A huge week-end indeed it was as 9 out of the 11 recommendations worked wonders, 1 voided (Liverpool) and 1 lost (Barcelona to win). It would have been tops if the Blaugrana had won, but even so, the rest made up for a week-end to remember.
In football, Man Utd, Real Madrid, Man City, Aston Villa, Chelsea all won, Liverpool drew for a voided punt, and Barcelona only drew as well. It was a close shave for the Red Devils who only had to thank old team-mate Wes Brown for an own goal. Barcelona were undone by an unplayable field, that's one of the ways to stop them. Real Madrid are now 3 points clear and the Catalans will be mindful to mind the gap.
Racing was tops with Goldikova justifying the confidence of a Place result, and beating Strong Suit in a match-bet. Though jockey Peslier certainly caused trouble to the others with a petulant change of lane to give his mount clear daylight, I doubt that the affected horses could have toppled the Queen for the third place finish without the incident. Laying Strong Suit and Uncle Mo proved justifiable and rewarding, particularly that I don't usually recommend lays, unless they are that obvious.
Some of my other observations from the Breeders Cup. St Nicholas Abbey finally showed the form many, including I, were expecting him to run since his dominating juvenile year. He was simply outstanding and would have given the best middle-distance horses a run for their money on that day. A peach of a ride from Joseph O'Brien as well.
So You Think ran well and I thought he had a great chance entering the straight but in the end, his effort was very gallant, finishing not too far to the winner. The lesson yet again from those World Championships is that European runners are tough to beat on turf just as the dirt is the domain of the US runners. There are bound to be exceptions like Arazi, Johannesburg and Court Vision, but the greater probability will mostly prevail.
On the local scene, Paul Hanagan won his second consecutive jockey championship. But the jockey that met the eye this year was certainly Silvestre de Sousa. A fantastically powerful finisher, there's no doubt that he can improve up and bounds to become among the best in the business. He is certainly to be followed as from now on.
Showing posts with label Strong Suit. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Strong Suit. Show all posts
Monday, November 7, 2011
Friday, November 4, 2011
Huge Week-end
A fantastic week-end of racing and football is on the menu, and it's hoping that the punts turn out to be as great as well.
Let's start with the Breeders' Cup where I cannot see Goldikova coming out of the placings. Draw is good, track is good and she's encountered better opposition. I can foresee just 2 negatives, if any. That she could get boxed in the straight from the rails. But I hardly see that happening with a seasoned jockey like Peslier. The second negative would be if the turf turned too soft. It looks like it will be a mixture of good to yielding; obviously the firmer, the better for her, but the ground conditions should be alright for her. I think the Queen is set to win her last race, and if she doesn't, she should be in the second or third. A Place recommendation on Goldikova looks safe to me.
In the same race, I re-iterate my previous observation that Strong Suit does not have the credentials to win this race. He's too short at 4/1 and is a big lay in my books. I cannot see him winning a match-bet against Goldikova. So I recommend a Lay to Win on him, and I also confidently recommend Goldikova in a match-bet against him.
The main race is the one everyone wants to win and So You Think will carry Europe's or Australasia's hopes, whichever angle you look at it. It will be a tall order for the son of High Chaparral. Pedigree-wise, the dirt will not suit. He's going to sport blinkers which he hasn't done since a couple of years back. He comes over a difficult October with 2 hard races in the Arc and Champion Stakes. Basically, he's got hardly any decent rest for this race. Remains to be seen how jockey Ryan Moore will cope on the dirt surface. To be seen whether trainer O'Brien has mismanaged him yet again. All questions marks of note, but if there is a horse who can do it against the odds, it will be him. His critics pound him for not being the super horse he was billed out to be Down Under. Maybe he disappointed in 3 losses in Europe, but to me, there were excuses to all of them, which I've covered at length before. He gained my admiration when nearly winning the Champion Stakes after only 13 days rest from the Arc. I hope he wins the Classic, but it is more hope than confidence.
Uncle Mo is the favourite of the race and although he is possibly the best miler on dirt, he will have to stretch to cover the 10 furlongs. Any chance he had of winning was scuppered with his outside draw, in my estimate. He is a stalker of a horse that is never off the pace and things will be harder for him from the outside post. His odds are way too short and it makes sense to oppose him; I recommend to Lay him as Win.
In football, I cannot think of a better way for Man Utd to celebrate Alex Ferguson's extraordinary 25 years at the helm, by beating Sunderland. Steve Bruce's men have no chance of winning this. If they are lucky, they can squeeze in a point. But I believe the Red Devils will win this and recommend them as an outright Win.
