Gstaad has been re‑entered into the Betfred 2000 Guineas at Newmarket after a supplemental payment of £30,000 was made to secure his place. The colt, who earned a Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf victory for Aidan O'Brien, was originally withdrawn from the Classic because of a clerical mistake, a mishap that also affected Albert Einstein.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 are still in contention as the field narrows at Monday's confirmation stage. The other three Irish-trained colts are the dual Group One champion Puerto Rico, the talented Causeway, and the promising Flushing Meadows, all of whom remain among the twenty colts still being considered for the race. In addition to the Ballydoyle contingent, there are several other potential entrants from Britain and abroad.
Fozzy Stack’s lightly‑raced filly Thesecretadversary and Robson De Aguiar’s Power Blue are both being looked at as possible cross‑Channel challengers. The home‑trained side will be represented by Bow Echo, who will test his unbeaten record on the Rowley Mile in the classic distance. Another noteworthy supplementary entry comes from Charlie Pike, who has paid the fee for Padraig Dawn. The three‑year‑old finished a close second in the Burradon Stakes at Newcastle on only his second start, suggesting he may have the class to compete at the highest level.
Charlie Appleby could also field a double entry, with the Dewhurst‑placed Distant Storm and the unbeaten King’s Trail both slated as possible runners. Roger Varian’s Avicenna, a well‑regarded Godolphin prospect, is another horse that could line up for the race. John and Thady Gosden’s Oxagon, who beat Avicenna into second place in the Craven Stakes, is also still in the mix and may be asked to defend his recent form. Karl Burke might turn in a triple effort, with Greenham winner Alparslan, the French‑trained Billecart, and the promising Hankelow all being considered.
France’s sole representative could be Samangan, trained by Francis‑Henri Graffard. Jim Boyle’s Into The Sky, who finished a length behind the winner in the Mill Reef at the end of last season, will be looking to improve his performance for trainer William Haggas. Needle Match, who placed fourth behind Alparslan in the Greenham, will also be given a chance to turn his form around.
The remaining domestic runners include Andrew Balding’s Venetian Prince and Ismail Mohammed’s Lord Britain, both of whom have shown enough ability to merit a place on the card. On the fillies' side, the ante‑post favourite is Precise, one of twenty‑two fillies entered for the Betfred 1000 Guineas at Newmarket on Sunday. The daughter of Starspangledbanner has a strong juvenile record, having won four of her five starts, including Group One victories in the Moyglare Stud Stakes at the Curragh and the Fillies' Mile on the Rowley Mile.
A spring injury threatened to derail her campaign, but trainer Aidan O'Brien remained optimistic after a recent press conference and confirmed that she will contest the first fillies' Classic of the year at Monday's confirmation stage. The Ballydoyle stable has also kept the unbeaten Diamond Necklace in its plans, hinting that the colt could be aimed at the French Guineas provided Precise stays fit for Newmarket.
Other Irish entries include True Love and Venosa, both of which could add depth to the field. Back in Britain, Karl Burke’s home‑trained filly Venetian Sun will lead his contingent.
Venetian Sun was dominant as a two‑year‑old, winning her first four starts before finishing a respectable third behind Precise in her final Irish outing. Burke also has a promising second string in Evolutionist, the recent winner of the Prix de la Grotte. Charlie Appleby hopes to secure back‑to‑back 1000 Guineas victories with the Kempton winner Abashiri, who would follow in the footsteps of Desert Flower, the 2025 champion. Godolphin may also be represented by French trainer Andre Fabre’s potential entrant My Highness, adding an international flavor to the race.
Other fillies being watched include Owen Burrows’ Fred Darling runner‑up Touleen, Ed Walker’s lightly‑raced The Prettiest Star, Stuart Williams’ surprise Nell Gwyn winner Azleet, and the unbeaten Darn Hot Gallop from James Tate’s yard. All of these horses bring a mix of proven ability and untapped potential, promising a highly competitive and unpredictable classic. The final field will be confirmed after the Monday deadline, and racing fans can expect a thrilling showdown over the historic Rowley Mile as the best three‑year‑olds in Europe vie for the coveted 2000 Guineas title.