The Weekend Winners panel is back to preview a major racing event at Newbury, featuring the Group 3 Greenham Stakes. Eight competitors are set to participate in the seven-furlong contest, with Zavateri, trained by Eve Johnson Houghton, and Aidan O'Brien's Albert Einstein currently leading the pack. The field also includes 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 will continue to improve, considering his size and pedigree. I'm going to take a chance against him.
I'm backing Alparslan, who has some ground to make up against Zavateri based on their previous encounter in the Dewhurst. He experienced a significant price drift that day, suggesting something was amiss. With a lack of pace in this race, he could secure 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 victory. He would need to underperform significantly to be beaten today.
There are too many question marks surrounding other runners, such as Albert Einstein and Title Role, so I'm sticking with the class angle, which I believe should be shorter than his current price." 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 expressed optimism about his 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 a problem based on his pedigree.
He needs to make a huge improvement on his previous effort, but the price is decent for him to do so. I want to challenge the favorite in his seasonal debut, despite acknowledging his strong form." For the latest horse racing news, interviews, and features, visit the Sky Sports Racing website.