Classic aspirations and others that will be expected to make their mark in handicaps, and it all points to 2026 being one to savour for the Group One-winning trainer.
Walker said: “I was really happy with the season. Our strike rate was slightly down, but I think we are campaigning horses a bit more aggressively than we used to, which is great as when it works out it works out better, and the prize money was really good.
“Winning back-to-back Lowthers was pretty epic as we are not really renowned for our two-year-olds.
“We had an amazing day at Haydock Park and York in the spring when we won three stakes races in about forty-five minutes, which was pretty cool.
“Royal Ascot was huge as we had two winners there, especially Noble Champion winning as he was a horse I always had a huge belief in, so it was a good year.
"We're very lucky. We've got good support from really good owners, of which some have been with us a very long time. We have an exceptional core of staff that have been with us a very long time now, some back to the Newmarket days.
“It's a big team effort from staff, owners, breeders. A lot of people are involved in making horses win races, but we are in a good spot for this year."
ED WALKER HORSES FOR 2026
ALMAQAM
“He was probably, amazingly, you know, the disappointing horse of last year. He's rated one hundred and twenty two, which is the same as Rebel’s Romance, and he has not won a Group One.
“He is exceptionally talented on his day, he's beaten Ombudsman, and he is a very good horse when things go right. I suppose the big disappointment with him really was the Group Two at York as I couldn't believe he got beaten there.
“Royal Champion has since gone off and done really well, and the ground was probably lively enough for him. It was a huge run in the Champions Stakes when the ground probably wasn’t ideal for him.
“I think he's better this year and I think he's got more life about him. He’s stronger and I really hope this could be his year. I think we'll be targeting ten furlong Group Ones, which are probably the hardest Group Ones to win, so I think that's another reason why he's not won one yet as he has always faced pretty stiff competition.
“It’s not going to be easy by any stretch, but we'll probably start him off in either the Gordon Richards Stakes at Sandown Park or supplement him for the Prix Ganay over at Longchamp, if the ground is okay.
“I think going a mile and a half is a possibility. On pedigree you wouldn't have thought so with him being out of a Cape Cross mare. I think a mile and a quarter is the optimum trip, but I think going a mile and a half is a possibility.”
AMERICAN GAL
“She had a bad trip at Kempton Park from a bad draw in her comeback run Saturday. It was not Pat’s (Cosgrave) fault, he just couldn't get her in.
“It was frustrating for him and for all concerned as I was expecting a much better run than that. I think she'll have a big year and I think she is probably going to go to the Dahlia Stakes next.
“It doesn't make much sense going into a Group race after being well-stuffed in a Listed race, but you can put a line through that race as it has blown the cobwebs away. We think she is a pretty good filly.
“Her and Never Let Go are pretty similar. I would say that Never Let Go might stay a bit further, and is probably a little bit more straightforward. American Gal I think is probably a miler.”
ASTRAZAR
“He has done really well and he will start off at Newbury on Friday. I thought he might be a bit exposed coming into this year, but I think he's improved again.
“I'd like him to be a Britannia horse. That's where I hope he will pop up. He is rated eighty six at the moment and he would need to be in the low nineties to get in as I think a race like that would suit him.
“At York he was just getting there and I think a strongly run mile this year will really suit him. He goes well on any ground really. He is a good advert for his sire as he is tough. He was busy last year and he won just shy of a hundred thousand pounds in prize money.
"Hopefully he has got a big season ahead."
BLACK STAR BOY
“He is a lovely horse that is a massive, great, big, strong Starman. He was a bit enthusiastic at York in the Listed race, but he won his maiden well at Newbury.
“He will improve a lot this year I think. He is quick though and he could end up being a Palace of Holyroodhouse horse. I think he has got more boot than I gave him credit for.
“We will probably start him off over six furlongs, but he is a nice horse that should be a progressive handicapper.”
CELANDINE
“She is in flying form. She missed the first half of her three-year-old season. We were gutted she didn't win that Listed race at Chester last year, but she is in cracking form. She is as hard as nails. She could have a good season.
“I think the Summer Stakes at York, or that kind of thing, is for her as she ran well in it last year. I really think she can step up to getting some Group One form as she put up a big run in the Nunthorpe.
“She is not a million miles away, so if she improves this year, then she'll be knocking on the door.”
FAST TRACKER
“He is a horse that we inherited for Wathnan Racing. He ran disappointingly on his first start for us in a Listed race at Saint-Cloud last month. He was very rusty, but we will step him up in trip now back beyond a mile.
“We got him at the end of last year. His feet weren’t great, and he had lots of time off here. I think he is definitely a Group class horse, even though he made a disappointing return.”
FELICITAS
“She is another nice filly that won well on her only start at Lingfield. She is probably going to go to the novice at Sandown Park that Emily Upjohn won a few seasons ago. We will run in that and see where we are. She will have a penalty in that which will make it tough.
“I’m hoping she will go there, win that and then go for an Oaks trial. She will definitely get ten furlongs and will probably get a mile and a half.
“If she was to win at Sandown Park then you would probably go to the Musidora and see where she is.”
