Puerto Rico likely the leading Guineas hope as O’Brien pondering Albert Einstein plan

Aidan O’Brien has suggested Puerto Rico could now be his number one contender for the Betfred 2000 Guineas, with connections in no rush to decide whether Albert Einstein will be supplemented for the Rowley Mile Classic following his defeat at Newbury on Saturday.

Albert Einstein was the head of ante-post lists for the Newmarket showpiece over the winter months, but a disappointing return in the Gladness Stakes at the Curragh dented his reputation and he was subsequently scratched from the Guineas due to a computer error.

O’Brien gave his much-vaunted colt another chance to stake his claim for a trip to Headquarters in the Greenham Stakes at Newbury – and while he did perform better than on his seasonal debut, he had to make do with minor honours in third behind Karl Burke’s Alparslan and the Eve Johnson Houghton-trained Zavateri.

Speaking on Racing TV’s Luck on Sunday programme, the Ballydoyle handler said of Albert Einstein’s performance: “We were happy, obviously it mightn’t have gone perfectly for us. Ryan (Moore) jumped out and thought they were going to go a good gallop and they didn’t go very fast, so he travelled a little bit strong but nothing bad.

“Ryan was happy enough with all that, but I decided to put a hood on him and it might not have been the right thing – Ryan said he didn’t respond as quick as he wanted and was just a little but confused when he did ask him to start going forward. That probably was a little bit from the hood and the penny didn’t drop until late, but we were happy with the run really.

“We’ll see how he comes out of it now and see what the lads want to do. We still believe that he’s quick and we still believe if he goes back sprinting we’re probably going to see the best of him. We haven’t spoken to the lads (owners) yet and Ryan is thinking about it. Obviously we’d have to supplement him for the Guineas and it will be close to the race, so we don’t have to make our minds up too quickly.

“We think the run will have done him good whatever way he goes – whether he goes back to a mile or goes back to six (furlongs). If he’s going to a mile he’ll be supplemented for the Guineas and if he’s going back to six he might go for the Sandy Lane (at Haydock) or something like that.

“He’s such a quick horse at home it keeps coming into our minds that he might be more comfortable sprinting, but we haven’t given up on the mile yet.”

O’Brien’s two other main Guineas hopes are Puerto Rico, who signed off his juvenile campaign with successive Group One wins in France, and Breeders’ Cup hero Gstaad, who like Albert Einstein would need to be supplemented to run at Newmarket at a cost of £30,000.

However, O’Brien has hinted he could instead head to ParisLongchamp for the French equivalent, moving Puerto Rico into pole position to run on May 2.

“Puerto Rico is there at the moment and obviously Gstaad is there as well. It is very possible that Puerto Rico could go to the Guineas and Gstaad could go to France,” O’Brien added.

“Puerto Rico has won his last two races in France and he is a pacey horse. Gstaad has run on lots of different tracks and is a very straightforward horse.

“We’re very happy with Puerto Rico. Last year he progressed with every run, we were very happy with the way he wintered and we’re very happy with everything he’s doing at the moment.”

O’Brien is responsible for the top two in the market for the 1000 Guineas in Precise and Diamond Necklace and while a spring setback threatened the former’s participation, he is hopeful she will win her race against time to be fit.

He said: “She’s doing good – we were very happy with her last piece of work.

“Precise could go to Newmarket and Diamond Necklace could go to France. There’s a bit of time to go and they could go the other way, but I would say at the moment it’s looking like Precise could make Newmarket and if she does Diamond Necklace would go to France I think.”