Exists a Persuading Candidate in This Lot?

The 2,000 Guineas market has been blown wide open - is there a persuading candidate among the leading contenders?
Chris Cook explores the opening Classic after Albert Einstein's poor return on Saturday
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The 2,000 Guineas market searches in a state of shock. Albert Einstein, all the rage over the previous week, ran listed below expectations at the Curragh on Saturday and immediately ceased to be preferred.
He was bound to need that first run after 10 months however, even after making all possible allowances, it's really challenging to see him winning the Betfred-sponsored Classic at the start of May. It looks like Aidan O'Brien would quite like to go running with him.
' I think he's a sprinter, he discovers it very hard to go slow' - Aidan O'Brien's response to Albert Einstein's Curragh flop

2,000 Guineas dream is over for Albert Einstein - so where does the Classic value lie now?

Punters are going to require a few days to decide what they think about the Guineas, now that the hot fav has through a trapdoor. It wants to me as if Bow Echo has been left in front rather than chosen.
Time to remind ourselves of the leading competitors who remain. These are the top 10 in current wagering lists. Is there a persuading prospect in this lot?
Bow Echo (9-2)
Has a lovely, unwinded method of racing which helps make the most of his ability. But it looked like Publish had him beat before hanging and tiring at Haydock, and Bow Echo has a couple of pounds to find with several of his Guineas rivals, according to Racing Post Ratings.
Publish (5-1)
Appeared like he was about to do something actually remarkable in the Ascendant Stakes, when he went from last to initially during a hot part of the race. Perhaps it was reasonable that he couldn't rather last home, handing the lead back to Bow Echo. But he took two goes to win a maiden and didn't make it look simple when getting his very first success at odds of 4-7. A great looker with obvious talent who needs to improve at taking advantage of himself.
Gewan (7-1)
Game and professional, he bounced alertly from the stalls in the Dewhurst, was always to the fore and remained on stoutly. May have been helped by relocating to the rail in the closing phases however made that position by behaving much better than Gstaad early on. Two things cause punters to doubt him: his flop in the Champagne (when he was favourite) and the truth he was 25-1 in the Dewhurst, that makes people stress that maybe it was a fluke. If you're happy to put a line through the Doncaster run, he surely looks the right favourite.
Gstaad (7-1)
Ran too free under restraint in the Dewhurst, which became his 3rd narrow defeat in a Group 1. Had looked a star in the Coventry and looked it once again at the Breeders' Cup but probably versus horses he was entitled to beat. Disconcerting that Aidan O'Brien seemed to expensive Albert Einstein as his main Guineas competitor however Gstaad might now acquire that status. Having been the dominant force in the Guineas, O'Brien hasn't won it considering that 2019, not wanting to have his horses peak too early in the year.
Distant Storm (12-1)
Represents the brand-new dominant force in the 2,000 Guineas, Charlie Appleby, who has trained 3 of the last 4 winners. A bonny chestnut, he was favourite for the Acomb (won by Gewan) however ruined his opportunity by battling for his head early on. Settled much better for hold-up strategies and hacked up in the Tattersalls Stakes. But the back was the incorrect location to be in a steadily run Dewhurst and he succeeded to run into 3rd. In the hottest part of the race, nothing was faster than him.
Puerto Rico (14-1)
Already a dual Group 1 winner, on Arc weekend and at Saint-Cloud. A sure stayer who made a lot of improvement through last season. Represents Aidan O'Brien and a most likely candidate for the French Guineas, provided his success in France in 2015. Dangerous wherever he goes.
Talk Of New York (16-1)
Another from Appleby's backyard, he has some atonement to make after getting beat at 4-9 in the Jumeirah 2,000 Guineas in Dubai at the end of February. A lack of experience was the worry for him after a single excellent success at Kempton and that showed the issue as he stopped working to settle. A Newmarket Guineas appears a tall order from this point.
Hawk Mountain (16-1)
Another from O'Brien's yard, he 'd be totally entitled to have a swing at a Guineas on the strength of his win in the Futurity at Doncaster in October. But the trainer obviously sees him more as a Derby contender, saying: "He'll be trained for Epsom or France."
' My instinct is that she's an incredible filly' - Aidan O'Brien's unique horse-by-horse guide to his 2026 team

Hidden Force (20-1)
Could he be another Notable Speech? Like that Guineas winner from two years ago, Hidden Force is trained by Appleby and has begun his profession with 2 very pleasing winter season wins at Kempton. There's plenty more to show, obviously, but he's easy on the eye and the precedent exists.
King's Trail (20-1)
What's this? Another one from Appleby's backyard who has started his career with two Kempton wins this winter season. On rankings, he has more to find than Hidden Force and possibly a top-class mile is going to be on the sharp side for him.
Verdict
Everything else is available at 33-1 or larger, so if you if you have a strong fancy that I have not mentioned, for goodness sake have a couple of quid on before everybody cottons on, and then email frontrunner@racingpost.com to tell me about it.
Likeable as Bow Echo is, I'm not convinced he's made the right to be 2,000 Guineas favourite. It would make more sense for the marketplace to put its faith in the Dewhurst type and have Gewan and Gstaad battling it out at the top.
I remember liking Distant Storm's perform at the time and, viewing the Dewhurst once again, I still like it. At a basic 12-1, he's rather appealing. Granted a strong speed, his hold-up methods can work much better than they did in October.
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