PUERTO Rico looks likely to head Aidan O’Brien’s challenge for the Betfred 2000 Guineas at Newmarket next Saturday.

A dual Group 1 winner in France last season, the Wootton Bassett colt is one of three O’Brien-trained entries remaining in the classic, but connections could opt to reinstate either Albert Einstein or Gstaad at Monday’s supplementary stage, the pair having been accidentally taken out of the race earlier this month.

Bow Echo, trained by George Boughey, heads the ante-post market at odds of around 5/2. By Night Of Thunder, Bow Echo was unbeaten in three starts last season, including the Royal Lodge Stakes over the Guineas course and distance in September. The colt recently pleased connections in a gallop on the Rowley Mile under regular jockey Billy Loughnane.

Godolphin trainer Charlie Appleby has trained three of the last four 2000 Guineas winners and is likely to be represented by Distant Storm (9/2) and King’s Trail (8/1). Distant Storm (also by Night Of Thunder and a €1.9 million breeze-up purchase) finished third in the Dewhurst Stakes last season, having previously won the Somerville Stakes impressively.

King’s Trail (by Sea The Stars) is unbeaten in two minor races on Kempton’s all-weather track.

Puerto Rico is a 6/1 chance, ahead of Oxagon (8/1), winner of the Craven Stakes at Newmarket last week for John and Thady Gosden.

Ruled out of the race yesterday was Zavateri, trained by Eve Johnson Houghton.

A Group 1-winning juvenile last season, the Dewhurst fourth had his first outing of 2026 at Newbury last weekend in the Greenham Stakes.

Ridden by Charlie Bishop, he finished second to Karl Burke’s Alparslan, having been slightly hampered by Albert Einstein a furlong out.

It looked a perfectly satisfactory comeback by the son of Without Parole, but he unfortunately will not get the chance in the early classics to prove his worth.

In a social media post, Johnson Houghton said: “Zavateri has had a minor setback since Newbury on Saturday and will now not be running in either Guineas.”

1000 Guineas

Aidan O’Brien has three of the top four in the betting for next Sunday’s 1000 Guineas. Dual Group 1 winner Precise is the clear favourite at 9/4, despite reportedly having had an interrupted preparation this spring. Stable companion Diamond Necklace (6/1) is said to be working well, but could be redirected to the French equivalent at ParisLongchamp, where she won the Prix Marcel Boussac impressively last season.

True Love (8/1) is the only one of the Ballydoyle trio to have run this year and, despite stamina doubts, looks good value based on her convincing seven-furlong success under a penalty in a Leopardstown Group 3 contest this month.

Trainer Karl Burke also has a strong 1000 Guineas hand, courtesy of Venetian Sun (6/1) and Evolutionist (16/1). The former has solid Group 1 form as a juvenile and the latter recently won a Group 3 race at ParisLongchamp in good style.