It was a relatively quiet week-end with the domestic leagues giving way to the world cup qualifiers until next week-end. A few events of note however in the varied world of sports.
Snow Fairy winning the Irish Champion Stakes. What an amazing filly she is, and she could very well surpass Ouija Board as Ed Dunlop's best filly. She's won in UK, Ireland, Japan and Hong Kong, and I would not be surprised if she added France to her conquests when she tackles the Arc in a few weeks time. She's all heart and if I am to truly rate this filly, I only have to look at the 2 races she faced So You Think. In last year's edition of the same Irish Champion Stakes, she was second, only a length behind the Coolmore superstar. In the Arc, she was this time a length in front, although SYT was not given a judicious ride. So in my books, she is weighted a length or two behind the High Chaparral beast, which puts her in a league of only a select few. If Camelot does not make it to the Arc, Snow Fairy must be given a leading chance.
Speaking of Camelot, he looks all set for his big day in destiny on Saturday for the St Leger. It would be great if he makes history, not least for the reason that it would be great for me to witness a Triple Crown in my time. With the way commercial breeding is going, this looks to be a once in a lifetime occurrence, and the Coolmore people need to be lauded for taking this route.
Then, there was Rory Mc Ilroy's win in the BMW Championship, his 3rd title in his last 4 outings. Definitely Rory is back, and he's thrashed Tiger Woods (and the rest) on each occasion. Rory is simply the best golfer in the world at the moment and could remain so if Tiger does not get his mojo back. Rory has a winning chance each time he gets on a tournament, something that was said of Tiger years ago.
Tonight is the US Open final between Djokovic and Murray. Clearly the 2 best players in the world today, with the injury to Nadal. The head says Nole, and the heart says Murray, as I would like the Scot to get the monkey off his back regarding Majors. Djokovic looks strong and definitely knows how to tackle such finals. No recommendation on this one, but I cannot see any wrong punting for the Serb to win.
Showing posts with label Mc Ilroy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mc Ilroy. Show all posts
Monday, September 10, 2012
Monday, August 13, 2012
No time-out
The one-two punch of Bolt/Blake have proved great for punting, great for the Games and great for Jamaica.
These Games have really been glorious and spectacular. No drug story was scandalous or big enough to mar them; I thought the Opening and Closing ceremonies were just brilliant. Rio de Janeiro will really need to over-achieve to top that. With its record medal haul, Great Britain obviously must consider itself very successful on the sporting side as well. It will be hugely interesting to see how the Sports Personality of the Year will pan out this year. So many names to consider; Wiggins, winner of bicycling Holy Grail in the Tour de France and Olympic gold, Mo Farah's amazing 1000 & 5000-metre wins, Andy Murray, Sir Chris Hoy, Jennifer Ennis etc would all be deserving winners in any year.
The Olympics really does eclipse every other sporting event. Rory Mc Ilroy just won a Golf Major in the PGA Championship over the week-end and no-one seems to have noticed. Excelebration also won the Jacques Prix Le Marois at Deauville in a star-studded field, in the absence of Frankel, but the Closing ceremonies were Sunday's only talking point. In the euphoria of London's glowing moment, everything else takes a backseat. Such has been these past months; a very unusual, incessant and sport-filled Summer. Only a few months ago, the EPL ended on a thrilling note as the Manchester heavyweights battled to the finish line, followed by Spain re-coronation at the Euros, then came the Olympics, deemed one of the most fabulous ever, and already next week the cycle begins again with the start of the new EPL season. Sports fanatics never had it so good. We are rolling again.
These Games have really been glorious and spectacular. No drug story was scandalous or big enough to mar them; I thought the Opening and Closing ceremonies were just brilliant. Rio de Janeiro will really need to over-achieve to top that. With its record medal haul, Great Britain obviously must consider itself very successful on the sporting side as well. It will be hugely interesting to see how the Sports Personality of the Year will pan out this year. So many names to consider; Wiggins, winner of bicycling Holy Grail in the Tour de France and Olympic gold, Mo Farah's amazing 1000 & 5000-metre wins, Andy Murray, Sir Chris Hoy, Jennifer Ennis etc would all be deserving winners in any year.
The Olympics really does eclipse every other sporting event. Rory Mc Ilroy just won a Golf Major in the PGA Championship over the week-end and no-one seems to have noticed. Excelebration also won the Jacques Prix Le Marois at Deauville in a star-studded field, in the absence of Frankel, but the Closing ceremonies were Sunday's only talking point. In the euphoria of London's glowing moment, everything else takes a backseat. Such has been these past months; a very unusual, incessant and sport-filled Summer. Only a few months ago, the EPL ended on a thrilling note as the Manchester heavyweights battled to the finish line, followed by Spain re-coronation at the Euros, then came the Olympics, deemed one of the most fabulous ever, and already next week the cycle begins again with the start of the new EPL season. Sports fanatics never had it so good. We are rolling again.
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
British Open 2012
As expected, David Haye was too strong for Chisora. I hope there is a second Battle of Britain between those two (as there usually is), because I think Haye would win again.
Surprise, surprise, yesterday's headline news saw one of Tour de France's favourites, Frank Schleck, leave the race because of a failed drug test. How credible is that tour, or any other tour for that matter? Cycling definitely will fit well at the Olympics, siege of rampant drug use. No Olympics is complete without a sensational drug scandal.
Tomorrow, the British Open takes centre of attention, and many pundits are talking about an ominous starting point for Tiger Woods to resume his Major quest after 4 barren years. It's amazing to think that it has been that long. Today's Tiger is not the same as the old dominating one, he's become unpredictable to say the least. But like most others, I'm sure there are more Majors in him, I just don't know if it will start at Royal Lytham this week-end.
This major is probably the most open there is, no pun intended. The weather and design of the link course play a crucial role. It will not be surprising that the big guns fail and that it goes to a novice Major winner. The last time in 2001, it gave David Duval his first and only Major.
So I believe the safest way to start the punting is to find a group of players that will make the cut on Saturday. If we can call that process relatively safe, I suppose. Unless they are bestowed with unbelievable foul weather or do not have their A game for the first 2 days, I believe the following are good value to make the cut (at least in first 70 of 156) at their current odds;
Tiger Woods - evidently.
Lee Westwood - he should make the cut, but I don't think he'll win it.
Ernie Els - will have gotten confidence from his US Open showing. Great links player. 3rd in 2001.
Jimenez - almost always in the thick of things. 5th in 2001. A little risk but with great reward.
Padraig Harrington - getting back to form after 4th at the US Open this year. Big-game player.
I would caution against the following ones that are prominent names in the market.
Rory McIlroy - his mind is probably more focused on the coming Olympics cheering Caroline Wozniak.
Mickelson - probably will make the cut, but the British Open has never been his thing.