Aston Villa, Chelsea, Liverpool and Man City are all recommended as draw-no-bets as I don't see them being bothered by the inferior opposition they will be facing.
In La Liga, Real Madrid is a banker to beat Osasuna. I just cannot see them being held by Osasuna, so I recommend the Los Blancos as an outright Win. Barcelona face an arguably tougher task in Athletico Bilbao but they should prevail at the end, and are also recommended as a straight Win.
Let's start with the Breeders' Cup where I cannot see Goldikova coming out of the placings. Draw is good, track is good and she's encountered better opposition. I can foresee just 2 negatives, if any. That she could get boxed in the straight from the rails. But I hardly see that happening with a seasoned jockey like Peslier. The second negative would be if the turf turned too soft. It looks like it will be a mixture of good to yielding; obviously the firmer, the better for her, but the ground conditions should be alright for her. I think the Queen is set to win her last race, and if she doesn't, she should be in the second or third. A Place recommendation on Goldikova looks safe to me.
In the same race, I re-iterate my previous observation that Strong Suit does not have the credentials to win this race. He's too short at 4/1 and is a big lay in my books. I cannot see him winning a match-bet against Goldikova. So I recommend a Lay to Win on him, and I also confidently recommend Goldikova in a match-bet against him.
The main race is the one everyone wants to win and So You Think will carry Europe's or Australasia's hopes, whichever angle you look at it. It will be a tall order for the son of High Chaparral. Pedigree-wise, the dirt will not suit. He's going to sport blinkers which he hasn't done since a couple of years back. He comes over a difficult October with 2 hard races in the Arc and Champion Stakes. Basically, he's got hardly any decent rest for this race. Remains to be seen how jockey Ryan Moore will cope on the dirt surface. To be seen whether trainer O'Brien has mismanaged him yet again. All questions marks of note, but if there is a horse who can do it against the odds, it will be him. His critics pound him for not being the super horse he was billed out to be Down Under. Maybe he disappointed in 3 losses in Europe, but to me, there were excuses to all of them, which I've covered at length before. He gained my admiration when nearly winning the Champion Stakes after only 13 days rest from the Arc. I hope he wins the Classic, but it is more hope than confidence.
Uncle Mo is the favourite of the race and although he is possibly the best miler on dirt, he will have to stretch to cover the 10 furlongs. Any chance he had of winning was scuppered with his outside draw, in my estimate. He is a stalker of a horse that is never off the pace and things will be harder for him from the outside post. His odds are way too short and it makes sense to oppose him; I recommend to Lay him as Win.
In football, I cannot think of a better way for Man Utd to celebrate Alex Ferguson's extraordinary 25 years at the helm, by beating Sunderland. Steve Bruce's men have no chance of winning this. If they are lucky, they can squeeze in a point. But I believe the Red Devils will win this and recommend them as an outright Win.
Aston Villa, Chelsea, Liverpool and Man City are all recommended as draw-no-bets as I don't see them being bothered by the inferior opposition they will be facing.
In La Liga, Real Madrid is a banker to beat Osasuna. I just cannot see them being held by Osasuna, so I recommend the Los Blancos as an outright Win. Barcelona face an arguably tougher task in Athletico Bilbao but they should prevail at the end, and are also recommended as a straight Win.
Win: Real Madrid, Barcelona, Man Utd
Draw-no-bet: Aston Villa, Chelsea, Liverpool, Man City Place: Goldikova
Match-bet: Goldikova
Lay: Strong Suit, Uncle Mo
Thursday, November 3, 2011
A Strong Lay
Bayern, Man Utd won as expected while Benfica drew with Basle for a voided punt.
A few developments in horse racing that of worthy of note in the past days. First, the news that Born To Sea had torn a muscle in his surprise defeat to Nephrite last Sunday. If that injury hampered the son of Urban Sea in any way, then there's hope that his defeat wasn't due to a lack of talent; he might still be able to give justice to the high opinion of him by the racing world, primarily due to his regal pedigree. After Sunday, his stock had taken a beating and his ante-post odds for next year's Guineas shot up from 6's to the current 14's. While I am not a fan of such markets, serious ante-post punters would be hard-pressed to find better value and might want a crack; if he stays healthy, this horse can become a serious miler next year, in my opinion.