FORT GEORGE
“He thrived in Dubai. God knows how he didn't win the Cambridgeshire last year. He can, every now and again, miss the break and he just missed it.
“It was just hard at Newmarket to make up that ground. It was no fault of Oisin’s as he did the same with Kieran (Shoemark) first up in Dubai, when he was second, as he was just a step slow.
“It was a disappointing run the other day in the Dubai Turf. Ultimately in that grade it was too tough for him, but he didn't get a great trip.
“Kieran got stuck a bit wide and couldn't get in. He didn't have the boot to get to the front so it was just frustrating for all. We rode him to try and win the race, but I suppose in hindsight, if we'd ridden him to try and nick some prize money, we probably would have nicked some prize money.
“He is rated one hundred and eleven now and I think he will probably be kept abroad. I think what I aim at are races like the Arlington Million and big prize money races abroad.”
GOLDEN BROWN
“We campaigned him quite hard last year and he won some good prizemoney without getting his head in front.
“He ran great in the sales race up at York and he wasn’t beaten too far in another sales race at Doncaster.
“It was a good run on his final start of the year in the Two Year Old Trophy up at Ripon and he now enters this year on a mark of eighty six.
“He has the option of handicaps, but he is a couple of maidens early next week so we might get him going in one of those as it would be nice for him to win a race.”
GOLDEN KNIGHT
“We had considered going to the Craven with him, but we like him a lot. It was an impressive win he put up at Newmarket on his second start. He is a Camelot with loads of speed.
“He has been a bit behind in his coat. I wish he was looking a bit more forward, but his work has been good. I think he'll end up staying at least a mile and a quarter.
“He is an exciting colt coming into the season. The Hampton Court would be a wonderful race to win. Waipiro was sixth in the Derby and won the Hampton Court and I think he could be at that kind of level as I think he's quite smart.
“I’d be surprised if he ran in the 2000 Guineas. I think we will look at a Derby trial and go down that route.”
MGHEERA
“She will probably have an identical campaign to last year and start off in the Prix de Saint- Georges in France then the Temple Stakes, and then the King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot. We will probably try and repeat that and hopefully she will go into the stalls at Ascot.
“She has got a few shots at Group Ones this year. She looks amazing and I think she can get some Group One form, but she needs everything to go right.
“She can be a bit slow from the stall and quirky behind the stalls, and she's not totally straightforward, but she is talented.
“We’ve done lots of practice at home with her, but it's not like she's an angel at home and then difficult at the races, she just doesn't like them much, but I think we are getting there.
“I think when the stars align she could have her moment centre stage. In those sprints you could run them ten times and get a different result every time.
“I wish there were more of them for us to have a shot at, but there aren't really many. We’ve got a few darts and I hope we get lucky.”
MIDNIGHT TANGO
“She is a really good filly. I think she might end up being a sprinter. I think she will head to the Cecil Frail at Haydock Park and then run in the Commonwealth Cup.
“Where she goes between now and then I'm not sure, but those are my, that's my road to Royal Ascot. She ran well in defeat a few times at both Listed and Group race level last year so hopefully she can continue performing to a good level this season.”
MISS ALPILLES
“Ever since she broke her maiden on heavy ground, we've just made the wrong assumption that she wants soft ground. Kieran rode her one day at Ffos Las and said she absolutely hated the ground.
“We were about to retire her to be honest with you so we thought we would run her on fast ground at Goodwood and she bolted up so then we ran her again in a Listed race at Newmarket and she won again. It is amazing really how you can get these horses wrong.
“It probably wasn’t the strongest Listed race, but without taking anything away from her, it set up beautifully and Kieren gave her a peach of a ride. We are going to start her off in the Sagaro Stakes at Ascot and go from there. I think that race feels right for her.”
MOONSHINE
“She will be a nice filly this year. She was third on her first start and then went one better on her next two starts before winning nicely at Kempton Park.
“She has been given a mark of seventy seven, but she can be progressive off that figure I would hope.”
NEVER LET GO
“It was an amazing kind of plan that came together in the end at Royal Ascot last year. She fluffed her lines in a handicap and we weren't going to get in the Sandringham. The Sandringham had been her sort of target since she won her maiden at Wolverhampton.
“We ran her in a Listed race which did two jobs as we got her black type and, and got her high enough to get into Sandringham. We kind of got very lucky there, but she has got more to offer.”
“It was a big comeback run at Kempton Park. I think she's done seriously well physically this year. She was tall and leggy last year and she has really filled out. I think she could have a big year so that was a really good start and she'll come on for that.
“She will stay ten furlongs, but she needs to win her Listed race. She could run in the Nottinghamshire Oaks or the Conqueror Stakes and then hopefully back to Royal Ascot for the Duke of Cambridge.”
NOBLE CHAMPION
“It just wasn't working in the first few months last year. He had an injury in January in his stable. He had a nasty cut that he had to have two weeks of the box for.
“Everything was disastrous with him, apart from this one glorious day at Royal Ascot, which was very special.