Luke Donald - poor record in recent Majors. No 1 means nothing in these tournaments.
Surprise, surprise, yesterday's headline news saw one of Tour de France's favourites, Frank Schleck, leave the race because of a failed drug test. How credible is that tour, or any other tour for that matter? Cycling definitely will fit well at the Olympics, siege of rampant drug use. No Olympics is complete without a sensational drug scandal.
Tomorrow, the British Open takes centre of attention, and many pundits are talking about an ominous starting point for Tiger Woods to resume his Major quest after 4 barren years. It's amazing to think that it has been that long. Today's Tiger is not the same as the old dominating one, he's become unpredictable to say the least. But like most others, I'm sure there are more Majors in him, I just don't know if it will start at Royal Lytham this week-end.
This major is probably the most open there is, no pun intended. The weather and design of the link course play a crucial role. It will not be surprising that the big guns fail and that it goes to a novice Major winner. The last time in 2001, it gave David Duval his first and only Major.
So I believe the safest way to start the punting is to find a group of players that will make the cut on Saturday. If we can call that process relatively safe, I suppose. Unless they are bestowed with unbelievable foul weather or do not have their A game for the first 2 days, I believe the following are good value to make the cut (at least in first 70 of 156) at their current odds;
Tiger Woods - evidently.
Lee Westwood - he should make the cut, but I don't think he'll win it.
Ernie Els - will have gotten confidence from his US Open showing. Great links player. 3rd in 2001.
Jimenez - almost always in the thick of things. 5th in 2001. A little risk but with great reward.
Padraig Harrington - getting back to form after 4th at the US Open this year. Big-game player.
I would caution against the following ones that are prominent names in the market.
Rory McIlroy - his mind is probably more focused on the coming Olympics cheering Caroline Wozniak.
Mickelson - probably will make the cut, but the British Open has never been his thing.
Luke Donald - poor record in recent Majors. No 1 means nothing in these tournaments.
Monday, June 18, 2012
Royally good
England deservedly beat Sweden to put it in a good position to go through the next. How Ibrahimovic and co can complain that the result was unfair is really beyond me. It's true the Lions let in 2 really ugly looking goals to allow Sweden to take the lead. As mentioned before, this England defence is weak and any potent strike force is going to score on it. But the encouraging thing is that they bounced back and found renewed inspiration in attack. Theo Walcott is one of the best wingers in the world on his best day and is one of the only few in the squad that can change a game. So he did.
Besides the Euros, a few events caught the eye this past week-end. The US Open in golf saw the crowning of unfancied Webb Simpson. Tiger prowled for the first 2 days and then his challenge petered out. He's still not there yet. Mc Ilroy didn't even make the cut. Anyone noticed that since he and Carol Wozniak, the ex-tennis No 1, have been dating, their results have gone downhill? The great thing about watching the Open was seeing Ernie Els challenge on the last day. The South African is one of my all-time favourites on tour and is at the dawn of a great career. I don't know if he'll be in a position to challenge at future golf Majors again, but it was great to see him bring back some of his best golf.
In racing, the Prix Diane produced a surprise result as the undefeated favourite Beauty Parlour was overwhelmed in the late stages by the Aga Khan second-string Valyra. These 2 look set to lock horns in the Prix Vermeilles at 12 furlongs before tackling the Arc. That a filly wins the Arc again a year after Danedream, looks like a live possibility with the likes of Beauty Parlour, Valyra and Golden Lilac.
Royal Ascot starts tomorrow and the first race is no other than the Queen Anne Stakes where Frankel puts his unbeaten record on the line. Suffice to say that besides Excelebration, there does not seem to be a horse in the race that can possibly stop this being another procession for the Galileo colt. This is a race last year that Frankel nearly lost, having been run to the line by Zoffany, but that can safely be attributed to pilot zest more than anything. He was made to strike for home too early last year, and rider Queally will be all too aware not to make the same mistake. Frankel should win and Excelebration will have to contend with another Place spot again. Those are the recommendations.
Back to the Euros where England take on Ukraine in their last group match. One co-host Poland has already bitten the dust and failed to qualify and Ukraine looks set for the same exit. I don't see them beating an England welcoming back Rooney, and England look good value as a good draw-no-bet.
Besides the Euros, a few events caught the eye this past week-end. The US Open in golf saw the crowning of unfancied Webb Simpson. Tiger prowled for the first 2 days and then his challenge petered out. He's still not there yet. Mc Ilroy didn't even make the cut. Anyone noticed that since he and Carol Wozniak, the ex-tennis No 1, have been dating, their results have gone downhill? The great thing about watching the Open was seeing Ernie Els challenge on the last day. The South African is one of my all-time favourites on tour and is at the dawn of a great career. I don't know if he'll be in a position to challenge at future golf Majors again, but it was great to see him bring back some of his best golf.
In racing, the Prix Diane produced a surprise result as the undefeated favourite Beauty Parlour was overwhelmed in the late stages by the Aga Khan second-string Valyra. These 2 look set to lock horns in the Prix Vermeilles at 12 furlongs before tackling the Arc. That a filly wins the Arc again a year after Danedream, looks like a live possibility with the likes of Beauty Parlour, Valyra and Golden Lilac.
Royal Ascot starts tomorrow and the first race is no other than the Queen Anne Stakes where Frankel puts his unbeaten record on the line. Suffice to say that besides Excelebration, there does not seem to be a horse in the race that can possibly stop this being another procession for the Galileo colt. This is a race last year that Frankel nearly lost, having been run to the line by Zoffany, but that can safely be attributed to pilot zest more than anything. He was made to strike for home too early last year, and rider Queally will be all too aware not to make the same mistake. Frankel should win and Excelebration will have to contend with another Place spot again. Those are the recommendations.
Back to the Euros where England take on Ukraine in their last group match. One co-host Poland has already bitten the dust and failed to qualify and Ukraine looks set for the same exit. I don't see them beating an England welcoming back Rooney, and England look good value as a good draw-no-bet.
Win: Frankel
Place: Excelebration
Draw-no-bet: EnglandTuesday, April 10, 2012
Flip Flops
The football form was good over the week-end, with 5 selections out of 6 hitting the target, but the golf prediction on Tiger and Rory was a helluva-wayward shot to say the least. Both finished with a dismal +5, far from the Top 10.
What else to say in EPL? City have blown it big time. Alex Ferguson is an unparalleled genius. Man City's money cannot buy what Man Utd have; their manager, their heritage and their instilled desire to win. This 20th title (who can doubt it's not a done deal) will feel super sweet for the Red Devils, that's for sure.