The Breeders Cup starts on Friday with a very competitive card, but the main races of interest are really run on Saturday. At this point, I am at a loss as to why there is a such a strong interest in Strong Suit in the BC Mile. He's got the poorest of draws, he's far from a proven Group 1 winner, he's unproven on the 2-turn track, and he's going to encounter mighty Goldikova. To top it all, he was unable to train properly today along with some other English raiders, resulting in the top-headline drama between the track officials and some English trainers. To me, Strong Suit is a big lay for the Win. Goldikova will certainly beat him in any match-bet, in my opinion. I will wait for tomorrow's events to draw confirmation on all this, but I really think opposing the Hannon star would be rewarding on Saturday.
A few developments in horse racing that of worthy of note in the past days. First, the news that Born To Sea had torn a muscle in his surprise defeat to Nephrite last Sunday. If that injury hampered the son of Urban Sea in any way, then there's hope that his defeat wasn't due to a lack of talent; he might still be able to give justice to the high opinion of him by the racing world, primarily due to his regal pedigree. After Sunday, his stock had taken a beating and his ante-post odds for next year's Guineas shot up from 6's to the current 14's. While I am not a fan of such markets, serious ante-post punters would be hard-pressed to find better value and might want a crack; if he stays healthy, this horse can become a serious miler next year, in my opinion.
The Breeders Cup starts on Friday with a very competitive card, but the main races of interest are really run on Saturday. At this point, I am at a loss as to why there is a such a strong interest in Strong Suit in the BC Mile. He's got the poorest of draws, he's far from a proven Group 1 winner, he's unproven on the 2-turn track, and he's going to encounter mighty Goldikova. To top it all, he was unable to train properly today along with some other English raiders, resulting in the top-headline drama between the track officials and some English trainers. To me, Strong Suit is a big lay for the Win. Goldikova will certainly beat him in any match-bet, in my opinion. I will wait for tomorrow's events to draw confirmation on all this, but I really think opposing the Hannon star would be rewarding on Saturday.
Monday, October 10, 2011
Euro 2012 - Last round.
A perfect week-end of punts as Strong Suit and Gio Ponti won while Power came in a good second.
On Tuesday, the last round of matches for Euro 2012 come to the fore and there are still some nations awaiting to secure their place in the finals; the biggest match probably being between Portugal and Denmark. An Euro competition without Christiano Ronaldo would be quite something, not just for international football in general, but also for the player himself. If that were the case, maybe a good dose of humility will finally tap into this player, whose customary declarations are always about how good he is. Anyway, this match can go either way, so may the best nation win and qualify.
Among the other matches, I see Turkey beating Azerbaijan, Russia will no doubt beat Andorra to secure first spot. Already-qualified Italy will still beat the hopelessly bad Northern Ireland. Spain also has its tickets booked to the finals and should overcome Scotland, whose hopes are just hanging on a thread. All the hosts mentioned above are recommended to win.
Win: Turkey, Russia, Italy, Spain
On Tuesday, the last round of matches for Euro 2012 come to the fore and there are still some nations awaiting to secure their place in the finals; the biggest match probably being between Portugal and Denmark. An Euro competition without Christiano Ronaldo would be quite something, not just for international football in general, but also for the player himself. If that were the case, maybe a good dose of humility will finally tap into this player, whose customary declarations are always about how good he is. Anyway, this match can go either way, so may the best nation win and qualify.
Among the other matches, I see Turkey beating Azerbaijan, Russia will no doubt beat Andorra to secure first spot. Already-qualified Italy will still beat the hopelessly bad Northern Ireland. Spain also has its tickets booked to the finals and should overcome Scotland, whose hopes are just hanging on a thread. All the hosts mentioned above are recommended to win.
Win: Turkey, Russia, Italy, Spain
Friday, October 7, 2011
Week-end racing
England drew and qualified for the Euro 2012, but the main talking point of the game was Rooney's red card. Does anyone wonder why England hasn't won something of note for a long time? It has brilliant players like Beckham, Rooney, yet when the chips are down, the brilliance turns into stupidity. Rooney's red against Montenegro was not as serious as Beckham's red against Argentina, or the same Rooney's red against Portugal, but it outlined the same problem again. Americans call them chokers when their sports stars screw up under pressure. This is worst than choking, it is plain idiocy.
Manager Capello calling Rooney fit to play mentally has to be one of the worst public managerial calls. It was a bold decision for him to make and say, and boy was he ever proven wrong in front of skeptics who rightfully questioned the state of the player following his dad's arrest 24 hours earlier, ironically, for a betting scam involving a red card. Really, the petulant striker's sending off was really written somewhere out there!
