By Tom Frary
Gaining handsome compensation for his defeat in the 2,000 Guineas, Gstaad (Starspangledbanner) dominated Saturday's G1 Tattersalls Irish 2,000 Guineas with a genuine tour de force at The Curragh.
Covering the mile in race-record time which eclipsed the previous best of Desert Prince's in 1998, Ballydoyle's 4-11 favourite turned the screw from two out to beat Distant Storm (Night Of Thunder) by three lengths. Godolphin's other runner Pacific Avenue (Dubawi) was a further length away in third.
“It was very straightforward,” Ryan Moore said. “We didn't go that quick early, but he was able to coast outside the couple that went forward and he's got such a big, extravagant action that he just takes a while to get really opened up and use it. Once he did that, he was impressive and we'll roll onto Ascot now.”
While he is hardly push-button in style, Gstaad has a way of building to full power that very few can deal with and that was evident again here. Behind the dubious stayers Alparslan (Dandy Man) and Power Blue (Space Blues) initially, he was urged to the front approaching the two-furlong pole and surged to the line as his rivals wilted. Godolphin's other runner Pacific Avenue (Dubawi) closed to be a length behind his stablemate in third.
Attention now turns to the rematch with Bow Echo in the St James's Palace Stakes and Moore is hoping Gstaad's momentum will help close the gap from Newmarket. “He is a big, scopey horse and you'd hope he's progressing,” he added. “We have our work cut out, but he's hopefully still going forward and I think Ascot will suit him.”
“His mind is in an unbelievable place and there is no-one better at that than Aidan,” he added. “I remember him when he was a two-year-old and the way he has brought him along–he has got more confident this horse and that is down to the trainer.”
Unusually for one of this stable's leading lights, Gstaad managed to be beaten in three Group 1 contests last term, but it was always hard to downplay his merit after barnstorming successes in the Coventry and Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf. It is almost inconceivable that he was only in the 2,000 Guineas picture late on after Albert Einstein and Puerto Rico had exited the frame and difficult to argue that he isn't clearly the best of the trio by now.
Aidan O'Brien was winning this for the 13th time and is already pondering the next showdown between his colt and Bow Echo next month. “He's probably stronger now and 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,” he said. “The horse we ran in the French Guineas will be happy to go forward if someone else doesn't go and this horse will be very uncomplicated. Hopefully, George [Boughey]'s horse comes and Francis [Graffard]'s horse comes. Let them all line up, that's what racing is all about and that's what we all want.”
Paying tribute to the team behind Gstaad, he added, “There are so many people involved with him and thanks to them. Obviously, he was in Coolmore as well from the time he was a foal. He's very straightforward and genuine. We felt that he was a little bit unlucky in the three [Group 1s] last year and sometimes when that happens horses don't get it back, but we felt there were circumstances every day he got beat. He just needs a little bit of room to get going and for it not to get too tactical or caught up in pace that isn't strong early.”
Charlie Appleby said of the second and third, “It was another very pleasing run from Distant Storm, who has put up a solid race again. It looks as though he might appreciate stepping up to a mile and a quarter, so we could look at something like the Hampton Court Stakes at Royal Ascot or possibly taking him out to America. We will let the dust settle before discussing where to go next.”
“Pacific Avenue was meant to go forward, but he sat down as the gates opened and Jamie ended up riding his own race. He has run on well and we are delighted to see him place in a Guineas. He might go for the Jersey Stakes next.”
Gstaad leads them home in the @Tattersalls1766 Irish 2,000 Guineas! @curraghrace | @WorldPool pic.twitter.com/lgRRPnWsm1
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) May 23, 2026
Pedigree Notes
Gstaad is the last known foal out of Exceed And Excel's Mosa Mine, whose 2021 colt Vandeek (Havana Grey) took the Prix Morny, Middle Park Stakes and Richmond Stakes. Her dam Baldemosa (Lead On Time) is a half-sister to Balbonella, who captured the Prix Robert Papin as a Group 1 and later produced Danzig's July Cup and Prix Maurice de Gheest-winning champion sprinter Anabaa and another notable sire in Key Of Luck, as well as the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches heroine Always Loyal (Zilzal) who is the second dam of Deep Impact's G1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies-winning champion two-year-old filly Shonan Adela.
Saturday, Curragh, Ireland
TATTERSALLS IRISH 2000 GUINEAS-G1, €500,000, Curragh, 5-23, 3yo, 8fT, 1:35.69, gd.
1–GSTAAD (GB), 128, c, 3, by Starspangledbanner (Aus)
1st Dam: Mosa Mine (GB), by Exceed And Excel (Aus)
2nd Dam: Baldemosa (Fr), by Lead On Time
3rd Dam: Bamieres (Fr), by Riverman
(450,000gns Wlg '23 TADEWE). O-Derrick Smith, Mrs John Magnier & Michael Tabor; B-Maywood Stud; T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Ryan Moore. €290,000. Lifetime Record: GISW-US, GSW & MG1SP-Eng, G1SP-Fr, 8-4-4-0, $1,482,869. *1/2 to Vandeek (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}), G1SW-Eng & Fr. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Distant Storm (GB), 128, c, 3, Night Of Thunder (Ire)–Date With Destiny (Ire), by George Washington (Ire). TDN Rising Star. (90,000gns Ylg '24 TATOCT; €1,900,000 2yo '25 ARQBRU). O-Godolphin; B-Newsells Park Stud; T-Charlie Appleby. €100,000.
3–Pacific Avenue (Ire), 128, c, 3, Dubawi (Ire)–Lumiere (GB), by Shamardal. TDN Rising Star. 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. O/B-Godolphin; T-Charlie Appleby. €50,000.
Margins: 3, 1, NK. Odds: 0.36, 5.00, 40.00.
Also Ran: Power Blue (Ire), Alparslan (Ire), Thesecretadversary (Ire), Bamako Beach (Ire), Take Charge Star (Ire), Go Just Do It (GB). Scratched: Neolithic (Ire).
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