“It then went back to being disastrous at Goodwood. Anyway, thank God he's all right and we can look forward to him again this year. He looks like a seven furlong specialist, but I'd love to find a stepping stone into the Lockinge, but there it just isn't the right race.
“For seven furlong horses there is just not a spot really, especially if you want decent ground. I'd love to have gone somewhere to try and get back to winning ways and then have a crack at the Lockinge, but I don't think that's going to work.
“I think we're going to go for the Spring Cup at Haydock Park over seven furlongs. It is a shame that they have moved the John Of Gaunt Stakes from Haydock Park to Epsom. It might be a case of just waiting for the Queen Anne at Royal Ascot, if he was to win the Spring Cup. If it is fast ground I think the City Of York would be his perfect race.”
NORTHERN CHAMPION
“He had two good runs in Dubai, then a bit out classed in the Al Quoz. We will try and plot a path to the Commonwealth Cup, depending how he is. Before the war broke out it wasn't the plan to run in the Al Quoz. He was coming home and then the war kicked off and he couldn't get on his flight.
“We thought maybe people won't be coming over with their horses, so we left him there, and then it was like, we're here now so we will roll the dice and I sort of slightly wish we hadn't. We should have brought him home, but it was the right decision at the time."
NORTHERN EMPIRE
“He ran no sort of race in the three-year-old final on All-Weather Championships Finals Day. He is a really cool horse that is tough.
“I think he is still well-handicapped and I think six furlongs will be his minimum trip. He could end up being a Britannia horse if he goes the right way.”
PASSING THOUGHT
“She is a sweet filly. That ground sort of bottomed her a bit in the Radley Stakes. I think she's going to be a well handicapped filly for the season.
“We will start her off in handicapped company and hopefully get some black type for her owner breeders Whitsbury Manor stud, who have leased her to the Kingsdown Racing Club.”
PRINCESS PETROL
“She was very good at Ascot, and it was a big run at Newmarket, but she had a disappointing end to the season. She is going to start off in the Fred Darling to see whether she is up to that level or not.
“She is not the biggest and we really need to get that stakes win into her, but I think she can do that and we will see how far she can go.
“For her it would be an important run in terms of helping gauge us as to how deep we go in terms of opposition and trip. I think she might end up being a seven furlong horse, but we'll see. I think that the Fred Darling will be really informative.”
QILIN QUEEN
“She had a great year last year. She is a lovely filly that has done well from three to four. I thought it was very sporting of Simon (Sadler, owner) to keep her in training as he could have retired her on the back of what she's done.
“She is a Group Two winner and we would love to get some Group One form with her. She will either start in the Dahlia at Newmarket or the Nottinghamshire Oaks at Nottingham and then we will go from there.
“I'm not convinced she really truly stays the mile and a half, even though she won a mile and a half Group Two.
“She got a soft lead that day and Kieran gave her a peach of a ride. I think ten furlongs is her trip, but we will be looking at races like the Prix Jean Romanet and maybe even look at races in America and the E.P. Taylor Stakes in Canada.
“I do think those races abroad will suit her as she is quick out the gate, she is not overly big, she is well balanced and she likes fast ground.”
SECRET HISTORY
“She ran eye-catchingly at Newbury first time out behind Touleen then she was disappointing at York. She got injured, but then she came out and won a novice at Chelmsford City dropped back to six furlongs in January.
“She is a nice filly that I think will have no problem following that win up. She has a mark of seventy seven now so she will switch to handicaps back on the turf for the time being.”
SO DARN HOT
“He ran in the All-Weather Sprint Handicap final on All-Weather Championships Finals Day at Newcastle and he wasn’t beaten far at a big price.
“He will be a good fun horse for his connections this summer. He is a top end handicapper. He will be running at lots of the big meetings throughout the year. He is a bit quirky, but I’m sure he will pop up in one of those sprint handicaps somewhere.”
TEN BOB TONY
“It was a good comeback run in Ireland. It was probably a fraction frustrating as he was sort of plodding on without ever looking like he was going to get there.
“Again it is a difficult one for him as seven furlongs is his trip and he needs a bit of cut in the ground.
“I definitely think he will be tried over a mile this year, and I do think he will stretch out to that mile. He could be one we look at going to France with to find that bit of ground that he likes.”
THE PRETTIEST STAR
“She is a very exciting filly. After plenty of discussion we felt the best thing to do was give her a racecourse gallop at Newmarket and then go back there for the 1000 Guineas.
“It is the proximity of the trials to the 1000 Guineas as they are a bit tight and that is what made us decide not to take one of those in.
“In her first race she barely came off the bridle and then in the second race she was very professional and street wise on the Rowley Mile in the Rockfel.
“We don't feel like experience is a big thing and she's a very clean winded filly that is generous in her work. We think we can certainly have her ready first time out.
“We are going in there under the radar. She has got the talent and the brain. The biggest question mark is will she get the trip, but she hit the line strong in the Rockfel, and if it was another ten yards she would have won it. Kieran said he struggled to pull her up the hill so it all bodes well for her staying. She is really exciting.”
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