What a turn around of events between La Liga and EPL. A few weeks ago, it looked like Real Madrid was cruising easily to the title in Spain, while the Manchester teams were battling it out to the wire in England. Suddenly, Man Utd have killed off the rest of the pack in a quick and decisive fashion, while Real's 10-point lead has frittered to the point where they have Barcelona smelling blood. A four point advantage is still consequential, but Guardiola is fooling no-one by saying that his team's chances to go top is near-impossible. Real are still masters of their destiny and should win this, but one more faux-pas and Barcelona will be the ones to enjoy all favouritism come the Clasico in a few weeks time.
In a few hours, Barcelona should cut the gap to just 1 point when they host Getafe. They should win this game no problem.
So what to make of the Tiger and Rory flops in the Masters? They both had a good opening round on Thursday and then it all went downhill from there. Maybe Tiger still needs have to work on a few more things and that the Augusta Major came a little too soon since his win just a couple of weeks back. Maybe Rory shouldn't have taken 3 weeks off, and would have been better off with a prep tourney a week before the tournament? Just maybe's. But I felt Lee Westwood was the one to feel that this was one he should have won. He was the best at hitting fairways but just couldn't get hot on the putter. The fact that he putted 21 times more than Phil Mickelson, yet still finishing with the same score, and only 2 shots off the winner, says it all. It wouldn't be surprising if Westwood captured his first Major (finally) soon.
Win: Barcelona
What else to say in EPL? City have blown it big time. Alex Ferguson is an unparalleled genius. Man City's money cannot buy what Man Utd have; their manager, their heritage and their instilled desire to win. This 20th title (who can doubt it's not a done deal) will feel super sweet for the Red Devils, that's for sure.
What a turn around of events between La Liga and EPL. A few weeks ago, it looked like Real Madrid was cruising easily to the title in Spain, while the Manchester teams were battling it out to the wire in England. Suddenly, Man Utd have killed off the rest of the pack in a quick and decisive fashion, while Real's 10-point lead has frittered to the point where they have Barcelona smelling blood. A four point advantage is still consequential, but Guardiola is fooling no-one by saying that his team's chances to go top is near-impossible. Real are still masters of their destiny and should win this, but one more faux-pas and Barcelona will be the ones to enjoy all favouritism come the Clasico in a few weeks time.
In a few hours, Barcelona should cut the gap to just 1 point when they host Getafe. They should win this game no problem.
So what to make of the Tiger and Rory flops in the Masters? They both had a good opening round on Thursday and then it all went downhill from there. Maybe Tiger still needs have to work on a few more things and that the Augusta Major came a little too soon since his win just a couple of weeks back. Maybe Rory shouldn't have taken 3 weeks off, and would have been better off with a prep tourney a week before the tournament? Just maybe's. But I felt Lee Westwood was the one to feel that this was one he should have won. He was the best at hitting fairways but just couldn't get hot on the putter. The fact that he putted 21 times more than Phil Mickelson, yet still finishing with the same score, and only 2 shots off the winner, says it all. It wouldn't be surprising if Westwood captured his first Major (finally) soon.
Win: Barcelona
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Masters Showdown 2012
Barcelona won and qualified, and they deserved it over the 2 legs. But their second penalty was not one. In every competitive football game, there are shirt foul tugging on corners that practically never ever get called. How the referee deemed that was necessary in such an important match at such a decisive time is mind-boggling. Barcelona are the best and do not need the ref's assistance, but there are many examples in recent years to the fact that they benefited from such dubious decisions from the men in black in the Champions League (think against Chelsea, Inter, Arsenal previously).
Tomorrow is the Golf Masters, my favourite golf Major of the year. Obviously, Tiger and Mc Ilroy draw all the attention here and on their current form, I would have no reservations seeing them both finish in the Top 10. My only issue is with the weather tomorrow, which could have some effect on the leaderboard. Tiger will tee off from the morning group where fine weather is expected. Mc Ilroy is part of the penultimate starting group in the evening when showers and thunderstorms are expected in the Augusta surroundings. That would be a big hindrance for the evening playing groups if the meteorological predictions prevail.
With that in mind, I have no problem seeing Tiger finish in the Top 10 on Sunday. As long as Rory has kept pace come the week-end and nature hasn't been too hard on his chances, he should finish in the Top 10 as well.
Masters Top 10: Tiger Woods, Rory Mc Ilroy
Tomorrow is the Golf Masters, my favourite golf Major of the year. Obviously, Tiger and Mc Ilroy draw all the attention here and on their current form, I would have no reservations seeing them both finish in the Top 10. My only issue is with the weather tomorrow, which could have some effect on the leaderboard. Tiger will tee off from the morning group where fine weather is expected. Mc Ilroy is part of the penultimate starting group in the evening when showers and thunderstorms are expected in the Augusta surroundings. That would be a big hindrance for the evening playing groups if the meteorological predictions prevail.
With that in mind, I have no problem seeing Tiger finish in the Top 10 on Sunday. As long as Rory has kept pace come the week-end and nature hasn't been too hard on his chances, he should finish in the Top 10 as well.
Masters Top 10: Tiger Woods, Rory Mc Ilroy
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Clash of 2 giants
Nothing to crow about over the week-end results with 6 winners, 2 losers and 1 voided. Swansea and Liverpool proved to be 2 badly-inspired selections.
The highlight of the week-end for me was the Peter Crouch goal against Man City. Clearly my vote of goal of the year and it will be hard to find a better one. There's everything in his goal; control, vision, precision matched with the perfect shot. For someone his stature, that was astonishing. Crouch is a good footballer and not just a header of goals.
The other highlight was Tiger Woods' win after over 2 years of drought. That must have been a monumental hurdle to get that first win after all the scandals, and I believe he's ready to rumble on. However, his odds to win the Masters is currently way too short, as his problem is now to come up to par with the current best golfer of the world, Rory Mc Ilroy (sorry Luke Donald, you're number 1 in the rankings but I would pick Mc Ilroy any day for a major tournament). The duel between Tiger and Rory will be fascinating to watch in a couple weeks' time.
This week starts the countdown to the Dubai World Cup meeting on Saturday; this will no doubt be the strongest meeting ever held in the desert, particularly with the big guns from Ballydoyle marking their presence. De Kock, Godolphin, Ballydoyle and the Asian contingent, that's where the winners look to be coming from when looking at the preliminary entries. I'll get to the meeting in due time.
Champions League football is on offer this week and Barcelona travel to Milan on Wednesday for their first leg quarterfinal match-up. With Real Madrid having a comfortable 6-point cushion in La Liga, Barcelona are definitely eyeing the UCL as their major prize to conquer this year. Milan can handle good teams at home as witnessed by their 4-0 thrashing of Arsenal in the previous round. I certainly think the scoreline was flattering for the hosts as Arsenal did spurn quite a few good chances to score. Barcelona might or will not be so forgiving. These are 2 European giants but with a clear difference in class. I see Barcelona qualifying no problem after 2 legs and I believe they have it in them not to lose at the San Siro; hence they are my selections.
