Sam Hendry looks ahead to a big weekend of football action Manchester United appear to be at generous odds to beat Tottenham Hotspur and reach a record-equalling 20th FA Cup final on Saturday. Much will depend on what United side decide to show up; the motivated and ruthless side that tore Manchester City apart in the second half of the Manchester derby, or the listless one that slumped to defeat last week against West Brom. For all the criticism thrown Mourinho’s way this season, United remain on course for their highest Premier League finish since the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson. No matter the style, Jose usually finds a way to win. Spurs have had another eye-catching year and look set to finish as the highest placed London side, yet that could be their only accolade. […]

Charlie McCann of BetVictor.com with his best bets on Scottish National day Today’s Scottish Grand National from Ayr is the big betting race of the day and there is quality and quantity in abundance with Newbury hosting the last two recognised British trials for the first classics of the season at HQ next month. I have backed Doing Fine (4.05) for the Scottish National earlier in the week when the forecast suggested the west coast of Scotland would have a dry week and I have long thought the Neil Mulholland 10-year-old had a big race in him. The selection is 12/1 at BetVictor and will be fresher than most having been off the track since finishing a good fourth on ground softer than ideal at Sandown (3m 5f) back in December from a 2lbs higher […]

Charlie McCann sizes up the likely winners on Craven Stakes day Today’s feature race at Newmarket the Group 3 Craven Stakes is an established trial for next month’s 2000 Guineas although the last horse to win both races was Haafhd back in 2004. The ground was quickening up in the warm spring sunshine yesterday and conditions look sure to be on the fast side of good come post time. John Gosden’s Roaring Lion (3.35) lost his unbeaten record when runner up in the Gp 1 Racing Post Trophy behind Guineas second favourite Saxon Warrior back in October. The colt had previously won the Gp2 Royal Lodge Stakes over today’s C&D and that form was franked on Tuesday when the third horse – Mark Johnston’s Mildenburger – won the listed Feilden Stakes over an additional furlong. […]

Charlie McCann of BetVictor.com looks ahead to today’s action at Newmarket There is no further rain forecast at Ayr for their feature meeting of the jumps season at the weekend and late Aintree defector Vicente has been backed into 7/1 favourite (from 10s) with BetVictor for a hat-trick of Scottish National wins for Paul Nicholls. I am sweet on the each way chances of Doing Fine (14s from 16s with BetVictor) with the drying ground a positive for Neil Mulholland’s 10-year-old who has missed the winter ground and will be a fresher horse than most. A wonderful days racing under both codes this afternoon with a cracking card at Cheltenham and a couple of acknowledged classic trials at Newmarket on day two of their Craven meeting. The ITV cameras are at both tracks and the […]

Charlie McCann runs the rule over the opening day of the Craven meeting The flat season moves up a significant notch this afternoon with the opening day of Newmarket’s three-day Craven Meeting. The ante-post favourite for the 1000 Guineas Clemmie (2/1 with BetVictor) was reported by trainer Aidan O’Brien on Sunday to be a doubtful runner and she has been removed from the betting. O’Briens Happily (3/1) now heads the market at BetVictor with stablemate September (7/1) and Andre Fabre’s Wind Chimes (7/1) next in the list. Clerk of the Course Michael Prossor described the ground for HQ’s opening day of the season as good to soft on Monday but no rain is forecast and we should have perfect early season conditions come post time. The stalls are positioned on the stands’ side for the […]

Charlie McCann of BetVictor.com with all Monday’s best bets Tiger Roll may be small and bred to win a Derby rather than a Grand National but he jumped like a stag and had the heart of a lion to repel the renewed challenge of Pleasant Company. There may not have been many Irish horses at Aintree this season with Punchestown looming large on the horizon, but they still won the National, Liverpool Hurdle, Foxhunters’ and Mares’ Bumper. Identity Thief was a facile winner of the 3m Grade 1 Hurdle and he is 12/1 for next year’s Cheltenham Stayers’ Hurdle with BetVictor behind dual Festival winner Penhill who is the 5/1 favourite. Kelso stage a decent jumps card this afternoon on ground described as soft and I hope to see the mare Streets Of Promise (3.40) […]