The Ballydoyle colt Gstaad has been re‑supplemented into the Betfred 2000 Guineas at Newmarket after a payment of £30,000 was lodged by his connections. The decision came after an administrative mix‑up mistakenly saw the Aidan O'Brien‑trained former Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf winner removed from the Classic, a mistake that also affected Albert Einstein. While Albert Einstein will continue to miss the race, Gstaad now joins three other Ballydoyle hopefuls as the final confirmation stage for Monday approaches.
Alongside Gstaad, the stable will also field the dual Group One winner Puerto Rico, the proven middle‑distance performer Causeway, and the promising Flushing Meadows, bringing the total of Irish‑trained colts entered by Ballydoyle to four. The field of twenty colts still in the running also features a number of potential cross‑Channel challengers. Fozzy Stack’s lightly‑raced ThisSecretAdversary and Robson De Aguiar’s Power Blue have both been earmarked as possible entrants for the trip to Newmarket, while the home‑trained Bow Echo will be looking to preserve his unbeaten record over the straight‑only Rowley Mile.
From the United Kingdom, George Boughey will be represented by the son of Night Of Thunder, a three‑time winner as a three‑year‑old, who capped his juvenile campaign with a victory in the Royal Lodge Stakes on the same course and over the same distance as the Guineas. Charlie Pike’s Padraig Dawn also provides a supplementary entry; the horse finished a close second in the Burradon Stakes at Newcastle in only his second start, suggesting he has the class to compete at the highest level.
Charlie Appleby may have a double representation in the field, with Dewhurst‑placed Distant Storm and the unbeaten King’s Trail both slated to travel across the Irish Sea. Godolphin could also be present through Roger Varian’s Avicenna, who has been listed as a possible runner, while the Gosdens’ Oxagon, who turned the tables on Avicenna in the Craven Stakes, remains a strong contender for the race. Trainer Karl Burke could turn in a trio of entries: the Greenham winner Alparslan, the well‑regarded Billecart, and the versatile Hankelow. The only non‑European runner on the card is Francis‑Henri Graffard’s Samangan, who will be looking to make an impression against the home‑grown talent.
Jim Boyle’s Into The Sky, a length‑second in the Mill Reef at the end of last season, will be backed by the partnership of Needle Match, who finished fourth behind Alparslan in the Greenham, as they attempt to reverse the form for William Haggas. Completing the British contingent are Andrew Balding’s Venetian Prince and Ismail Mohammed’s Lord Britain, both of whom have shown enough ability to merit a place in the starter's enclosure. Turning to the fillies' division, the ante‑post favourite for the Betfred 1000 Guineas is the three‑year‑old Precise, one of twenty‑two fillies entered for the Sunday race at Newmarket.
The daughter of Starspangledbanner proved herself a dominant juvenile, winning 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‑time setback threatened to derail her preparation for the first fillies' Classic of the season, but Aidan O'Brien remained optimistic when asked about her condition at a recent press conference, confirming her presence at the Monday confirmation stage. Ballydoyle will also field the unbeaten Diamond Necklace, a colt O'Brien has hinted may be aimed at the French Guineas provided Precise stays fit for the Newmarket meeting.
Other Irish runners in the 1000 Guines include True Love and Venosa, both of which could add depth to the Irish contingent. On the home side, Karl Burke’s Venetian Sun will lead his own stable. The filly was unbeaten in her first four starts as a two‑year‑old, then finished a respectable third to Precise in her final Irish outing. Burke also has a second string of interest in the Prix de la Grotte winner Evolutionist, who could be a useful tactical option.
Charlie Appleby’s sole hope of achieving back‑to‑back 1000 Guineas victories is the Kempton winner Abashiri, who follows in the footsteps of Desert Flower, the 2025 classic winner for the same trainer. Godolphin may also be represented by the French‑trained My Highness, a promising prospect for André Fabre.
Other fillies slated to take part include Owen Burrows’ Fred Darling runner‑up Touleen, the lightly‑raced filly The Prettiest Star from Ed Walker, 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 credentials, ensuring a competitive and diverse field for both the 2000 Guineas and the 1000 Guineas as the season heads into its decisive early‑May climax.