The Weekend Winners panel is back to preview an exciting day of racing at Newbury, with the Group 3 Greenham Stakes taking center stage. A field of eight horses will compete in the seven-furlong event, with Zavateri, trained by Eve Johnson Houghton, and Aidan O'Brien's Albert Einstein leading the pack at the time of writing. Other notable contenders include Title Role, Alparslan, Gonna Fly, and Needle Match. "This is a highly intriguing race on paper.
The favorite, Zavateri, struggled at Newmarket and will likely appreciate the return to a straight track. However, it's uncertain whether he will continue to improve, given his size and pedigree.
I'm inclined to oppose him. "I'm backing Alparslan, who has some ground to make up with Zavateri based on his performance in the Dewhurst. He drifted to a large price that day, which suggests something may have been amiss.
With a lack of pace in the race, he could secure an easy lead and dominate." Stay up-to-date with the latest racing news, interviews, and features on your mobile device. Learn more "I'm supporting Zavateri, who won the National Stakes last season and doesn't carry a Group 1 penalty for that win here - a significant advantage. He would need to underperform substantially to be beaten today. "Several other runners, including Albert Einstein and Title Role, have question marks surrounding them, so I'm sticking with the class angle - who I believe should be at a shorter price than his current odds." Today on Sky Sports Racing: Spring Trials weekend commences at Newbury Newmarket: Oxagon claims Craven Stakes victory for the in-form Gosden team Newmarket: Azleet enters 1000 Guineas contention after 50-1 Nell Gwyn Stakes win Hollie Doyle blog: Hoping to learn more about Derby hope Wareeth in Feilden Stakes at Newmarket Evan Williams: Trainer sentenced to three years in prison for causing grievous bodily harm with intent over hockey stick attack on 72-year-old Hollie Doyle: Flat horses to follow in 2026, including Derby hopefuls and international stars "My choice is Needle Match, who doesn't fit the typical profile of recent winners.
However, his trainer has made comments suggesting he has some promising three-year-olds this season, and this horse could be one of them. View the latest horse racing news, interviews, and features from Sky Sports Racing "He won on soft ground at Newbury, but I don't think faster ground will be an issue based on his pedigree. He needs to take a massive step forward from his previous effort, but he's a decent price to do so.
While the favorite has the standard form, I want to oppose him in his seasonal reappearance." Watch the full Weekend Winners episode on the At The Races YouTube channel