AIDAN O’Brien says a “computer error” led to Albert Einstein and Gstaad being mistakenly scratched from the Betfred 2000 Guineas.

The much-vaunted Albert Einstein headed ante-post lists for the Rowley Mile Classic prior to his disappointing reverse in Saturday’s Gladness Stakes at the Curragh, after which the Ballydoyle handler suggested his charge could revert to sprinting but a final decision on his Newmarket participation would be made in due course.

Gstaad, winner of the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot last summer and the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf at the end of his two-year-old campaign, looked well placed to assume the position of O’Brien’s chief hope of winning an 11th 2000 Guineas after pleasing connections in a racecourse gallop at the Curragh on Sunday.

However, he too was scratched from the May 2 showpiece on Tuesday morning.

When contacted, O’Brien told the Press Association said: “It’s a computer error, we’re trying to get them back in.”

If the horses are allowed to be supplemented back into the race, it would be at a cost of £30,000 each by April 27th.

Back in 2003, the Derby winner Kris Kin had originally been entered for the classic, but his unpromising early form had persuaded his connections to allow his entry to lapse at one of the "forfeit" stages in October 2002. It was therefore necessary to pay a supplementary fee of £90,000 to re-enter him in the classic.

Having initally taken the horses out of the ante-post Guineas betting, Paddy Power later added them in again.

Spokesman Paul Binfield said: “We have put Gstaad and Albert Einstein back in the market at the earlier prices again after being told by the racing authorities that they can be supplemented now.”