Gstaad has been reinstated into the Betfred 2000 Guineas at Newmarket after a supplementary payment of £30,000 was made to secure his place. The colt, who earned a Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf victory for Aidan O'Brien’s Ballydoyle stable, was originally withdrawn from the Classic because of an administrative mistake, a fate that also befell Albert Einstein.
While Albert Einstein remains a non‑starter, Gstaad now joins three other Ballydoyle hopefuls who have survived the Monday confirmation process: dual Group One winner Puerto Rico, the talented Causeway, and the promising Flushing Meadows. All four are among the twenty colts still being considered for the race. Other potential entrants from the British Isles include Fozzy Stack’s ThisSecretAdversary and Robson De Aguiar’s Power Blue, both of which could make the crossing of the Irish Sea. The home‑trained contingent is led by Bow Echo, who will test his unbeaten record over the Rowley Mile.
George Boughey’s son of Night Of Thunder, a three‑time winner last season—including a triumph in the Royal Lodge Stakes on the same course and distance as the Guineas—has also been entered. A second supplemental entry comes from Charlie Pike’s Padraig Dawn, who finished a close second in the Burradon Stakes at Newcastle in only his second career start.
Charlie Appleby may field two runners: the Dewhurst‑placed Distant Storm and the unbeaten King’s Trail. Roger Varian’s Avicenna is another possible Godolphin representative, while John and Thady Gosden’s Oxagon, who beat Avicenna into second place in the Craven Stakes, also remains in contention. Karl Burke could turn out a trio of horses—Greenham winner Alparslan, Billecart, and Hankelow—while Francis‑Henri Graffard’s Samangan will be the sole continental challenger. Representing Jim Boyle, Into The Sky, a length‑second in the Mill Reef at the end of last season, will line up alongside Needle Match, who finished fourth behind Alparslan in the Greenham and will look 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 1000 Guineas, the ante‑post favourite is Precise, one of twenty‑two fillies still standing for the Betfred 1000 Guineas at Newmarket on Sunday. The daughter of Starspangledbanner captured 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‑time setback threatened to derail her campaign, but Aidan O'Brien remained optimistic after a recent press conference and confirmed that she will contest the first fillies’ Classic of the year at the Monday confirmation stage. O'Brien has also kept the unbeaten Diamond Necklace in his stable, suggesting the colt could be aimed at the French Guineas provided Precise wins her race and is fit for Newmarket. Other Ballydoyle prospects include True Love and Venosa.
The home‑trained side is headed by Karl Burke’s Venetian Sun, who won her first four starts as a two‑year‑old before finishing third behind Precise in her most recent Irish outing. Burke also has a strong second string featuring Evolutionist, the Prix de la Grotte winner. Charlie Appleby’s only chance of securing back‑to‑back 1000 Guineas victories after Desert Flower’s success a year ago is the Kempton winner Abashiri. Godolphin may be represented by Andre Fabre’s potential French challenger My Highness.
Additional contenders include Owen Burrows’ Fred Darling runner‑up Touleen, Ed Walker’s lightly‑raced filly The Prettiest Star, Stuart Williams’ surprise Mill Reef winner Azleet, and the unbeaten Darn Hot Gallop from James Tate’s yard. In summary, the 2000 Guineas field is shaping up to be a blend of seasoned Group winners, promising Irish imports, and home‑trained talents, all vying for a spot in the classic over the Rowley Mile. Gstaad’s reinstatement adds another layer of intrigue to Ballydoyle’s already strong representation, while the 1000 Guineas sees Precise firmly entrenched as the market favourite amid a diverse international lineup. Both Classics promise high‑quality competition and the potential for memorable performances as the spring season reaches its peak at Newmarket.