Gstaad Reinstated in the Betfred 2000 Guineas Field

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The colt, a product of Aidan O'Brien’s Ballydoyle yard and a winner of the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf, was originally withdrawn from the Classic because of an administrative oversight, the same mistake that also saw Albert Einstein removed from the entry list.

While Albert Einstein will continue to miss the race, Gstaad now joins three other Ballydoyle runners who have survived the Monday confirmation process: the dual Group One champion Puerto Rico, the highly regarded Causeway, and the promising Flushing Meadows. All four are among the twenty colts still being considered for the final field. In addition to the Ballydoyle contingent, several other horses 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 entrants, while the home‑trained Bow Echo will attempt to extend his unbeaten record over the Rowley Mile.

George Boughey’s son of Night Of Thunder, who won each of his three starts last season—including a decisive victory in the Royal Lodge Stakes over the same course and distance as the Guineas—has also been listed as a potential supplementary entry. A second supplementary candidate is Charlie Pike’s Padraig Dawn, who impressed with a runner‑up finish in the Burradon Stakes at Newcastle on only his second career start.

Charlie Appleby may also have a double‑handed effort, with Dewhurst third‑place finisher Distant Storm and the unbeaten King’s Trail both in contention. Roger Varian’s Avicenna is another likely Godolphin representative, while John and Thady Gosden’s Oxagon, who beat Avicenna into second place in the Craven Stakes, remains a strong prospect.

Karl Burke could field three runners: Greenham winner Alparslan, Billecart and Hankelow, while Francis‑Henri Graffard’s Samangan stands as the sole continental challenger. Jim Boyle’s Into The Sky, a length second in the Mill Reef at the end of last season, will represent the Needle Match operation, and William Haggas hopes to reverse form with his fourth‑place finisher Alparslan in the Greenham. Completing the lineup are Andrew Balding’s Venetian Prince and Ismail Mohammed’s Lord Britain.

Turning to the Betfred 1000 Guineas, the ante‑post favourite is Precise, one of twenty‑two fillies still in the running. The Starspangledbanner mare has won four of her 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 disrupt her preparation for the first Sunday in May, but Aidan O'Brien expressed confidence at a recent press conference, confirming her presence at Monday's confirmation stage for the first fillies' Classic of the year. 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, as well as the fillies True Love and Venosa. The home‑trained contingent is led by Karl Burke’s Venetian Sun, who was dominant in her first four starts at two before finishing third behind Precise in her most recent Irish outing.

Burke also has a strong second string in Evolutionist, the Prix de la Grotte winner. Charlie Appleby hopes to secure back‑to‑back 1000 Guineas victories with Kempton winner Abashiri, following Desert Flower’s triumph a year earlier.

Godolphin may be represented by Andre Fabre’s potential French challenger My Highness. Other notable fillies include Owen Burrows’ Fred Darling runner‑up Touleen, Ed Walker’s lightly‑raced The Prettiest Star, Stuart Williams’ surprise Nell Gwyn winner Azleet, and the unbeaten Darn Hot Gallop from James Tate’s yard.

Overall, the 2000 Guineas field is shaping up to be a blend of established Group winners, promising Irish prospects, and a few international entrants, while the 1000 Guineas features a strong favourite in Precise alongside a diverse group of high‑class fillies eager to make their mark on the Rowley Mile. The confirmation stage on Monday will determine which of these horses secure their places in the two Classic races, setting the stage for a thrilling weekend at Newmarket.