Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas Runners & Result 2026

Tattersalls Irish 2,000 Guineas

Group 1, Curragh 16:30
€500,000 guaranteed,
3yo only, 1m

Saturday 23rd May 2026

1 Gstaad 4/11F
2 Distant Storm 5/1
3 Pacific Avenue 40/1
9 ran NR: Neolithic Distances: 3l, 1l, nk
Time: 1m 35.69s (fast by 1.01s)

🏆GSTAAD WINS THE TATTERSALLS IRISH 2,000 GUINEAS🏆

WHAT A PERFORMANCE! 🤩#ITVRacing | @maywoodstud pic.twitter.com/0Sg192TpB1
— ITV Racing (@itvracing) May 23, 2026

Gstaad gained deserved compensation for his Newmarket disappointment by producing a dominant display at the Curragh.

Aidan O’Brien’s son of Starspangledbanner, a Royal Ascot and Breeders’ Cup winner at two, had found only George Boughey’s Bow Echo too strong in the English 2,000 Guineas earlier this month. Like Field Of Gold before him, he turned Rowley Mile silver into Curragh gold.

With Karl Burke’s Greenham Stakes winner Alparslan setting the pace alongside Power Blue, Gstaad travelled comfortably just off the leaders under Ryan Moore.

Moore asked the 4-11 favourite to make his move approaching the final quarter-mile and the response was immediate, with Gstaad producing a sharp turn of foot to surge three lengths clear of Charlie Appleby’s pair Distant Storm and Pacific Avenue.

Moore said: “He had a nice draw in eight really. He was sat out there on the wing, but he was comfortable and nothing was able to get in his way, so we kept things uncomplicated.

“I just kept asking him to creep forward from halfway and he has quite an extravagant stride, so when he gets the chance to use it he’s a very impressive horse.

“He deserved that because he’s been second a few times and he’s never run a bad race. Sometimes things just didn’t fall for him last year.

“He’s come back this season as a big, scopey horse and looks like he still has further progress in him.

“His mind is in an unbelievable place and there’s nobody better than Aidan at bringing that out in a horse. I remember him as a two-year-old and the confidence he’s developed is down to the trainer.”

O’Brien was recording a record-extending 13th victory in the Irish Classic and was delighted to see Gstaad add a top-level success at three to his high-class juvenile form.

He said: “He’s a lovely uncomplicated horse and Ryan gave him a beautiful ride. He’s very straightforward and genuine.

“Ryan said he was a little lazy through the middle of the race, but once he got him opened up he went to the line very strongly.

“He was beaten in three Group Ones last year and we felt he was a little unlucky in all three. We were delighted he held on and got his Group One in America.

“Sometimes horses don’t come back from those kinds of seasons, but we always felt there were reasons for his defeats.”

Looking ahead to a likely clash in the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot, O’Brien added: “Ryan said the best feel he’s ever given him was when he won the Coventry, so you’d hope he’ll be very happy returning to Ascot.

“Hopefully George’s horse comes and Francis’ horse comes. Let them all line up because that’s what racing is all about.

“We’d look forward to Ascot whatever happens. There should be plenty of pace and we’ll see what happens.”

O’Brien also suggested Gstaad could eventually tackle further distances, adding: “We think stepping up in trip won’t be a problem for him when the time comes.

“We always thought he had the profile of a Cox Plate horse, but there’s a lot of water to go under the bridge before then.”