Gstaad has been re‑entered into the Betfred 2000 Guineas at Newmarket after a supplementary fee of £30,000 was paid. The horse, a former Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf victor trained by Aidan O'Brien, was originally omitted from the Classic because of an administrative oversight, an error 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 at Monday's confirmation stage. The other three are the dual Group One winner Puerto Rico, the proven performer Causeway, and the promising Flushing Meadows, all of whom are among the twenty colts still being considered for the event.
Two additional entries could make the journey across the Irish Sea. Fozzy Stack’s colt Thesecretadversary and Robson De Aguiar’s Power Blue have both been earmarked as possible participants.
On the home side, Bow Echo will take his unbeaten record to the Rowley Mile, hoping to extend his flawless run against a field that now includes a mixture of seasoned campaigners and fresh talent. George Boughey’s son of Night Of Thunder has also earned a place in the race after winning each of his three starts last season, capping his campaign with a victory in the Royal Lodge Stakes over the same distance and course that will be used for the Guineas. A second supplementary entry comes from Charlie Pike, whose Padraig Dawn finished runner‑up in the Burradon Stakes at Newcastle in only his second career start, indicating a rapid progression that could translate well to the Newmarket test.
Charlie Appleby may have a double representation in the field, with Dewhurst third‑placer Distant Storm and the unbeaten King’s Trail both slated to run. Roger Varian’s Avicenna is another possible Godolphin‑linked runner, while John and Thady Gosden’s Oxagon, who beat Avicenna into second place in the Craven Stakes, also remains a strong contender. Karl Burke could field three horses: Greenham winner Alparslan, Billecart, and Hankelow, giving him a broad range of options across different racing profiles. France will be represented by Francis‑Henri Graffard’s Samangan, the sole international challenger among the entries.
Jim Boyle’s Into The Sky, who finished a length second in the Mill Reef Stakes toward the end of last season, will aim to improve on that effort, while Needle Match, fourth behind Alparslan in the Greenham, will look to reverse his form for trainer William Haggas. The remaining spots are filled by Andrew Balding’s Venetian Prince and Ismail Mohammed’s Lord Britain, completing a diverse and competitive lineup. Turning to the Betfred 1000 Guineas, the ante‑post favorite is Precise, one of twenty‑two fillies still in the mix for the Sunday race at Newmarket. Precise, a daughter of Starspangledbanner, boasts an impressive juvenile record of four wins from five starts, including Group One triumphs 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 trainer Aidan O'Brien remained optimistic after a recent press conference, confirming that Precise 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 plans, suggesting the colt could be aimed at the French Guineas provided Precise stays fit for Newmarket.
Additional Ballydoyle hopefuls include True Love and Venosa, both of which could add depth to the Irish contingent. On the British side, Karl Burke’s Venetian Sun leads the home team. The filly was dominant as a two‑year‑old, winning her first four starts before finishing third behind Precise in her final Irish outing. Burke also has a strong second string, highlighted by Evolutionist, the recent winner of the Prix de la Grotte.
Charlie Appleby hopes to secure back‑to‑back 1000 Guineas victories with Kempton winner Abashiri, the only horse in his stable targeting the race after Desert Flower’s triumph a year earlier. Godolphin may be represented by Andre Fabre’s potential French challenger My Highness, adding another layer of international intrigue.
Other notable fillies in the field include Owen Burrows’ Fred Darling runner‑up Touleen, Ed Walker’s lightly‑raced The Prettiest Star, Stuart Williams’ surprise Mill Reef winner Azleet, and the unbeaten Darn Hot Gallop from James Tate’s yard. Each of these horses brings a unique set of achievements and form lines, promising a highly competitive and unpredictable Classic. Overall, the 2000 and 1000 Guineas this year feature a blend of proven Group winners, promising juveniles stepping up in distance, and a few late‑season additions that could shake up the betting markets.
Trainers from both sides of the Irish Sea have carefully managed their entries, with several supplementary fees paid to secure spots for horses that were initially left out due to clerical errors or strategic decisions. As the confirmation stage approaches, bettors and racing enthusiasts alike will be watching closely to see which of these talented runners will ultimately line up on the Rowley Mile and who will emerge victorious in the season's first Classic races.