The highlight of the week-end for me was the Peter Crouch goal against Man City. Clearly my vote of goal of the year and it will be hard to find a better one. There's everything in his goal; control, vision, precision matched with the perfect shot. For someone his stature, that was astonishing. Crouch is a good footballer and not just a header of goals.
The other highlight was Tiger Woods' win after over 2 years of drought. That must have been a monumental hurdle to get that first win after all the scandals, and I believe he's ready to rumble on. However, his odds to win the Masters is currently way too short, as his problem is now to come up to par with the current best golfer of the world, Rory Mc Ilroy (sorry Luke Donald, you're number 1 in the rankings but I would pick Mc Ilroy any day for a major tournament). The duel between Tiger and Rory will be fascinating to watch in a couple weeks' time.
This week starts the countdown to the Dubai World Cup meeting on Saturday; this will no doubt be the strongest meeting ever held in the desert, particularly with the big guns from Ballydoyle marking their presence. De Kock, Godolphin, Ballydoyle and the Asian contingent, that's where the winners look to be coming from when looking at the preliminary entries. I'll get to the meeting in due time.
Champions League football is on offer this week and Barcelona travel to Milan on Wednesday for their first leg quarterfinal match-up. With Real Madrid having a comfortable 6-point cushion in La Liga, Barcelona are definitely eyeing the UCL as their major prize to conquer this year. Milan can handle good teams at home as witnessed by their 4-0 thrashing of Arsenal in the previous round. I certainly think the scoreline was flattering for the hosts as Arsenal did spurn quite a few good chances to score. Barcelona might or will not be so forgiving. These are 2 European giants but with a clear difference in class. I see Barcelona qualifying no problem after 2 legs and I believe they have it in them not to lose at the San Siro; hence they are my selections.
To qualify: Barcelona
Draw-no-bet: Barcelona
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Blue Manchester in trouble
AC Milan, Man Utd, Bayern won and Musir finished in a rather disappointing 3rd place.
The suspected change in leadership in the EPL materialised as the red part of Manchester took the reins away from their blue neighbours. A few months ago, I was writing that this year's La Liga will go to Real Madrid and the EPL will go Man City, with the view that any one of them winning will be rewarding. The first one looks spot on, the second prediction looks fuzzy at the moment. The Citizens still have the advantage of receiving Man Utd at the Etihaad in one of the remaining games, but the momentum has currently turned into Utd's favour. The tide can still swing either way as I expect both to drop surprise points during the remaining fixtures. It will be a tight race but Man Utd are certainly in the driver's seat at the moment and deserving favourites. They are definitely ready for the title run-in while City have a mental hurdle to grasp and overcome, or their title chances could be ruined very rapidly. Exciting duel indeed.
Anyone seen any of the Rooney's penalties lately? It is obvious the guy gives it a good practice as he puts them spot on with no chance for the goalkeeper. Besides one blip when he slipped and missed last year, his penalties have been perfectly dispatched out of the keeper's reach. Contrast him with former team-mate Christiano Ronaldo, who can be as effective, but reacts to the keeper's movements to place his shot, virtually and un-sportingly cutting off his dash in the process. Give me a Rooney penalty to watch anytime.
The Super Saturday Meydan fixture did not go much in the way of the favourites given the ultra-competitive nature of the cards. The results do not give an indication of what the winners could look like on Dubai World Cup day, but they have allowed for certain fancied horses to be removed out of the equation. In this regard, Bold Silvano flopped again and does not look a contender for the DWC, even though connections are pointing out that he had a problem with his tongue over the bit during the race. Same for Gitano Hernando who was expected to find his mile distance too sharp but cannot be expected to improve wonders in 3 weeks time for the big race. The only 2 DWC horses that returned from a positive bulletin were Monterosso, who finished a creditable 4th and will be expected to be better for the run, and Master of Hounds who won on the turf course and might warrant a return to the Tapeta for the DWC.
In golf, Rory Mc Ilroy did not win but came out an eye-catching 3rd in the WGC Championship, one week after winning the Honda Classic. The Irishman certainly has been impressive in racking up quite a few Top 10 finishes and it will be interesting to follow his percentages in that regard. He's certainly getting better and better and warrants more confidence than any other golfer out there, including Tiger Woods.
The suspected change in leadership in the EPL materialised as the red part of Manchester took the reins away from their blue neighbours. A few months ago, I was writing that this year's La Liga will go to Real Madrid and the EPL will go Man City, with the view that any one of them winning will be rewarding. The first one looks spot on, the second prediction looks fuzzy at the moment. The Citizens still have the advantage of receiving Man Utd at the Etihaad in one of the remaining games, but the momentum has currently turned into Utd's favour. The tide can still swing either way as I expect both to drop surprise points during the remaining fixtures. It will be a tight race but Man Utd are certainly in the driver's seat at the moment and deserving favourites. They are definitely ready for the title run-in while City have a mental hurdle to grasp and overcome, or their title chances could be ruined very rapidly. Exciting duel indeed.
Anyone seen any of the Rooney's penalties lately? It is obvious the guy gives it a good practice as he puts them spot on with no chance for the goalkeeper. Besides one blip when he slipped and missed last year, his penalties have been perfectly dispatched out of the keeper's reach. Contrast him with former team-mate Christiano Ronaldo, who can be as effective, but reacts to the keeper's movements to place his shot, virtually and un-sportingly cutting off his dash in the process. Give me a Rooney penalty to watch anytime.
The Super Saturday Meydan fixture did not go much in the way of the favourites given the ultra-competitive nature of the cards. The results do not give an indication of what the winners could look like on Dubai World Cup day, but they have allowed for certain fancied horses to be removed out of the equation. In this regard, Bold Silvano flopped again and does not look a contender for the DWC, even though connections are pointing out that he had a problem with his tongue over the bit during the race. Same for Gitano Hernando who was expected to find his mile distance too sharp but cannot be expected to improve wonders in 3 weeks time for the big race. The only 2 DWC horses that returned from a positive bulletin were Monterosso, who finished a creditable 4th and will be expected to be better for the run, and Master of Hounds who won on the turf course and might warrant a return to the Tapeta for the DWC.
In golf, Rory Mc Ilroy did not win but came out an eye-catching 3rd in the WGC Championship, one week after winning the Honda Classic. The Irishman certainly has been impressive in racking up quite a few Top 10 finishes and it will be interesting to follow his percentages in that regard. He's certainly getting better and better and warrants more confidence than any other golfer out there, including Tiger Woods.