This week-end is all about racing with club football leaving the centre stage to the Euro qualifiers until next week. On Saturday, I like Strong Suit's chances in the first race at Newmarket. He's clearly the class of the race and will sport a penalty in this rather weak Group 2 contest. This colt from the Hannon stable is definitely better since his wind operation and he should definitely be in the first 3. I recommend him as an each-way.
The Dewhurst is the main race on the Newmarket race card and Power is the deserving favourite having bagged 4 wins out of 5, including 2 strong Group races in the National Stakes and Coventry Stakes. If Ryan Moore is close to his best abilities after his long layoff, he should have no problem steering the Oasis Dream colt in the first 3. The main opponents look to be the unbeaten Bronterre and Ektihaam, both of whom are stepping up in class for the first time. A Place on Power is the recommendation.
Finally, Gio Ponti runs in the Group 1 Shadwell Turf Mile at Keenland, U.S. The 2-time U.S turf champion is looking for his first win of the year after good runner-up efforts in his last 2 races. Although now six, the Tale of the Cat colt is still one of the leading runners at a mile and over in the U.S on turf. He always gives the best account of himself, so can never be disregarded. The race has also attracted Zoffany from the Ballydoyle stable. If he's anywhere close to his best, Gio Ponti should win this. Even if one of the younger brigade were to usurp him, he should still be in the first 3. I recommend him as a strong Place.
Place: Power, Gio Ponti
Each-way: Strong Suit.
Manager Capello calling Rooney fit to play mentally has to be one of the worst public managerial calls. It was a bold decision for him to make and say, and boy was he ever proven wrong in front of skeptics who rightfully questioned the state of the player following his dad's arrest 24 hours earlier, ironically, for a betting scam involving a red card. Really, the petulant striker's sending off was really written somewhere out there!
This week-end is all about racing with club football leaving the centre stage to the Euro qualifiers until next week. On Saturday, I like Strong Suit's chances in the first race at Newmarket. He's clearly the class of the race and will sport a penalty in this rather weak Group 2 contest. This colt from the Hannon stable is definitely better since his wind operation and he should definitely be in the first 3. I recommend him as an each-way.
The Dewhurst is the main race on the Newmarket race card and Power is the deserving favourite having bagged 4 wins out of 5, including 2 strong Group races in the National Stakes and Coventry Stakes. If Ryan Moore is close to his best abilities after his long layoff, he should have no problem steering the Oasis Dream colt in the first 3. The main opponents look to be the unbeaten Bronterre and Ektihaam, both of whom are stepping up in class for the first time. A Place on Power is the recommendation.
Finally, Gio Ponti runs in the Group 1 Shadwell Turf Mile at Keenland, U.S. The 2-time U.S turf champion is looking for his first win of the year after good runner-up efforts in his last 2 races. Although now six, the Tale of the Cat colt is still one of the leading runners at a mile and over in the U.S on turf. He always gives the best account of himself, so can never be disregarded. The race has also attracted Zoffany from the Ballydoyle stable. If he's anywhere close to his best, Gio Ponti should win this. Even if one of the younger brigade were to usurp him, he should still be in the first 3. I recommend him as a strong Place.
Place: Power, Gio Ponti
Each-way: Strong Suit.
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
The world's best miler
Strong Suit won well for a good recommendation. When in form, he's clearly a notch above anything else in that race at the distance.
They were 3 in contention, now they are down to 2. By soundly beating Goldikova, Canford Cliffs removed one formidable foe that could have halted his quest for being the world's best miler horse. Only the mighty Frankel now stands in his way. It's amazing how these 2 champions have scared away the opposition none of the colts that ran in the French, Irish or English Guineas (besides Frankel himself) will be present. Rajsaman and Rio de La Plata will be the only other ones trying to provide some challenge but it looks more like a lost cause really.
The official handicappers have it that if Frankel repeats his devastating run of the Guineas, he will be 10 pounds clear of Canford Cliffs' best and should win easily. There is no way, in any shape or form, that Canford Cliffs is 10 pounds inferior to Frankel. Unless tomorrow's race proves otherwise, it looks like these 2 colts will not be too far from each other at the finish; it might be by the bob of a head, a neck or a length, but it won't be by many lengths if they both produce their best, in my opinion.
Canford Cliffs is the real deal. After showcasing his abilities at 2, there were question marks whether he could shed his sprinter-type tag during his Classic season. After all, most progenies of Tagula would find a mile too taxing. But Cliffs can easily stay the distance and there are not many horses that possess his finishing kick. He's answered all question marks about him and while the course cambers of Goodwood are of concern to his trainer, Hannon, there's not much of a chink in his armour.
