Ranked: the top ten two-year-old colts by Racing Post Ratings last season

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The Flat turf season is on the horizon and Albert Einstein has been backed into favouritism for the Betfred 2,000 Guineas.

The Ballydoyle colt earned a Racing Post Rating of 105 when winning the Marble Hill Stakes last May and has not been seen since.

With the Classic picture back in the conversation, we rank the top two-year-old colts from Britain and Ireland last year based on their RPRs.

10. Oxagon

RPR: 110
Entries: 2,000 Guineas (50-1) and Irish 2,000 Guineas

Trainers John and Thady Gosden Credit: Zuzanna Lupa

Joint-trainers John and Thady Gosden have just one representative in the top ten, a colt who struggled in his two Group 1 starts last year.

The Frankel colt went close in the Champagne Stakes, but was beaten into fifth in the Dewhurst Stakes before finishing last of five in the Futurity Trophy on unsuitably heavy ground.

9. Bow Echo

RPR: 111
Entries: 2,000 Guineas (8-1)

Bow Echo: unbeaten in mile starts over a mileCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

The Night Of Thunder colt is unbeaten for trainer George Boughey in three starts over a mile and, after a taking a run on the Guineas course, he was cut for the Classic.

He raced in midfield in the Royal Lodge Stakes before Billy Loughnane switched him left and to come up in stands' side rail. He went on to score by a length and was shortened to 10-1 for the 2,000 Guineas.

8. Power Blue

RPR: 112
Entries: 2,000 Guineas (50-1) and Irish 2,000 Guineas

Power Blue: Group 1-winning juvenileCredit: Caroline Norris (racingpost.com/photos)

The Amo Racing-owned colt has had all but one of his six starts at the Curragh, the exception being a fifth-place finish at Royal Ascot, and was last seen making all to beat True Love in the Phoenix Stakes.

Power Blue had a change of trainer in December when he was transferred into the care of Robson de Aguiar from Adrian Murray.

7. Distant Storm

RPR: 113
Entires: 2,000 Guineas (14-1)

Distant Storm wins the Somerville Tattersall Stakes Credit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

Picked up for €1.9 million at the Arqana May Breeze-Up by Godolphin, he was shortened to 14-1 for next year’s Guineas after winning the Group 3 Tattersall Stakes at Newmarket in September.

However, despite being well fancied for the Dewhurst and settling much better, he could finish only third and was pushed out in the betting for the Guineas.

6. Action

RPR: 115
Entries: Irish 2,000 Guineas, Derby (20-1) and Irish Derby

Despite not winning in Group company, Action has shown plenty of promise for Aidan O'Brien.

He broke his maiden on his second start and, after a short break, finished third in the Royal Lodge Stakes before staying on well for second in the Futurity Trophy. Middle distances could be suitable for the son of Frankel this year.

5. Zavateri

RPR: 116
Entries: 2,000 Guineas (20-1) and Irish 2,000 Guineas 

Zavateri (nearest): winning the National StakesCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

Eve Johnson Houghton has unearthed a star in Zavateri, and the colt proved that you do not need to spend a fortune to find top-class talent.

Owned by Mick and Janice Mariscotti, the son of Without Parole won his first four races, including wins in Group 2 company in the July and Vintage Stakes. He then landed his first Group 1 victory in the National Stakes at the Curragh, before his winning run came to an end in the Dewhurst, where he finished fourth.

4. Wise Approach

RPR: 116
Entries: none

Wise Approach

Godolphin's £1 million purchase has put together a fine sequence of runs for trainer Charlie Appleby.

The sprinter finished a close third in the Prix Morny before putting in an admirable effort in the Group 1 Middle Park Stakes. There was early drama as he dropped to last place after clipping heels just after leaving the stalls, but he showed a smart turn of foot a furlong from home to pass all of his rivals to score by three-quarters of a length.

3. Hawk Mountain

RPR: 116
Entries: 2,000 Guineas (14-1), Irish 2,000 Guineas, Derby and Irish Derby

Hawk Mountain wins the William Hill Futurity StakesCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

Hawk Mountain proved his versatility by recording wins on good, yielding to soft and heavy ground.

The son of Wootton Bassett is unbeaten over a mile and, after making all to land the Beresford Stakes, he produced another front-running display under Ronan Whelan to land the Futurity Trophy at Doncaster.

2. Gstaad

RPR: 117
Entries: 2,000 Guineas (8-1), Irish 2,000 Guineas, Derby and Irish Derby.

Gstaad: Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf winnerCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

Gstaad may be a tad unlucky not to be in top spot after running out the comfortable winner of the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf on his first start over a mile.

The Coventry Stakes winner had earlier finished a close second in the Prix Morny, National Stakes and Dewhurst Stakes, but handed Aidan O'Brien a 21st success at the Breeders' Cup in November to make him the most successful trainer in the meeting's history.

1. Gewan

RPR: 119
Entries: 2,000 Guineas (10-1) and Tattersalls Irish 2,000 Guineas

Trainer Andrew Balding is responsible for the top-ranked colt, who is rated 2lb higher than Shadow Of Light, the previous year's leading juvenile colt.

Picked up for €80,000 in May, the son of Night Of Thunder caused a 25-1 shock when landing the Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes, beating Gstaad by three-quarters of a length.

Betfred 2,000 Guineas (Newmarket, May 2)
Betfred: 6-1 Albert Einstein, 8 Bow Echo, Gstaad, 10 Gewan, 12 Publish, Puerto Rico, 14 Hawk Mountain, Talk Of New York, 16 bar.

Read these next:

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Aidan O'Brien is sending his 2,000 Guineas contenders straight to Newmarket - but is that a positive or negative for their chances? 

Will he stay the trip? Guineas contender’s pedigree could help with a conundrum for Einstein 

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