Racing: Steinbeck has suffered a setback and will "probably miss" the English 2000 Guineas. The colt, trained by Aidan O'Brien, has been a leading fancy for the Classic at Newmarket in May at around 10-1.
Steinbeck was a close fourth in the Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket in October after winning at Naas on his only other start in May.
“Unfortunately Steinbeck has met with a small training setback and won’t be at the Curragh this Sunday,” the Ballydoyle handler told his website, www.aidanobrien.ie.
“He will probably also miss the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket and will hopefully be trained for the Irish 2000 Guineas instead.”
O’Brien also reported another of his 2000 Guineas prospects, Jan Vermeer, to be on the easy list.
“Jan Vermeer has a stone bruise at the moment, he has been swimming for the last four days and will also miss cantering at the Curragh, but we expect him to resume full training by next Monday or Tuesday,” O’Brien went on.
Jan Vermeer won the Group One Criterium International at Saint-Cloud in November and is a top-priced 20-1 for the 2000 Guineas.
However, O’Brien still plans to send a big team to work after the first meeting of the Irish Flat season at the Curragh on Sunday — including current Guineas and Derby favourite St Nicholas Abbey.
“We hope to bring a number of horses to the Curragh on Sunday to canter after racing including St Nicholas Abbey, Rip Van Winkle, Fame And Glory, Cape Blanco, Age of Aquarius, Fencing Master, Mikhail Glinka and Beethoven,” he added.