Frankel, the horse on everyone's lips because no-one knows yet what he's capable or incapable of doing. After a stellar 2-year old season, he devastated his peers in such a grand fashion in the Guineas that talks of being "the best ever" were circulating around him. Yet, despite him winning the St James Palace Stakes at Ascot, the manner of his win mostly disappointed the racing world. He "only won" but did not display his dominant self that is expected of him. Connections were quick to point to the tactics and his rider seemed to go at pains to say that he had lots of horse left. One thing that every one seems to agree on is that such tactics will doom him against Canford Cliffs. Being a 3-year old, Frankel will have the advantage of an 8-pound deduction in the race. Not that he would really need it, but that could be the decisive factor in separating the two. This is certainly the reason the bookies have him at odds-against with Canford Cliffs at a more generous 1.5/1.
The racing world wants an undisputed champion, and if possible, an overly-dominant one. Frankel fits the bill and carries with him the hopes and dreams of an ever-increasing legion of fans. With Canford Cliffs, the expectations are more predictable and they are huge indeed. The ground will be good and will suit both. There will (hopefully) not be any hard-luck stories in this small field. In the end, the difference might be the weight difference. As far as a punting certainty goes, Canford Cliffs will be in the first 2, so is a sure Place recommendation. Frankel should be in the placings as well, but Cliffs is the surer thing. After all, he very well might win this thing and be of interest to punters looking for value.
This one should be a classic. Come to the fore the world's greatest miler.
Place: Canford Cliffs
They were 3 in contention, now they are down to 2. By soundly beating Goldikova, Canford Cliffs removed one formidable foe that could have halted his quest for being the world's best miler horse. Only the mighty Frankel now stands in his way. It's amazing how these 2 champions have scared away the opposition none of the colts that ran in the French, Irish or English Guineas (besides Frankel himself) will be present. Rajsaman and Rio de La Plata will be the only other ones trying to provide some challenge but it looks more like a lost cause really.
The official handicappers have it that if Frankel repeats his devastating run of the Guineas, he will be 10 pounds clear of Canford Cliffs' best and should win easily. There is no way, in any shape or form, that Canford Cliffs is 10 pounds inferior to Frankel. Unless tomorrow's race proves otherwise, it looks like these 2 colts will not be too far from each other at the finish; it might be by the bob of a head, a neck or a length, but it won't be by many lengths if they both produce their best, in my opinion.
Canford Cliffs is the real deal. After showcasing his abilities at 2, there were question marks whether he could shed his sprinter-type tag during his Classic season. After all, most progenies of Tagula would find a mile too taxing. But Cliffs can easily stay the distance and there are not many horses that possess his finishing kick. He's answered all question marks about him and while the course cambers of Goodwood are of concern to his trainer, Hannon, there's not much of a chink in his armour.
Frankel, the horse on everyone's lips because no-one knows yet what he's capable or incapable of doing. After a stellar 2-year old season, he devastated his peers in such a grand fashion in the Guineas that talks of being "the best ever" were circulating around him. Yet, despite him winning the St James Palace Stakes at Ascot, the manner of his win mostly disappointed the racing world. He "only won" but did not display his dominant self that is expected of him. Connections were quick to point to the tactics and his rider seemed to go at pains to say that he had lots of horse left. One thing that every one seems to agree on is that such tactics will doom him against Canford Cliffs. Being a 3-year old, Frankel will have the advantage of an 8-pound deduction in the race. Not that he would really need it, but that could be the decisive factor in separating the two. This is certainly the reason the bookies have him at odds-against with Canford Cliffs at a more generous 1.5/1.
The racing world wants an undisputed champion, and if possible, an overly-dominant one. Frankel fits the bill and carries with him the hopes and dreams of an ever-increasing legion of fans. With Canford Cliffs, the expectations are more predictable and they are huge indeed. The ground will be good and will suit both. There will (hopefully) not be any hard-luck stories in this small field. In the end, the difference might be the weight difference. As far as a punting certainty goes, Canford Cliffs will be in the first 2, so is a sure Place recommendation. Frankel should be in the placings as well, but Cliffs is the surer thing. After all, he very well might win this thing and be of interest to punters looking for value.
This one should be a classic. Come to the fore the world's greatest miler.
Place: Canford Cliffs
Monday, July 25, 2011
Glorious Goodwood
Nathaniel came and won in a King George that will probably be remembered for the breaking down of Rewilding more than anything else. Some things transpired from this race.
