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colt, a product of Aidan O'Brien’s Ballydoyle stable and a former Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf victor, was originally withdrawn from the Classic because of an administrative oversight, a mistake that also affected Albert Einstein.

While Albert Einstein will still miss the race, Gstaad now joins three other Ballydoyle hopefuls at Monday's confirmation stage. The Irish yard’s quartet consists of the double Group One winner Puerto Rico, the accomplished Causeway, and the promising Flushing Meadows, all of whom are among the twenty colts still under consideration for a place in the race. Beyond the Irish contingent, there are several other entries that could make the journey across the Irish Sea.

Fozzy Stack’s ThisSecretAdversary and Robson De Aguiar’s Power Blue are both slated to travel, while the home‑trained Bow Echo will attempt to preserve his unbeaten record over the Rowley Mile. George Boughey’s son of Night Of Thunder has also impressed, winning each of his three starts last season, the most recent being a decisive triumph 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, who has entered Padraig Dawn after the colt 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 remains a possible Godolphin representative. John and Thady Gosden’s Oxagon, who beat Avicenna into second place in the Craven Stakes, also stands his ground. Karl Burke could turn out a three‑horse string comprising Greenham winner Alparslan, Billecart, and Hankelow.

France’s sole entrant is Francis‑Henri Graffard’s Samangan, adding an international flavor to the lineup. Representing Jim Boyle, Into The Sky – a length second in the Mill Reef Stakes late last season – will look to improve on that effort.

Needle Match, who finished fourth behind Alparslan in the Greenham, will try to reverse his form for trainer William Haggas. The field is rounded out by Andrew Balding’s Venetian Prince and Ismail Mohammed’s Lord Britain.

Turning to the 1000 Guineas, the ante‑post favourite is Precise, one of twenty‑two fillies still in contention for the Betfred 1000 Guineas at Newmarket on Sunday. The daughter of Starspangledbanner has been a standout performer, winning 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 disrupt her preparation for the first Sunday in May, but Aidan O'Brien remained optimistic after a recent press conference, confirming that Precise will contest the first fillies' Classic of the year at Monday's confirmation stage. O'Brien has also retained the unbeaten Diamond Necklace, a colt he hinted could be aimed at the French Guineas provided Precise wins her race and is fit for Newmarket. Other Ballydoyle hopefuls include True Love and Venosa. On the home side, Karl Burke’s Venetian Sun, who was dominant in her first four starts as a two‑year‑old before finishing third behind Precise in her final Irish start, will lead the British contingent.

Burke’s second string features 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 triumph a year earlier. The Godolphin colours may also be represented by Andre Fabre’s potential French challenger My Highness. Additional fillies in the mix 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.

In summary, the 2000 Guineas field has been reshaped by the late addition of Gstaad, restoring Ballydoyle’s full complement of four contenders and introducing several cross‑Channel hopefuls. Meanwhile, the 1000 Guineas remains a tightly contested affair with Precise as the market favourite, backed by a strong group of Irish and British fillies.

Both Classics promise a thrilling start to the British flat‑racing season, with trainers and owners eager to see how their charges perform over the historic Rowley Mile.