Monday, March 5, 2012
On the wane and on the rise
Rocket Man, Man City and Fulham all won easily; the only blot to the selections was Ultimate Eagle who got caught up in a speed duel in the early part of the race and ran out of gas to finish unplaced. His jockey Martin Pedroza complained about losing all chance in the suicidal early pace he was forced into with another runner; what gets to me is when jockeys complain about being caught in a speed frenzy, when the wisest thing to do as a rider is to relax the horse to let him run at its pace.
The EPL just got a tad more interesting with both Manchester teams winning, but more particularly with Man Utd getting 3 massive points at White Hart Lane. Whether their victory against Tottenham was deserved or not is a futile subject matter; the Red Devils have every reason to be growing in confidence. Their title chances are real.
What is also real is the sacking of Villa-Boas at Chelsea. To be fair to him, he inherited a team of aging stars in full decline. As mentioned many times, the team needs to be overhauled to compete with the likes of the Manchester teams again. Drogba, Terry, Lampard and co are on their last legs and it is amazing that the club top brass hasn't done much to look into reinforcing these backbone areas despite sitting on billions. Or so they thought 50million on Torres would do the trick?
A highlight of the week-end was Rory Mc Ilroy's win in the Honda Classic that elevated him as World No 1 Golfer for the first time. The fact that he beat Tiger Woods into second place could be a sign of things to come. It would not be surprising at all if these 2 were to duke it out in the Major tournaments this year. Game on, start of a true rivalry perhaps!
The EPL just got a tad more interesting with both Manchester teams winning, but more particularly with Man Utd getting 3 massive points at White Hart Lane. Whether their victory against Tottenham was deserved or not is a futile subject matter; the Red Devils have every reason to be growing in confidence. Their title chances are real.
What is also real is the sacking of Villa-Boas at Chelsea. To be fair to him, he inherited a team of aging stars in full decline. As mentioned many times, the team needs to be overhauled to compete with the likes of the Manchester teams again. Drogba, Terry, Lampard and co are on their last legs and it is amazing that the club top brass hasn't done much to look into reinforcing these backbone areas despite sitting on billions. Or so they thought 50million on Torres would do the trick?
A highlight of the week-end was Rory Mc Ilroy's win in the Honda Classic that elevated him as World No 1 Golfer for the first time. The fact that he beat Tiger Woods into second place could be a sign of things to come. It would not be surprising at all if these 2 were to duke it out in the Major tournaments this year. Game on, start of a true rivalry perhaps!
Monday, July 18, 2011
A beautiful day of sports
Not a great week-end in terms of punting with only Diamondhead winning and First Bid, Pembrey and Double Pass all disappointing and finishing among the pack. In fact, while Godolphin were celebrating a narrow Irish Oaks win with Blue Bunting, all their newcomers in England failed to fire. This stable is becoming very unpredictable to follow.
But despite the disappointments on the racing track, Sunday gave rise to a great day of celebrations in sports. It started with Darren Clarke winning a Major title at last. While the names of Irishmen favoured to win the Claret Jug were Rory McIlroy and Grame McDowell, it was 42-year old Clarke that broke his Major duck at last. Gone are the slogans "among the best not to win a Major", at least not to him. I had serious doubts whether he could hold on to his slender lead going into the week-end but he kept composure and the rest is now history. A crowd favourite that deserved every bit of winning a Major. 3 Northern Irishmen are currently holding Golf's 3 Major titles. Amazing. Who knows? Maybe this win has given hope to Colin Montgomery in this quest for that elusive Major victory...
The day continued with the Women World Cup final where Japan were taking on heavily-favoured USA. I didn't take much notice of Japan until they started beating Mexico, then England. They continued on their stunning winning ways by ousting holders and hosts Germany, and Sweden. All teams with pedigree. And for the final, they were taking on world beaters USA whom they'd never beaten in 25 past occasions! As destiny would have it, they won the final on penalty kicks, after 2 stunning comebacks in regulation and extra time.What an impressive never-say-die spirit, not just in the final but throughout the tournament. A few months after Victoire Pisa's win in the Dubai World Cup, it's another momentous win for Japan on the world stage. They won with class and are the world's best again. Extremely happy for a nation that is still trying to rebuild from the effects of the tsunami. Awesome Japan!
A beautiful day of sports yesterday was indeed.
But despite the disappointments on the racing track, Sunday gave rise to a great day of celebrations in sports. It started with Darren Clarke winning a Major title at last. While the names of Irishmen favoured to win the Claret Jug were Rory McIlroy and Grame McDowell, it was 42-year old Clarke that broke his Major duck at last. Gone are the slogans "among the best not to win a Major", at least not to him. I had serious doubts whether he could hold on to his slender lead going into the week-end but he kept composure and the rest is now history. A crowd favourite that deserved every bit of winning a Major. 3 Northern Irishmen are currently holding Golf's 3 Major titles. Amazing. Who knows? Maybe this win has given hope to Colin Montgomery in this quest for that elusive Major victory...
The day continued with the Women World Cup final where Japan were taking on heavily-favoured USA. I didn't take much notice of Japan until they started beating Mexico, then England. They continued on their stunning winning ways by ousting holders and hosts Germany, and Sweden. All teams with pedigree. And for the final, they were taking on world beaters USA whom they'd never beaten in 25 past occasions! As destiny would have it, they won the final on penalty kicks, after 2 stunning comebacks in regulation and extra time.What an impressive never-say-die spirit, not just in the final but throughout the tournament. A few months after Victoire Pisa's win in the Dubai World Cup, it's another momentous win for Japan on the world stage. They won with class and are the world's best again. Extremely happy for a nation that is still trying to rebuild from the effects of the tsunami. Awesome Japan!
A beautiful day of sports yesterday was indeed.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Major start
Hooray! The first 3 placings went to the 3 horses mentioned; El Muqbil beat Burj Hatta into second for 2 winning Place recommendations, and longshot Lupa Montana sealed the third spot for an exquisite Place for those who did not mind taking some risk.
On Thursday, Godolphin are in full force in the 20:05 Conditions Stakes race at Doncaster by fielding 3 of the 5 runners. This race should go between the stablemates Secrecy and Invisible Man. The former looks to be the stable's first string, being ridden by Dettori, and makes his seasonal debut. Godolphin runners do very well after a long layoff and I recommend this son of King's Best as an each-way. He should be at the finish.
The British Open starts tomorrow and all eyes will be on Rory McIlroy. The fact that the Irishman hasn't played competitive golf since his win in the US Open has the naysayers thinking he is going in without the best preparation. That might be true. He usually gets out of the gates fast, so the first 2 days will give an indication whether he's genuinely in the running or not. There are too many unknowns going in this tournament for there to be a clear-cut favourite. If McIlroy is on-song and tames the course, he should be in the thereabouts. At the end, it might very well give someone the chance to win a Major. You bet all of them are relishing the opportunity to win a Major one while Tiger remains in convalescence.
