Gstaad has been re‑entered into the Betfred 2000 Guineas at Newmarket after a supplementary fee of £30,000 was paid. The colt, a Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf winner trained by Aidan O'Brien, was originally withdrawn from the Classic because of an administrative mistake that also affected Albert Einstein.
While Albert Einstein will still miss the race, Gstaad now joins three other Ballydoyle runners who have survived the Monday confirmation stage. Those three are the dual Group One victor Puerto Rico, the proven performer Causeway, and the promising Flushing Meadows, all of whom remain among the twenty colts still in contention. Other potential Irish challengers include Thesecretadversary, trained by Fozzy Stack, and Power Blue, from the stable of Robson De Aguiar, both of which could make the trip across the Irish Sea. The home‑grown contingent is led by Bow Echo, who will test his unbeaten record over the Rowley Mile in a bid to secure a place in the race.
George Boughey’s son of Night Of Thunder is another strong candidate. The three‑year‑old won each of his three starts last season, culminating in a victory in the Royal Lodge Stakes over the same course and distance as the Guineas.
A second supplementary entry comes from Charlie Pike, who entered Padraig Dawn after the colt finished a close second in the Burradon Stakes at Newcastle on only his second career start. Charlie Appleby may have a double representation with Dewhurst‑placed Distant Storm and the unbeaten King’s Trail, while Roger Varian’s Avicenna could also be among the Godolphin‑aligned runners.
John and Thady Gosden’s Oxagon, who beat Avicenna into second place in the Craven Stakes, is also likely to hold his ground. Karl Burke could field three runners: Greenham winner Alparslan, the well‑known Billecart and the versatile Hankelow. The only non‑British entrant besides the Ballydoyle horses is Francis‑Henri Graffard’s Samangan, who will represent the international contingent.
Into The Sky, a length‑second in the Mill Reef at the end of last season, will run for Jim Boyle, while Needle Match, who finished fourth behind Alparslan in the Greenham, will try to improve his form for trainer William Haggas. Rounding out the field are Andrew Balding’s Venetian Prince and Ismail Mohammed’s Lord Britain, both of whom have shown enough promise to earn a place on the card.
In the fillies' division, the ante‑post favourite is Precise, one of twenty‑two fillies targeting the Betfred 1000 Guineas at Newmarket on Sunday. The daughter of Starspangledbanner has won four of her five juvenile starts, 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 season at the Monday confirmation stage.
O'Brien has also kept the unbeaten Diamond Necklace in his plans, suggesting the colt could be aimed at the French Guineas provided Precise wins her race and remains fit for Newmarket. True Love and Venosa are additional Ballydoyle entries that could feature.
The home‑trained side is led by Karl Burke’s Venetian Sun, who impressed by winning her first four starts as a two‑year‑old before finishing third behind Precise in her most recent outing in Ireland. Burke also has a second string in Evolutionist, the recent Prix de la Grotte winner, who may provide a useful backup. Charlie Appleby hopes to repeat his success from a year ago with a second consecutive 1000 Guineas win, this time with Kempton winner Abashiri after Desert Flower’s triumph twelve months earlier.
The Godolphin colours could also be represented by Andre Fabre’s potential French challenger My Highness. Other fillies worth watching include Owen Burrows’ Fred Darling runner‑up Touleen, Ed Walker’s lightly‑raced The Prettiest Star, Stuart Williams’ shock Nell Gwyn winner Azleet, and the unbeaten Darn Hot Gallop from James Tate’s yard. All of these horses add depth and intrigue to a race that promises a highly competitive field, with a blend of proven Group winners, promising juveniles stepping up in distance, and several supplementary entries looking to make a lasting impression on the historic Rowley Mile. The final line‑up will be confirmed after Monday’s confirmation stage, but the excitement surrounding the event is already palpable among trainers, owners, and racing fans alike.