That Nathaniel is a very good progressive racehorse that can mix it up with some of the best middle-distance horses. He validated his connections' bold move to supplement him in the race. As I was mentioning, John Gosden knows what he's doing. But Nathaniel's current 5/1 price for the Arc is way too short. The French horses won't give him such an easy race. At this price, he's a huge lay proposition in my opinion.
Workforce apparently got cut in one of his legs and drifted left-wards in the straight. How that affected his chances is up to debate. Something about the Ascot racecourse just does not go well with him. I would not discard him in the rest of his races because of this defeat. On his day, he can give the very best a run for their money; he's just proving to be a little inconsistent.
This race confirmed that St Nicholas Abbey is just not the superstar he's been billed out to be. A very good horse he is, but not a great one. He had no excuses in coming third. He should still be a threat at 12 furlong races, but on ability alone, any hope to his fans that he is the cream of the crop can be safely dismissed.
This week is all about the showdown between Frankel and Canford Cliffs in the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood on Wednesday. On the first opening day tomorrow, Strong Suit and Delegator look poised to mount a big challenge in the Group 2 Lennox Stakes at 7 furlongs. The rather softish ground looks to be in favour of Strong Suit. Since his wind operation this term, the Rahy colt from the Hannon stable seems to have found his old form back and comes into the race with a strong 3rd in the Group 1 Prix Jean Prat in France. The distance will suit and he looks sure to be among the finishers in this rather exposed field. I recommend him as an each-way punt.
That Nathaniel is a very good progressive racehorse that can mix it up with some of the best middle-distance horses. He validated his connections' bold move to supplement him in the race. As I was mentioning, John Gosden knows what he's doing. But Nathaniel's current 5/1 price for the Arc is way too short. The French horses won't give him such an easy race. At this price, he's a huge lay proposition in my opinion.
Workforce apparently got cut in one of his legs and drifted left-wards in the straight. How that affected his chances is up to debate. Something about the Ascot racecourse just does not go well with him. I would not discard him in the rest of his races because of this defeat. On his day, he can give the very best a run for their money; he's just proving to be a little inconsistent.
This race confirmed that St Nicholas Abbey is just not the superstar he's been billed out to be. A very good horse he is, but not a great one. He had no excuses in coming third. He should still be a threat at 12 furlong races, but on ability alone, any hope to his fans that he is the cream of the crop can be safely dismissed.
This week is all about the showdown between Frankel and Canford Cliffs in the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood on Wednesday. On the first opening day tomorrow, Strong Suit and Delegator look poised to mount a big challenge in the Group 2 Lennox Stakes at 7 furlongs. The rather softish ground looks to be in favour of Strong Suit. Since his wind operation this term, the Rahy colt from the Hannon stable seems to have found his old form back and comes into the race with a strong 3rd in the Group 1 Prix Jean Prat in France. The distance will suit and he looks sure to be among the finishers in this rather exposed field. I recommend him as an each-way punt.
Each-way: Strong Suit
Monday, April 18, 2011
This title race is almost over
2 wins, 2 losses and 2 voids, not really great week-end as far as my recommendations went. Man Utd lost and Strong Suit was unplaced. Dortmund and Milan won, and Wolfsburg and Madrid drew late in the game for voided punts.
There were not many things of worthy mention that captivated my mind over the week-end. Until the famous 1-1 draw between Arsenal and Liverpool, that is. I am running out of adjectives describing this Arsenal team. Really, their title challenge is bordering on the farcical. The penalty on Fabregas was right, the penalty on Lucas was not. That, I agree with Wenger. But the actions that led to the Liverpool penalty in the dying seconds of the game, are just beyond belief. Instead of parking the bus, the Gunners allow Liverpool space and bam! Liverpool earn a free-kick at the edge of the box, and the Arsenal are feeling "lucky" that the referee did not give a penalty. But they don't learn. Suarez's free-kick is deflected, and Eboue gets tricked like a novice with Lucas' dummy play and there goes Arsenal hopes. This team has too many things lacking from top to bottom before it can be called championship caliber, in my opinion. A very talented team, but one needing better management and a real Roy Keane-type to keep players on their toes and keep focus.
In La Liga, the Clasico ended in a draw as many pundits thought it would. I don't see why Mourinho is complaining here, Real are very lucky to get a draw out of that game. Barcelona are being as ever impressive, and it still remains to be seen what type of tactics the Portuguese maestro will employ in the upcoming Clasicos.
