Albert Einstein the pick of the bunch as Aidan O'Brien prepares three-year-old Classic challenge for 2026

The master of Ballydoyle was speaking at a Horse Racing Ireland press event at the start of the Irish Flat season and outlined some thoughts on his potential Guineas, Derby and Oaks contenders.

Albert Einstein currently heads the market at 6/1 with Paddy Power and Sky Bet for the QIPCO 2000 Guineas at Newmarket on May 2, while O'Brien is also responsible for 11/2 Derby favourite Pierre Bonnard, who is set to take in the two traditional Leopardstown trials en route to a shot at Classic glory at Epsom on June 6.

'Unusual' Einstein heading straight to HQ

"They're coming forward, obviously the weather's been wet. We haven't been held up, we've just had to be careful not to overdo them in the bad ground.

"But everything has gone well with all the main horses.

"In terms of the Guineas horses, the number one at the moment is Albert Einstein. He's done very well physically, he's big, powerful and he's 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.

"He's a very quick thinker and he's very quick into his stride, so we're not going to know. We're not going to search and see as we don't want to wake him up too much, we're going to train him asleep and see what's going to happen.

"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.

"He had his two runs, he won his maiden very easily then he went the next day and it was a six-furlong race, he was keen enough now. And the second horse won a Group 1 after, then he had the mishap. He picked up a little fracture at the Curragh.

"He doesn't look big but he's very big, he's very powerful, wide and very strong.

“Excitement-wise he’s unbelievable as his injury won’t bother him this year. He’s the horse everyone is dreaming about because we don’t know what’s going to happen. He’s in the Derby because with a horse like him how can you not put him in, but I’d be happy if he stays a mile.

“The plan at the moment is they will all go to the Curragh in a fortnight and that will be their biggest work before it, but we won’t ask them anything, they’ll just float up."

Gstaad has blend of speed and stamina

"The other one is Puerto Rico, we know what he's done, the other horse is Gstaad and at the moment the three of them are being trained for the Guineas. Obviously, I'd imagine one of them would go to France then hopefully come back to the Curragh.

"Things went a bit wrong for Gstaad in the Dewhurst but we think he's a good horse, we think he's a Guineas horse and it wouldn't be the biggest surprise if he was a Cox Plate type of horse, he's quick and he stays. We think he'll get further than a mile, even though he's not slow.

"I'd say they will [all go straight to a Guineas], 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.

Pierre to stay at home before trip to Epsom

"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.

"The Derby is still the race, for anyone who breeds a horse, that's where every horse is geared. It's a tough race, but that's the way it has to be. All those big races are brutal and unforgiving but it's the race the whole breed is based on.

"Straight Up, he'll probably be trained for a French Derby trial or something like that. He got dropped out in Newmarket and had no chance from where he was, he's a lot better than his run there and could be a fair horse.

Hawk Mountain will be trained for Epsom or France, obviously if some of the other horses go to Epsom he's a possible to go to France. He'd be very comfortable at a mile and a quarter.

"Christmas Day can go for a Derby trial, Port Of Spain could be a French Derby type of horse, Dorset could be the same.

"Charles Darwin could be a very good sprinter, he'll go the sprinting route, we're very happy with him. We're not sure how far Italy will stay, he's seven furlongs or a mile. Constitution River is another French Derby type horse or could be an Epsom horse. He had a bit of a mishap after winning the Futurity but is fine.

"Action could be an Epsom horse, he ran a very good race at Doncaster. He'll run in the trials for Epsom, he could go to Chester or he could go to Leopardstown. Something will run with Pierre Bonnard at Leopardstown.

"Benvenuto Cellini is an Epsom horse I would say, he's done very well that horse. He's a great mover and Epsom would probably suit him. We're very happy with him.

"Montreal won at Leopardstown very easily, he could be trained for the Derby or the Guineas. We think he'd get the Derby trip but couldn't be sure. I have in my head he'll start in one of the trials.

"Causeway could be one for the Free Handicap. He could be a Paddington, he won a maiden very easily."

Necklace and Precise sparkling among the fillies

"Diamond Necklace is very like her dad (St Mark's Basilica), 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 (Diamond Necklace) could go back for a French Oaks or something like that. We'll get them started and see.

"I thought Precise was a certainty at the Breeders' Cup. My instinct is that she's an incredible filly who will go for the Guineas and then go for the Oaks after that. I could be totally wrong, we've only trained a few Starspangledbanners but she relaxes.

"When she went to America she travelled over great but the first day she gave one cough, the next day she gave four, the next day she gave 10 coughs, so she obviously picked up an infection. So we couldn't run her. But she travelled and had a week off over there, so it may have helped her mind.

"There's a chance she's an incredible filly, she's not over-big but she's 30kgs up on last year's racing weight which doesn't usually happen to a filly who isn't over-big.

"Cameo is a filly that could go for an Oaks trial, Cape Primrose is the same, Moments Of Joy is an Oaks/Guineas trial type of filly.

"Beautify is a filly we'll train for the French Guineas, Amelia Earhart is an Oaks type filly who is a good filly even though it took her a long time to win last year. Composing is a Guineas filly, Bloom could be a Guineas type filly.

"Drop Dead Gorgeous will have a run next week and we think she's a very smart filly. She hasn't run but is a sister to Gleneagles and is in a maiden at Naas so could start there."

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