The Weekend Winners team is back to preview a thrilling day of racing at Newbury, with the Group 3 Greenham Stakes taking center stage. Eight horses are set to compete in the seven-furlong event, with Zavateri, trained by Eve Johnson Houghton, and Aidan O'Brien's Albert Einstein currently leading the pack.
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 appreciate returning to a straight track. However, it's uncertain whether he will continue to improve, given 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 meeting in the Dewhurst. He drifted to a large price that day, suggesting something was amiss.
With a lack of pace in this race, he could secure an easy lead and dominate. To stay up-to-date with the latest racing news, interviews, and features, visit our website. Another expert agrees, "I'm supporting Zavateri, who won the National Stakes last season and doesn't carry a Group 1 penalty for that win.
He would need to underperform significantly 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. I believe Zavateri should be a shorter price than his current odds.
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One expert disagrees, saying, "I'm going with Needle Match, who doesn't fit the typical profile of recent winners. However, his trainer has expressed confidence in his three-year-olds this season, and this horse could be one to watch. 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 significant step forward, but he's a decent price to do so.
While the favorite has the best form, I want to take him on in his first start of the season. Watch the full Weekend Winners episode on the At The Races YouTube channel.