The more refreshing news came out of racing really. Frankel was dominant again and seems to have lost none of his ability or reputation. From a racing, as well as punting, point of view, I really hope he's THAT good. Also, great news on Sunday when Overdose, the Budapest Bullet, easily won on his return from injury. He seems to have none of his ability either, and broke the track record. Again here, if he could finally bring his best to Royal Ascot and take on the Black Caviar, Rocket Man etc, what a spectacle to behold ahead!
Back to football where Man Utd take on Newcastle on Tuesday. The Red Devils have a pretty awesome history at St James Park in recent years, and they are clear favourites to take the 3 points again. Provided they are unperturbed by the loss to Man City, they should have too much fire-power against the hosts. Rooney is back, Valencia and Nani are firing from the flanks, Ferdinand and Vidic are holding things tight at the back. A draw-no-bet on the Red Devils is recommended as they march towards the title.
Draw-no-bet: Man Utd
There were not many things of worthy mention that captivated my mind over the week-end. Until the famous 1-1 draw between Arsenal and Liverpool, that is. I am running out of adjectives describing this Arsenal team. Really, their title challenge is bordering on the farcical. The penalty on Fabregas was right, the penalty on Lucas was not. That, I agree with Wenger. But the actions that led to the Liverpool penalty in the dying seconds of the game, are just beyond belief. Instead of parking the bus, the Gunners allow Liverpool space and bam! Liverpool earn a free-kick at the edge of the box, and the Arsenal are feeling "lucky" that the referee did not give a penalty. But they don't learn. Suarez's free-kick is deflected, and Eboue gets tricked like a novice with Lucas' dummy play and there goes Arsenal hopes. This team has too many things lacking from top to bottom before it can be called championship caliber, in my opinion. A very talented team, but one needing better management and a real Roy Keane-type to keep players on their toes and keep focus.
In La Liga, the Clasico ended in a draw as many pundits thought it would. I don't see why Mourinho is complaining here, Real are very lucky to get a draw out of that game. Barcelona are being as ever impressive, and it still remains to be seen what type of tactics the Portuguese maestro will employ in the upcoming Clasicos.
The more refreshing news came out of racing really. Frankel was dominant again and seems to have lost none of his ability or reputation. From a racing, as well as punting, point of view, I really hope he's THAT good. Also, great news on Sunday when Overdose, the Budapest Bullet, easily won on his return from injury. He seems to have none of his ability either, and broke the track record. Again here, if he could finally bring his best to Royal Ascot and take on the Black Caviar, Rocket Man etc, what a spectacle to behold ahead!
Back to football where Man Utd take on Newcastle on Tuesday. The Red Devils have a pretty awesome history at St James Park in recent years, and they are clear favourites to take the 3 points again. Provided they are unperturbed by the loss to Man City, they should have too much fire-power against the hosts. Rooney is back, Valencia and Nani are firing from the flanks, Ferdinand and Vidic are holding things tight at the back. A draw-no-bet on the Red Devils is recommended as they march towards the title.
Draw-no-bet: Man Utd
Friday, April 15, 2011
Weekend preview
Field of Miracles won her race on Thursday at Kempton for a nice winning recommendation. The Gosden stable is on fire currently as it again won with Imperial Pippin at Newbury today, and is to be followed. Lots to look forward to this week-end in both football and racing.
The matches in the Premier League look quite competitive, and I can't really find any sure-fire bets. Even Chelsea is exposed when visiting West Brom, who've become a resurgent team under Roy Hodgson. There seems to be better value looking at the semi-final FA Cup match between the 2 Manchester teams. Man City will be massively disadvantaged with the loss of Carlos Tevez to injury. Their best player could have caused problems in the Utd defence. On the other hand, Man Utd are on a roll right now, and it's always been hard to stop them once they have that kind of momentum. The Red Devils have been overwhelming City in the last few years in the Premier League although that one could argue that City have ridden some hard luck in a few of those games. I don't put much emphasis on history but it's hard to go against Utd with the vein of form they are in. They should win or draw this match even without Wayne Rooney. I recommend them as draw-no-bet.
This was supposed to be THE Clasico game in La Liga which everyone had been looking forward to since the 5-0 drubbing of Madrid at the Nou Camp some months back. It turns out Saturday's Clasico has lost some of the luster because not only are Barcelona 8 points ahead, but there are 3 more Clasicos of higher importance to be played in the few weeks; the Copa del Rey final and the semi-final matches of the Champions League! So, tomorrow's league match has paled in significance given that even a Madrid win would probably still not have an impact on the championship race. The theory brewing in both of the managers' minds is how can they win tomorrow's game without giving much away in terms of tactics and strategy for the remaining 3 games. As a result, both teams are probably not going to be playing desperation football tomorrow. Madrid will certainly have more urgency since they haven't beaten their opponents in 6 seasons, and will feel tomorrow might be the time to do so. Losing however, will only aggravate the mental barrier they've trying to overcome against their arch-rivals. For this reason, Mourinho will try not to lose this game. If someone really needs to have a punt on this one, I would recommend Real Madrid as a draw-no-bet.
