Gstaad has been re‑entered into the Betfred 2000 Guineas at Newmarket after a supplementary fee of £30,000 was paid. The colt, a product of Aidan O'Brien’s Ballydoyle yard and a former Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf winner, was originally withdrawn from the Classic because of an administrative mistake that also affected Albert Einstein. While Albert Einstein will continue to miss the race, Gstaad now joins three other Ballydoyle hopefuls who have survived the Monday confirmation stage.
These include the dual Group One champion Puerto Rico, the talented Causeway, and the well‑regarded Flushing Meadows, all of whom are among the twenty colts still in contention. Other notable entries that could make the journey across the Irish Sea include Thesecretadversary, trained by Fozzy Stack, and Power Blue, who runs for Robson De Aguiar.
The home‑based contingent will be led by Bow Echo, a colt who will test his unbeaten record over the Rowley Mile at Newmarket. George Boughey’s son of Night Of Thunder has also earned a place in the field. The three‑year‑old won each of his three starts last season, capping his campaign with a victory in the Royal Lodge Stakes on the same course and distance that will be used for the Guineas.
A second supplementary entry comes from Charlie Pike, whose Padraig Dawn finished a close second in the Burradon Stakes at Newcastle in only his second career start. Charlie Appleby may field two runners: Distant Storm, a third‑place finisher in the Dewhurst, 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 the mix. Karl Burke could turn out three horses, including Alparslan, the winner of the Greenham Stakes, as well as Billecart and Hankelow.
France’s lone international challenger is Samangan, trained by Francis‑Henri Graffard. Representing Jim Boyle is Into The Sky, a colt who finished a length second in the Mill Reef Stakes at the end of last season, while Needle Match, who placed fourth behind Alparslan in the Greenham, will try to improve his form for trainer William Haggas. The remaining slots are filled by Andrew Balding’s Venetian Prince and Ismail Mohammed’s Lord Britain, rounding out a diverse and competitive field.
Turning to the Betfred 1000 Guineas, the ante‑post favourite is Precise, one of twenty‑two fillies still standing for the race on Sunday. Precise, a daughter of Starspangledbanner, boasts a record of four wins from five juvenile 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 she will contest the first fillies' Classic of the year at the Monday confirmation stage. O'Brien has also retained the unbeaten Diamond Necklace, who may be aimed at the French Guineas provided Precise wins her race and remains fit for Newmarket.
Other Ballydoyle fillies in the mix include True Love and Venosa. The home‑trained contingent for the 1000 Guineas is headed by Karl Burke’s Venetian Sun.
Venetian Sun impressed by winning her first four starts as a two‑year‑old before finishing a respectable third behind Precise in her most recent Irish start. Burke also has a promising second string in Evolutionist, the winner of the Prix de la Grotte. Charlie Appleby’s only hope of securing back‑to‑back 1000 Guineas victories is Abashiri, a Kempton winner who would follow in the footsteps of Desert Flower, the 2025 champion.
Godolphin may be represented by Andre Fabre’s potential French challenger My Highness. Additional fillies to watch include Fred Darling runner‑up Touleen, trained by Owen Burrows; The Prettiest Star, a lightly‑raced filly from Ed Walker’s stable; Azleet, the shock winner of the Nell Gwyn Stakes for Stuart Williams; and the unbeaten Darn Hot Gallop from James Tate’s yard.
Overall, the 2000 and 1000 Guineas fields are shaping up to be exceptionally strong, with a blend of proven Group winners, promising juveniles stepping up in distance, and several internationally‑trained horses adding depth. The supplementary entries, especially Gstaad’s reinstatement, highlight the strategic decisions trainers are making as they aim to position their best horses for the Classic season. Fans can expect a thrilling series of contests over the Rowley Mile, with the potential for both surprise upsets and dominant performances from the leading contenders.