Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas (Group 1)

GSTAAD captured the 2026 Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas with the authority that a 4/11 favourite should, gradually warming into top gear before powering three lengths clear of his nearest market rival, Distant Storm.

The margin between the pair was eight lengths when they finished second and third to Bow Echo in the Newmarket equivalent three weeks earlier. However, this was a much different contest at the Curragh and last year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf winner didn’t have to be at full stretch to put this field away.

Ryan Moore, winning Ireland’s opening classic of the season for the fourth time in his career, kept matters extremely simple in tracking the leaders on the impressive colt by Starspangledbanner. When the tempo lifted, he was very well placed to call on the pace that saw Gstaad win last year’s Coventry Stakes and finish second in three consecutive Group 1s from six to seven furlongs.

While the response arguably wasn’t immediately push-button, he looked a powerful operator when opening up his big stride and was much the best in confirming the form of his Newmarket seasonal bow.

Charlie Appleby and Godolphin filled the frame, with 40/1 shot Pacific Avenue third, while Power Blue held on for fourth, stepping forward from his Newmarket seventh. Alparslan probably didn’t quite stay in fifth, while sixth-placed Thesecretadversary was repeatedly denied a clear run.

Aidan O’Brien, winning the classic for a record-extending 13th time, said: “He’s a lovely uncomplicated horse and Ryan gave him a beautiful ride. He’s very straightforward and genuine. All the team do a great job with this horse and thanks to all of them.

“Ryan was very happy today; he said he was a little bit lazy through the middle of the race but when he got him opened up, he went to the line very well. We always thought that he would end up even getting a bit further than a mile. We always thought that he could turn into a Cox Plate horse, but there’s a lot of water to go under the bridge between now and then.”

On whether there could be more to come from the half-brother to dual Group 1-winning sprinter Vandeek, O’Brien said: “We think there is. He got beat in three Group 1s last year and we felt that he was a little bit unlucky in the three. We were delighted that he held on to go to America, and he won his Grade 1. Sometimes when that happens, horses don’t get it back, but we felt there were circumstances every day he got beat.

Needs room

“He’s very straightforward - he just needs a little bit of room to get going. Sometimes if it gets too tactical or if he gets caught up in pace, that wasn’t strong early, [it mightn’t be ideal]. He’s probably stronger now and the Curragh was lovely.

“Ryan was drawn wide, and you’d say that would be a disadvantage to some horses, but it was lovely for him because he was going to get a clear run and the pace was nice. Ryan said the best feel he ever gave him was when he won the Coventry, so you’d hope that he’d be very happy to go back to Ascot.”

Gstaad was cut to 9/4 (from 3/1) for his rematch with Bow Echo in the St James’s Palace Stakes.

Asked how he views the challenge of bridging the gap when the pair meet again at the Royal Meeting, O'Brien said: "We look forward to it. At Newmarket, Gstaad was out there all the way and it was his first run of the season. He got no cover; it's very hard to do that at Newmarket. And then in the last furlong he looked for a bit of company and went right.

“Bow Echo had cover for the first half of the race and when you have cover, you come out and can always turn it on a little bit. He went to the near side at Newmarket, which is always better. We'd really look forward to Ascot; win, lose or draw. There'll be plenty of pace on and we'll see what will happen.”

Moore added: “He had a nice draw really - he was sat out there on the wing, but he was comfortable. Nothing was able to sort of get in his way and we kept it very uncomplicated.

“I just kept asking him to creep forward from halfway and he's got quite an extravagant stride and, when able to use it, he's an impressive horse. He has come back and he is a big, scopey horse and looks like he can progress further.

“His mind is in an unbelievable place and there is no-one better at that than Aidan. I remember him when he was a two-year-old and the way he has brought him along; this horse has got more confident and that is down to the trainer.”