Gstaad has been re‑entered into the Betfred 2000 Guineas at Newmarket after a supplementary fee of £30,000 was paid. The horse, a Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf winner trained by Aidan O'Brien, was originally omitted 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 made it through to Monday's confirmation stage. The Irish stable’s other representatives are the dual Group One victor Puerto Rico, the well‑regarded Causeway, and the promising Flushing Meadows, all of whom are among the twenty colts still in contention. Two additional horses could also make the journey across the Irish Sea. Fozzy Stack’s ThisSecretAdversary and Robson De Aguiar’s Power Blue are both being considered, while the home‑trained contingent is led by Bow Echo, who will attempt to extend his unbeaten record over the Rowley Mile.
George Boughey’s son of Night Of Thunder impressed last season by winning all three of his starts, capping the campaign with a triumph in the Royal Lodge Stakes on the same course and distance as the Guineas. Charlie Pike also has a supplementary entry in the form of 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 – 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, remains in the mix as well.
Karl Burke could turn out three runners: Greenham winner Alparslan, Billecart and Hankelow. France’s sole challenger is Samangan, trained by Francis‑Henri Graffard. Jim Boyle’s Into The Sky, a length‑second in the Mill Reef at the end of last season, will try to improve on that form, while Needle Match, who was fourth behind Alparslan in the Greenham, will attempt to reverse his previous result for William Haggas.
Completing the field are Andrew Balding’s Venetian Prince and Ismail Mohammed’s Lord Britain. In 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 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, and Precise has been retained for the first fillies' Classic of the year at Monday's confirmation stage.
O'Brien has also kept the unbeaten Diamond Necklace in his stable, hinting that the colt could be aimed at the French Guineas provided Precise wins her race and remains fit for Newmarket. Other Ballydoyle prospects include True Love and Venosa. Representing the home trainers, Karl Burke’s Venetian Sun leads his string.
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 second‑string contender in Evolutionist, the winner of the Prix de la Grotte.
Charlie Appleby hopes to secure back‑to‑back 1000 Guineas victories with Kempton winner Abashiri, following Desert Flower’s success a year earlier. The Godolphin colours may also be carried by Andre Fabre’s potential French entrant My Highness.
Additional fillies in the running include Owen Burrows’ Fred Darling runner‑up Touleen, Ed Walker’s lightly‑raced The Prettiest Star, Stuart Williams’ surprise Nell Gwyn victor Azleet, and the unbeaten Darn Hot Gallop from James Tate’s yard. All of these horses add depth and intrigue to a Classic field that promises a thrilling contest for both the 2000 and 1000 Guineas at Newmarket.