Gstaad has been re‑entered into the Betfred 2000 Guineas at Newmarket after a supplementary payment of £30,000 was lodged on its behalf. The colt, a product of Aidan O'Brien’s Ballydoyle operation and a winner of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, was originally withdrawn from the Classic because of a clerical mistake, a mishap that also affected Albert Einstein. While Albert Einstein will continue to miss the race, Gstaad now joins three other Ballydoyle runners who have survived the Monday confirmation stage: the dual Group One champion Puerto Rico, the versatile Causeway and the promising Flushing Meadows.
All four are among the twenty colts still in contention for a spot in the field. In addition to the Ballydoyle contingent, a number of other entries could make the journey across the Irish Sea. Fozzy Stack’s lightly‑raced ThisSecretAdversary and Robson De Aguiar’s Power Blue are both being considered for the race, while the home‑trained Bow Echo will be looking to preserve his unbeaten record over the Rowley Mile.
George Boughey’s son of Night Of Thunder, who won each of his three starts last season—including a decisive victory in the Royal Lodge Stakes over the same distance as the Guineas—has also been entered. A second supplementary entry comes from Charlie Pike, who has entered Padraig Dawn after the latter finished a close second in the Burradon Stakes at Newcastle on only his second career start.
Charlie Appleby may be represented by two horses: the Dewhurst‑placed Distant Storm and the unbeaten King’s Trail, while Roger Varian’s Avicenna is another possible Godolphin representative. John and Thady Gosden’s Oxagon, who beat Avicenna into second place in the Craven Stakes, also remains in the mix.
Karl Burke could field three runners—Greenham winner Alparslan, Billecart and Hankelow—while French trainer Francis‑Henri Graffard’s Samangan is the sole continental challenger on the list. Jim Boyle’s Into The Sky, who was a length second in the Mill Reef at the end of last season, will be supported by Needle Match, who finished fourth behind Alparslan in the Greenham and will be looking to improve his form for trainer William Haggas. The field is rounded out by Andrew Balding’s Venetian Prince and Ismail Mohammed’s Lord Britain.
Turning to the Betfred 1000 Guineas, the ante‑post favourite is Precise, one of twenty‑two fillies still standing for the race on Sunday. The daughter of Starspangledbanner has won four of her five starts as a juvenile, including Group One victories in the Moyglare Stud Stakes at the Curragh and the Fillies’ Mile on the Rowley Mile.
A spring setback threatened to derail her campaign, but Aidan O’Brien remained optimistic after a press conference last week, confirming that Precise will contest the first fillies’ Classic of the year at Monday’s confirmation stage. O’Brien has also retained the unbeaten Diamond Necklace, who may be aimed at the French Guineas provided Precise wins her race and stays fit for Newmarket, as well as the filly True Love and the colt Venosa. On the home side, Karl Burke’s Venetian Sun, who won her first four starts as a two‑year‑old before finishing third to Precise in her most recent Irish outing, will lead the British contingent. Burke’s second string includes Evolutionist, the winner of the Prix de la Grotte.
Charlie Appleby’s only hope of achieving back‑to‑back 1000 Guineas victories after Desert Flower’s triumph a year ago is Kempton winner Abashiri. The Godolphin silks could also be represented by Andre Fabre’s potential French challenger My Highness. Other notable fillies in the race are Owen Burrows‑trained Fred Darling runner‑up Touleen, lightly‑raced The Prettiest Star from Ed Walker’s stable, Stuart Williams’ surprise Mill Reef winner Azleet, and the unbeaten Darn Hot Gallop from James Tate’s yard.
All of these horses, together with the male contenders, create a deep and diverse field for the classic races at Newmarket, promising an exciting weekend of top‑class flat racing for fans and punters alike.