In Italy, I think Milan is a good draw-no-bet at home against Sampdoria. In the Bundesliga, I like Wolfsburg's and Borussia Dortmund's chances at home to St Pauli and Freiburg respectively, so they are good draw-no-bets.
In racing, it's the return of much-vaunted Frankel, the potential superstar for this Flat season. There was disappointment a couple of weeks ago when another much-talked-about star St Nicholas Abbey petered out on his seasonal debut at the Curragh. Hopefully for racing, Frankel won't disappoint. It's tough to gauge his chances on Saturday; the vibes from the Henry Cecil camp is that he's wintered well and in good form. However, the yard is hardly in form itself and has seen quite a few well-fancied representatives disappoint lately; Twice Over in the DWC, Bullet Train, Midsummer Fun, All Time among others, have been well-fancied but finished far from the podium. The main opposition I believe will come from Strong Suit from the Hannon yard that is starting to fire on all cylinders. He will like the fast ground and the fast pace that seems to be a given with the inclusion of Picture Editor as pacemaker. I like Strong Suit as a Place punt.
Place: Strong Suit
Draw-no-bet: Man Utd, Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund, Wolfsburg, AC Milan
The matches in the Premier League look quite competitive, and I can't really find any sure-fire bets. Even Chelsea is exposed when visiting West Brom, who've become a resurgent team under Roy Hodgson. There seems to be better value looking at the semi-final FA Cup match between the 2 Manchester teams. Man City will be massively disadvantaged with the loss of Carlos Tevez to injury. Their best player could have caused problems in the Utd defence. On the other hand, Man Utd are on a roll right now, and it's always been hard to stop them once they have that kind of momentum. The Red Devils have been overwhelming City in the last few years in the Premier League although that one could argue that City have ridden some hard luck in a few of those games. I don't put much emphasis on history but it's hard to go against Utd with the vein of form they are in. They should win or draw this match even without Wayne Rooney. I recommend them as draw-no-bet.
This was supposed to be THE Clasico game in La Liga which everyone had been looking forward to since the 5-0 drubbing of Madrid at the Nou Camp some months back. It turns out Saturday's Clasico has lost some of the luster because not only are Barcelona 8 points ahead, but there are 3 more Clasicos of higher importance to be played in the few weeks; the Copa del Rey final and the semi-final matches of the Champions League! So, tomorrow's league match has paled in significance given that even a Madrid win would probably still not have an impact on the championship race. The theory brewing in both of the managers' minds is how can they win tomorrow's game without giving much away in terms of tactics and strategy for the remaining 3 games. As a result, both teams are probably not going to be playing desperation football tomorrow. Madrid will certainly have more urgency since they haven't beaten their opponents in 6 seasons, and will feel tomorrow might be the time to do so. Losing however, will only aggravate the mental barrier they've trying to overcome against their arch-rivals. For this reason, Mourinho will try not to lose this game. If someone really needs to have a punt on this one, I would recommend Real Madrid as a draw-no-bet.
In Italy, I think Milan is a good draw-no-bet at home against Sampdoria. In the Bundesliga, I like Wolfsburg's and Borussia Dortmund's chances at home to St Pauli and Freiburg respectively, so they are good draw-no-bets.
In racing, it's the return of much-vaunted Frankel, the potential superstar for this Flat season. There was disappointment a couple of weeks ago when another much-talked-about star St Nicholas Abbey petered out on his seasonal debut at the Curragh. Hopefully for racing, Frankel won't disappoint. It's tough to gauge his chances on Saturday; the vibes from the Henry Cecil camp is that he's wintered well and in good form. However, the yard is hardly in form itself and has seen quite a few well-fancied representatives disappoint lately; Twice Over in the DWC, Bullet Train, Midsummer Fun, All Time among others, have been well-fancied but finished far from the podium. The main opposition I believe will come from Strong Suit from the Hannon yard that is starting to fire on all cylinders. He will like the fast ground and the fast pace that seems to be a given with the inclusion of Picture Editor as pacemaker. I like Strong Suit as a Place punt.
Place: Strong Suit
Draw-no-bet: Man Utd, Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund, Wolfsburg, AC Milan
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