Each-way: Secrecy
On Thursday, Godolphin are in full force in the 20:05 Conditions Stakes race at Doncaster by fielding 3 of the 5 runners. This race should go between the stablemates Secrecy and Invisible Man. The former looks to be the stable's first string, being ridden by Dettori, and makes his seasonal debut. Godolphin runners do very well after a long layoff and I recommend this son of King's Best as an each-way. He should be at the finish.
The British Open starts tomorrow and all eyes will be on Rory McIlroy. The fact that the Irishman hasn't played competitive golf since his win in the US Open has the naysayers thinking he is going in without the best preparation. That might be true. He usually gets out of the gates fast, so the first 2 days will give an indication whether he's genuinely in the running or not. There are too many unknowns going in this tournament for there to be a clear-cut favourite. If McIlroy is on-song and tames the course, he should be in the thereabouts. At the end, it might very well give someone the chance to win a Major. You bet all of them are relishing the opportunity to win a Major one while Tiger remains in convalescence.
Each-way: Secrecy
Monday, June 20, 2011
Rory! Rory! Rory!
Without doubt, the news from the week-end was Rory McIlroy's tremendous win at the U.S Open. 4 rounds of under par and leading from start to finish, we haven't been witnessing this kind of dominant display for a long time. Soon enough, the questions abound as to how many more Majors is he going to win, and more importantly how does he and Tiger compare. Basically, what is the expectation of the Irish man?
It is often said that the first Major is the most difficult to get, and the floodgates open soon after that. Phil Mickleson was the ridicule of many for years before he finally ended his Major drought. Since his breakthrough, he has gotten a few more. When Rory came close in the 3 Majors before this year's US Open, particularly after his collapse in the final round of the Masters, there was little doubt in everyone's minds that he had this mental barrier to overcome first; would he close Majors like Greg Norman or like Tiger? The resounding answer now, is that maybe neither. He blew the opposition from the gates like Frankel did in the Guineas!
With this first win, can he aspire to many more to levels of Tiger and Nicklaus? It's very much too early to say even though age-wise, he has gotten very much a head-start. The thing with Tiger is that winning the most majors has been his almost-singular goal in life. It's ingrained in his DNA. Rory appears more laid-back and does not seem to have that urge to be the all-time best, at this moment. Anyway, it would seem pretentious of him, given that Tiger is still active.
Rory's domination this week-end was a pivotal moment. Before, the saying was if Tiger is playing at his best, every one else is playing for second place. The feeling now is even if Tiger plays at his best, a top-notch Rory could still outgun him. 2 Champions, 2 contrasting styles. If Tiger can get his old form back or be even better, this new rivalry could be worth its pot of gold.
It is often said that the first Major is the most difficult to get, and the floodgates open soon after that. Phil Mickleson was the ridicule of many for years before he finally ended his Major drought. Since his breakthrough, he has gotten a few more. When Rory came close in the 3 Majors before this year's US Open, particularly after his collapse in the final round of the Masters, there was little doubt in everyone's minds that he had this mental barrier to overcome first; would he close Majors like Greg Norman or like Tiger? The resounding answer now, is that maybe neither. He blew the opposition from the gates like Frankel did in the Guineas!
With this first win, can he aspire to many more to levels of Tiger and Nicklaus? It's very much too early to say even though age-wise, he has gotten very much a head-start. The thing with Tiger is that winning the most majors has been his almost-singular goal in life. It's ingrained in his DNA. Rory appears more laid-back and does not seem to have that urge to be the all-time best, at this moment. Anyway, it would seem pretentious of him, given that Tiger is still active.
Rory's domination this week-end was a pivotal moment. Before, the saying was if Tiger is playing at his best, every one else is playing for second place. The feeling now is even if Tiger plays at his best, a top-notch Rory could still outgun him. 2 Champions, 2 contrasting styles. If Tiger can get his old form back or be even better, this new rivalry could be worth its pot of gold.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Musings from the week-end
Apologies for the time off updating the blog. It all started with the Blogger web sites problems, which seemed to take forever to be fixed, and which prevented me from giving the week-ends predictions.
Going back to my last predictions last Wednesday, they were all bang on. Noble Graduate and Last Crusade were the exacta I mentioned. Midday won on her return and Lyric Street won his weak race as well. West Ham have been relegated at the week-end and I just couldn`t see it otherwise given their poor away form all season.
Doing some round-up in what I thought were the major headlines this past week-end in the world of sports that I select to follow. Nothing much new to add in football with Man Utd and Barcelona claiming the spoils as expected. Man City won the FA Cup but I join the chorus of disapprovals regarding this game being played on a usual Saturday game day. If the FA Cup has lost its past lustre, it`s not because Man Utd opted out of it one year a decade back to play the World Club Championship in Brazil. It`s not because it was played in Cardiff for a few years while the old Wembley was being restored. It`s because of things like this where the recognition of the Final being traditionally played on the Saturday following the season end, is lost among a day of Saturday fixtures. Typically, the worst nightmare scenario for the FA ominously occured right this year when Man City`s Cup triumph coincided with Man Utd`s clinching of the Premier League title. While the City of Manchester had every reason to be in cheers, two of the biggest headlines in English football had to be shared into one.
The thing with the FA Cup is that its magic transcends British shores. Ask a French football fan about The Cup and he won`t be talking about La Coupe de France. Nor will a Spanish be talking of Copa del Rey. The Cup, as they know it, is the FA Cup. And sadly its significance is being lost by the very people that were tasked to restore it to its previous glory.
I am being amazed by what is unfolding in tennis. If someone had told me at the start of the year that Nadal would be playing some of his best tennis and still lose 4 finals in a row to Djokovic, I would have been laying all day and night. I`m glad for my pocket that I never got that chance. Djokovic has been playing unbelievable tennis for the last while, and nothing from the past could have suggested he would be that dominant against his peers in that way. From a punting point of view, he now seems value every time he meets a Top 5 opponent, since that`s about the only time his odds are not around 1.01, and he seems he`ll still find the way to win. The Serb is the most improved athlete I can think of om years. He was good, but nowhere near that kind of good.
In racing, Canford Cliffs confirmed all the positive vibes surrounding him by dominating the Lockinge. I`m like the rest of racing fans and awaiting a Frankel, Goldikova, Cliffs showdown. I just hope that the mare is still at her best, and if she can put the young male pretenders to their place, then so be it.
Last word in golf where Tiger is making headlines for the wrong reasons by pulling out of the Player`s Championship due to injury. Suddenly, everyone is questioning whether his quest for beating Jack Nicklaus` Major record is still possible. In my opinion, it`s probably too early to have any kind of judgement regarding his abilities or record quest. The gap between him and the rest has certainly narrowed a considerable bit, and the young guns like Mc Ilroy won`t be feeling the inferiority complex that the rest of the field have. It`s game on for Tiger and he needs a big win at a Major this year to get a good part of his aura back. US Open may be? we`ll see.
