Can Billy Loughnane emulate Joseph O'Brien and Lester Piggott by completing a rare 2,000 Guineas feat?

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Since 1970 only Joseph O'Brien and Lester Piggott have landed the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket and the Curragh on different horses in the same season and 20-year-old Billy Loughnane will attempt the feat on the Charlie Appleby-trained Distant Storm.

The Tipperary-born Loughnane has established himself as one of the best jockeys in Britain. He guided Bow Echo to a decisive 2,000 Guineas success for George Boughey at Newmarket three weeks ago and will try to repeat the trick on one of those he pulled clear of on the Rowley Mile.

Distant Storm was well held under the now suspended William Buick at Newmarket, where the Night Of Thunder colt raced on the opposite side of the track to the first and second and stuck to his task doughtily in the final furlong, giving plenty of encouragement that he can prove fully effective over a mile.

O'Brien landed the rare feat in 2012 at the age of 18 years old courtesy of Camelot and Power, both trained by his father Aidan. The fabled combination of Piggott and Vincent O'Brien scored with Nijinsky at Newmarket in 1970, which provided the first leg of his historic Triple Crown success, and Piggott followed up at the Curragh on board the Bernard van Cutsem-trained Decies.

Loughnane's rise through the ranks in Britain has been meteoric. He chased home Oisin Murphy in the jockeys' championship last season in Britain and has already ridden a Group 1 winner in the Godolphin silks on Rebel's Romance in the Grosser Preis von Berlin at Hoppegarten. However, this will be a new challenge given he has never competed at the Curragh and will be riding Distant Storm for the first time.

Bow Echo: an above-average winner of the 2,000 Guineas

Distant Storm (left) finished third in the 2,000 Guineas but was well behind the Billy Loughnane-ridden Bow EchoCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

Appleby, who won the Classic in 2022 with Native Trail, said: “Distant Storm has come forward since the Guineas, and we feel that the track and conditions at the Curragh might suit him better.

"We have a bit of ground to make up on Gstaad based on the last time they met, although we were a lot closer in the Dewhurst. We've been happy with his preparation and Billy Loughnane has ridden him plenty at home, as well as talking to William."

Appleby also saddles Pacific Avenue, the mount of Jamie Spencer, who will be going for his second win in the race after scoring on the Charlie Hills-trained Phoenix Of Spain in 2019.

“Pacific Avenue is a solid performer in his own right," said Appleby. "He wasn’t disgraced when making the running in the Dewhurst Stakes and will hopefully perform a similar role here.”

Analysis: Gstaad hard to oppose but this unheralded outsider is interesting at a huge price

The last two winners of the Tattersalls Irish 2,000 Guineas, Field Of Gold and Rosallion, finished runner-up in the Newmarket equivalent before going one better at the Curragh and there is every reason to believe Gstaad can do the same on Saturday.

The home team has struggled in recent years, with Aidan O'Brien the sole Irish trainer to win it since 2022, and the first two home in 2024 and 2025 were both trained in Britain. Distant Storm and Alparslan give the travelling party a strong hand again but it is hard to argue the O'Brien-trained Gstaad is not fully worthy of his heavy odds-on status.

A deeply impressive Coventry Stakes winner on his second start, Gstaad was kept busy throughout his juvenile campaign, running six times. He proved a model of consistency at the top level, finishing second in three Group 1s over six to seven furlongs before finally getting his breakthrough at the top level in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf at Del Mar.

His string of runner-up efforts last year should not be held against him. He was coming off a ten-week break in the Prix Morny when beaten a short head by Venetian Sun, was edged out by a head in the National Stakes by Zavateri having got a bump leaving the stalls on ground on the soft side, while he was too keen in the Dewhurst when chasing home Gewan, with the reopposing Distant Storm behind in third.

The Starspangledbanner colt overcame stall 14 and a wide trip to bolt up at Del Mar and may have simply run into a rare talent when second to Bow Echo at Newmarket, particularly given he pulled eight lengths clear of the rest. He will improve for that first outing and it's hard to oppose him under Ryan Moore.

Distant Storm shaped better than the distance beaten at Newmarket and the track will suit. He raced on the opposite side to the first two home at Newmarket and his trainer is in better form now. However, he has a fair bit of ground to make up on Gstaad based on their last two meetings.

Alparslan has track form courtesy of his win in a sales race here in September and took two big scalps in Zavateri and Albert Einstein when landing the Greenham at Newbury last time. He is a solid option but needs to show he is fully effective over a mile.

Thesecretadversary is an attractive each-way alternative. He seemed to have improved plenty as a three-year-old based on his decisive Red Rocks Stakes victory at Leopardstown last month when he bolted clear of the reopposing Power Blue.

While he was a well-held fifth at Newmarket, it was a fine effort in the circumstances given he pulled extremely hard for well over half the race having got upset in the stalls and got no cover during the race. If he can relax better, he could put in a big effort.

Of the rest, Go Just Do It is interesting at a big price (around 40-1). He had a couple of promising efforts last year, most notably when third to Constitution River in Group 2 company on just his second start. He shapes as if a mile is within reach and warmed up for this with an impressive maiden victory at Gowran Park.

Go Just Do It caught they eye when winning a maiden at Gowran Park last monthCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

What they say

Karl Burke, trainer of Alparslan
He travelled over really well. He had a canter on Friday morning and did that really nicely so it's all systems go. He's got to prove he gets the trip but if he does he should run very well. Even if he does, it's a very warm race. Gstaad is going to be very hard to beat but we'll give it a go.

Joseph O'Brien, trainer of Go Just Do It
He had some good runs at the Curragh last year and comes here off the back of a good maiden win at Gowran. We think the best is yet to come with him.

Fozzy Stack, trainer of Thesecretadversary
I'm very happy with him so if he settles a bit better, he can hopefully get a bit closer to Gstaad. He got very lit up in the stalls beforehand at Newmarket and that’s not like him as he was very keen early. It was a good run in the circumstances. We always felt he could go out further in trip so the Curragh should suit.

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