Zavateri Favored to Win Greenham Stakes at Newbury

The Weekend Winners panel is back to preview a major racing event at Newbury, highlighted by the Group 3 Greenham Stakes. Eight horses are competing, 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. According to one expert, "This race is intriguing on paper. The favorite, Zavateri, struggled at Newmarket and will likely thrive on the straight track. However, it's uncertain if he'll continue to improve given his size and pedigree. I'm going to bet against him. I'm backing Alparslan, who has a bit of ground to make up with Zavateri based on his performance in the Dewhurst. He was a huge price that day, which suggests something was off. With a lack of pace in this race, he could take an easy lead and dominate." Another expert disagrees, stating, "I'm supporting Zavateri, who won the National Stakes last season and doesn't have a Group 1 penalty for that win here - a significant advantage. He would need to underperform substantially to be beaten today. There are many question marks surrounding other runners, such as Albert Einstein and Title Role, so I'm sticking with the class angle - who I believe should be at a shorter price than his current odds." A third expert has a different opinion, saying, "I'm choosing Needle Match, who doesn't fit the typical profile of recent winners. However, his trainer has made comments about having some strong three-year-olds this season, and this horse could be one of them. 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 huge step forward from his previous effort, but he's a decent price to do so. I want to bet against the favorite in his seasonal debut, despite his impressive form." For the latest horse racing news, interviews, and features, visit the Sky Sports Racing website or YouTube channel.