Going back to my last predictions last Wednesday, they were all bang on. Noble Graduate and Last Crusade were the exacta I mentioned. Midday won on her return and Lyric Street won his weak race as well. West Ham have been relegated at the week-end and I just couldn`t see it otherwise given their poor away form all season.
Doing some round-up in what I thought were the major headlines this past week-end in the world of sports that I select to follow. Nothing much new to add in football with Man Utd and Barcelona claiming the spoils as expected. Man City won the FA Cup but I join the chorus of disapprovals regarding this game being played on a usual Saturday game day. If the FA Cup has lost its past lustre, it`s not because Man Utd opted out of it one year a decade back to play the World Club Championship in Brazil. It`s not because it was played in Cardiff for a few years while the old Wembley was being restored. It`s because of things like this where the recognition of the Final being traditionally played on the Saturday following the season end, is lost among a day of Saturday fixtures. Typically, the worst nightmare scenario for the FA ominously occured right this year when Man City`s Cup triumph coincided with Man Utd`s clinching of the Premier League title. While the City of Manchester had every reason to be in cheers, two of the biggest headlines in English football had to be shared into one.
The thing with the FA Cup is that its magic transcends British shores. Ask a French football fan about The Cup and he won`t be talking about La Coupe de France. Nor will a Spanish be talking of Copa del Rey. The Cup, as they know it, is the FA Cup. And sadly its significance is being lost by the very people that were tasked to restore it to its previous glory.
I am being amazed by what is unfolding in tennis. If someone had told me at the start of the year that Nadal would be playing some of his best tennis and still lose 4 finals in a row to Djokovic, I would have been laying all day and night. I`m glad for my pocket that I never got that chance. Djokovic has been playing unbelievable tennis for the last while, and nothing from the past could have suggested he would be that dominant against his peers in that way. From a punting point of view, he now seems value every time he meets a Top 5 opponent, since that`s about the only time his odds are not around 1.01, and he seems he`ll still find the way to win. The Serb is the most improved athlete I can think of om years. He was good, but nowhere near that kind of good.
In racing, Canford Cliffs confirmed all the positive vibes surrounding him by dominating the Lockinge. I`m like the rest of racing fans and awaiting a Frankel, Goldikova, Cliffs showdown. I just hope that the mare is still at her best, and if she can put the young male pretenders to their place, then so be it.
Last word in golf where Tiger is making headlines for the wrong reasons by pulling out of the Player`s Championship due to injury. Suddenly, everyone is questioning whether his quest for beating Jack Nicklaus` Major record is still possible. In my opinion, it`s probably too early to have any kind of judgement regarding his abilities or record quest. The gap between him and the rest has certainly narrowed a considerable bit, and the young guns like Mc Ilroy won`t be feeling the inferiority complex that the rest of the field have. It`s game on for Tiger and he needs a big win at a Major this year to get a good part of his aura back. US Open may be? we`ll see.
Monday, April 11, 2011
Rory fades but the Roar is back
A quite superb week-end it was with 6 out of 7 recommendations winning, and 1 voided for a draw. Inter, Barcelona, Man Utd, Lyon, Aston Villa and Chelsea all won, while Marseille drew at home to Toulouse.
Not much to take anew from the world of football where the major protagonists in English, Italian, and Spanish Leagues won. Man Utd look rock solid, their deep squad coming through when needed. Having only the League to play for should give Arsenal the necessary focus and energy to handle their remaining games better than usual. In La Liga, Barcelona and Madrid are sharpening their knives ahead of the clasico's ahead. The return to form of Kaka is a massive boost for the Los Blancos. We'll see if that's enough to derail Messi and company.
For me, the main story of the week-end was Tiger's performance at the Masters, particularly the last round on Sunday. Too bad Rory McIlroy capitulated at the end, but it looks like Tiger's finally back! And that's great news for punters because at his best, there's probably no more dominating athlete in any sport besides Tiger! It's time to take a close tab on his next tournaments, that's for sure.
Going back to football, on Tuesday, Man Utd host Chelsea for the return leg of the Champions League. I can't see Utd losing this game. This is potentially the last meaningful game of the season for Chelsea to play for, and that will surely drive them. But Man Utd have the form, the youth, the hunger, the first-game result, and the fans on their side. Rio Ferdinand is back to tighten things at the back with Vidic. Hard to see a declining Blues team getting a result at Old Trafford. A draw-no-bet on Rooney and his teammates is recommended.
Draw-no-bet: Man Utd
Not much to take anew from the world of football where the major protagonists in English, Italian, and Spanish Leagues won. Man Utd look rock solid, their deep squad coming through when needed. Having only the League to play for should give Arsenal the necessary focus and energy to handle their remaining games better than usual. In La Liga, Barcelona and Madrid are sharpening their knives ahead of the clasico's ahead. The return to form of Kaka is a massive boost for the Los Blancos. We'll see if that's enough to derail Messi and company.
For me, the main story of the week-end was Tiger's performance at the Masters, particularly the last round on Sunday. Too bad Rory McIlroy capitulated at the end, but it looks like Tiger's finally back! And that's great news for punters because at his best, there's probably no more dominating athlete in any sport besides Tiger! It's time to take a close tab on his next tournaments, that's for sure.
Going back to football, on Tuesday, Man Utd host Chelsea for the return leg of the Champions League. I can't see Utd losing this game. This is potentially the last meaningful game of the season for Chelsea to play for, and that will surely drive them. But Man Utd have the form, the youth, the hunger, the first-game result, and the fans on their side. Rio Ferdinand is back to tighten things at the back with Vidic. Hard to see a declining Blues team getting a result at Old Trafford. A draw-no-bet on Rooney and his teammates is recommended.
Draw-no-bet: Man Utd
Friday, April 8, 2011
Week-end Preview
Las Verglas Star came out second for a winning Place recommendation. A lot of interesting things going on in the world of sports this week-end with the golf Masters (can Rory do it?), the Grand National (will McCoy win again?), and of course the usual football and racing.
I was mentioning earlier this week that I thought La Liga was over. I can't see Barcelona losing the title with an 8-point advantage at this stage of the season. I think it is obvious for both teams as well that the race is over and that there are "better fish to fry", notably the Copa del Rey and Champions League where both teams look assured to clash again. So, this makes it a little tricky to analyze their remaining League matches because they will obviously not be fielding their best teams. So, as Real Madrid travel to Bilbao, Mourinho might feel the time is right to experiment with his team selection and give a rest to some players. I would not be surprised if Bilbao get a draw or even take the spoils there. Too unpredictable to forecast this game. Barcelona host Almeira. Again here, it looks certain that Guardiola will freshen things up and give a chance to fringe players. Even so, I cannot see them missing the golden 3 points available here. Barcelona as a Win is recommended.
