Ears were pricked as Aidan O’Brien announced that Albert Einstein was his number one 2000 Guineas hope. This was suggested as the press attended a media day at Ballydoyle last week.
The masses were seeking any golden nuggets for the forthcoming 2026 flat season, which they received. The beginning of the classic is already just under two months away, and O’Brien provided plenty of clues as to the direction of his ever-exceptional team.
‘Unusual’ Albert Einstein to fly Guineas flag
Aidan O’Brien has won a record ten 2000 Guineas’ and seeks to land another with the highly regarded Albert Einstein. The Wootton Bassett colt is two-from-two, but hasn’t been seen since the Marble Hill last May.
Speaking to the HRI Press, via Sporting Life, O’Brien noted: “He’s done very well physically. He’s big, powerful and very rapid. We don’t know whether he’s going to get the mile until we do it. His stride and his pedigree, and everyone says that he will get a mile.
“When we started working him in the spring of his two-year-old career, we thought all the two-year-olds were no good. He was that much above everything else, it was unusual.”
Puerto Rico and Gstaad were the two other notable mentions for a Guineas tilt, though one of the trio are likely to head to France.
“I’d say they will, especially with the way the ground is now at the moment. I thought by listening to the lads they might let two go to Newmarket. Then obviously the other one will go to France. I think that’s the way they’re thinking.
O’Brien paints Derby picture with Pierre Bonnard
Camelot colt Pierre Bonnard was pinpointed for the Epsom Derby, having won the Criterium de Saint-Cloud in October. Out of the 2014 Nassau winner Sultanina, O’Brien noted “Pierre Bonnard we’re very happy with. He’s being trained for Epsom, he might have the two Irish trials before it.
“Amadeus Mozart is another Derby trials type”, continued O’Brien.”Straight Up, he’ll probably be trained for a French Derby trial or something like that. Hawk Mountain will be trained for Epsom or France…he’d be very comfortable at a mile and a quarter.
Unbeaten Diamond Necklace set French targets
Prix Marcel Boussac winner Diamond Necklace was given a glowing report. “She’s very like her dad, she’s made great progress, she’s very natural and takes no training. She’s very like him, Christophe (Soumillon) was always besotted by her. She might go to France and Precise might go to Newmarket, that’s what the lads are thinking at the moment.
“There’s a chance that Precise could get a mile and a half. So she could go to the Oaks after that, even though she’s a Starspangledbanner. The other filly could go back for a French Oaks or something like that. We’ll get them started and see.”