The Premier League looks a more interesting proposition to follow as although Man Utd have a seven point lead (with an extra game played than Arsenal), their road to the title is somewhat more difficult than Barcelona. That's the competitive nature of the league, where even the lowest-ranked teams can spring shock results as they wage their own relegation battle. There is no doubt that Man Utd got a huge boost by beating Chelsea in mid-week, and their confidence will have soared with the return of centre-half Rio Ferdinand. They entertain Fulham who are by means an easy team to deal with. Mark Hughes teams always have character and will have a go at the hosts. Still, Man Utd should prevail in this one and should they fail to win the 3 points, a draw is a minimum result for them. A draw-no-bet on Man Utd is recommended.
In the other Premier League games, Chelsea should overcome Wigan. If they were in the thick of the title race, it would be a sure Chelsea win. Since they are (mostly) out of it, and that the Champions League return leg at Old Trafford will be on their minds, Carlos Ancelotti is bound to rest key players now that he has a full-squad at his disposal. Chelsea is a draw-no-bet recommendation. I like Aston Villa's chances against Newcastle on Sunday. Villa have to pick up points as they try to distance themselves from the relegation zone. Obviously the quality available in this squad means that they shouldn't be there in the first place. The positive vibe from the Villains is that Darren Bent is scoring. To me, he's one of the top 5 strikers in the league, and should score enough goals till the end of the season to get his team out of its precarious position. A draw-no-bet on Villa is recommended.
In the Serie A, Inter play host to Chievo. The big question is what kind of Inter will show up; a demolarised one after consecutive thumpings from Milan and Schalke at the San Siro? Or a re-energized one that is solely focused on retaining its Serie A title, now that they almost have both feet out of the Champions League? I see Inter grinding a win out of this, or a draw in case Chievo prove resilient. A draw-no-bet on Inter is the recommendation.
In France, Lyon and Marseille should either win or draw their home matches. Both of their title aspirations are slim as Lille is looking like a runaway winner, but they are working on maximizing points in their battle for Champions League/European spots.
Win: Barcelona
Draw-no-bet: Man Utd, Chelsea, Aston Villa, Inter Milan, Marseille, Lyon
I was mentioning earlier this week that I thought La Liga was over. I can't see Barcelona losing the title with an 8-point advantage at this stage of the season. I think it is obvious for both teams as well that the race is over and that there are "better fish to fry", notably the Copa del Rey and Champions League where both teams look assured to clash again. So, this makes it a little tricky to analyze their remaining League matches because they will obviously not be fielding their best teams. So, as Real Madrid travel to Bilbao, Mourinho might feel the time is right to experiment with his team selection and give a rest to some players. I would not be surprised if Bilbao get a draw or even take the spoils there. Too unpredictable to forecast this game. Barcelona host Almeira. Again here, it looks certain that Guardiola will freshen things up and give a chance to fringe players. Even so, I cannot see them missing the golden 3 points available here. Barcelona as a Win is recommended.
The Premier League looks a more interesting proposition to follow as although Man Utd have a seven point lead (with an extra game played than Arsenal), their road to the title is somewhat more difficult than Barcelona. That's the competitive nature of the league, where even the lowest-ranked teams can spring shock results as they wage their own relegation battle. There is no doubt that Man Utd got a huge boost by beating Chelsea in mid-week, and their confidence will have soared with the return of centre-half Rio Ferdinand. They entertain Fulham who are by means an easy team to deal with. Mark Hughes teams always have character and will have a go at the hosts. Still, Man Utd should prevail in this one and should they fail to win the 3 points, a draw is a minimum result for them. A draw-no-bet on Man Utd is recommended.
In the other Premier League games, Chelsea should overcome Wigan. If they were in the thick of the title race, it would be a sure Chelsea win. Since they are (mostly) out of it, and that the Champions League return leg at Old Trafford will be on their minds, Carlos Ancelotti is bound to rest key players now that he has a full-squad at his disposal. Chelsea is a draw-no-bet recommendation. I like Aston Villa's chances against Newcastle on Sunday. Villa have to pick up points as they try to distance themselves from the relegation zone. Obviously the quality available in this squad means that they shouldn't be there in the first place. The positive vibe from the Villains is that Darren Bent is scoring. To me, he's one of the top 5 strikers in the league, and should score enough goals till the end of the season to get his team out of its precarious position. A draw-no-bet on Villa is recommended.
In the Serie A, Inter play host to Chievo. The big question is what kind of Inter will show up; a demolarised one after consecutive thumpings from Milan and Schalke at the San Siro? Or a re-energized one that is solely focused on retaining its Serie A title, now that they almost have both feet out of the Champions League? I see Inter grinding a win out of this, or a draw in case Chievo prove resilient. A draw-no-bet on Inter is the recommendation.
In France, Lyon and Marseille should either win or draw their home matches. Both of their title aspirations are slim as Lille is looking like a runaway winner, but they are working on maximizing points in their battle for Champions League/European spots.
Win: Barcelona
Draw-no-bet: Man Utd, Chelsea, Aston Villa, Inter Milan, Marseille, Lyon
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Newcastle Thursday preview
That was a bad call on Monitor Closely who came out 3rd out of the 5-horse race for a losing recommendation. Both him and King's Gambit were surprised by St Moritz, the Medicean gelding from the Nicholls yard.
On Thursday, the best chance of the day seems to be with Las Verglas Star in the Newcastle 17:15 Handicap. The 3-year old gelding from the Richard Fahey yard easily won his seasonal opener at Musselburg last week, and should be taking all the beating in this race. He seems to be benefiting from being gelded and the yard is in very good form. So Las Verglas Star is a recommendation for a Place.
The Masters has started today and Rory McIlroy has started superbly with a -7. It would be great if he could go all the way. I'm still waiting for Tiger to show that he's completely back to his old self. Once he does, there won't be many better punts than on him, no matter the sport. Until he gets his swagger back, it makes sense to take a pass on him.
Place: Last Verglas Star
On Thursday, the best chance of the day seems to be with Las Verglas Star in the Newcastle 17:15 Handicap. The 3-year old gelding from the Richard Fahey yard easily won his seasonal opener at Musselburg last week, and should be taking all the beating in this race. He seems to be benefiting from being gelded and the yard is in very good form. So Las Verglas Star is a recommendation for a Place.
The Masters has started today and Rory McIlroy has started superbly with a -7. It would be great if he could go all the way. I'm still waiting for Tiger to show that he's completely back to his old self. Once he does, there won't be many better punts than on him, no matter the sport. Until he gets his swagger back, it makes sense to take a pass on him.
Place: Last Verglas Star
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