Liverpool vs Manchester United – Sam Hendry with the game’s two best bets To see United travelling to Anfield as such big underdogs and as the clearly inferior side must be rather humbling for their supporters after so many years of dominance over their most historic rivals. Mo Salah has returned to his form of last season in spectacular fashion with four goals in the last week – including the crucial winner against Napoli in the Champions League on Tuesday. The last two meetings between these sides at Anfield has ended goalless; a repeat of that would suit Jose Mourinho but the chances of his slapdash defence can hold off Liverpool again seem unlikely. They will undoubtedly make things difficult for their hosts and it will be interesting to see what starting line-up Mourinho goes […]
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There is significant rain forecast for Cheltenham ahead of and during Saturday’s card, the highlight of which is the Caspian Caviar Gold Cup. Rather Be is 3/1 market leader with BetVictor having been brought down at the top of the hill four out in the BetVictor Gold Cup when travelling like the winner. Nicky Henderson’s 7-year-old acts well enough on soft ground but is considered at his best on a decent surface and he is reluctantly overlooked. The each way vote – in the expectation that there is significant rain – is for Cepage (1.55) who is 10/1 at BetVictor who are betting each way four places (1/5th odds) on this 15-runner handicap. Trained by Venetia Williams – who saddled the winner of the corresponding race four years ago – the selection has a good […]
The first day of Cheltenham’s three-day December Meeting is the racing highlight and, in the opener, I hope to see Nicky Henderson’s Angels Breath (12.10) make a winning debut in receipt of 10lbs from the Grade 2 winner Elixir De Nutz who may have been flattered when making all here last time. The selection was bought privately after making a winning debut in a point in his native Ireland back in April and is an exciting prospect. The grey will get further in time, but he is taken to make a winning Rules debut for Seven Barrows. Only four to post for the Novice Chase and The World’s End (12.45) can reverse course form with Ibis Du Rheu on 8lbs better terms over a slightly longer trip with the forecast good ground ideal. The selection […]
Only three months to go and Cheltenham fever is already palpable. Most of the big guns for the key events have made their reappearances and the shape of each of the championship races has begun to be moulded. The Blue Riband event at the festival is the Gold Cup and we have already seen this year’s 1-2 clash against each other when NATIVE RIVER and MIGHT BITE lined up in the recent Betfair Chase at Haydock. On that occasion both were thwarted by Haydock specialist Bristol De Mai, Native River running a fine race in second while Might Bite laboured disappointingly in fourth. In the aftermath of the Haydock race connections of the Colin Tizzard trained Native River were happy enough but the Might Bite team were understandably more subdued. Nicky Henderson. Might Bite’s trainer, […]
BetVictor Gold Cup runner up Frodon bids to go one better in Saturday’s Caspian Caviar Gold Cup at Cheltenham when he will again lock horns with winner Baron Alco on 3lbs better terms for the 2 lengths he was behind Gary Moore’s seven-year-old last month. Nicky Henderson’s Rather Be was travelling like the winner when brought down four out in the same race and he heads the market at 3/1 with BetVictor. Baron Alco is 6s, Frodon 7s and it is 8/1 Bar for the weekend feature. Soft ground at Hexham this afternoon and Know The Score(12.20) is taken to build on his third on his Hurdles debut at Chepstow when very well backed. This slight step up in trip should suit David Pipe’s Towcester Bumper winner who travels up from Devon to the north […]
There were some outstanding equine performances on Sunday,but I must admit that Charbel’s Peterborough Chase success was the one that impressed me most. He was taken on for the lead by two useful sorts (Art Mauresque and Rene’s Girl) and that pair were tailed off having locked horns with the Kim Bailey winner. Charbel was cut from 25s to 14/1 for the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham in March although connections are not convinced the track suits given he has failed to complete in two previous Festival runs. Wherever he rocks up next, however, he is worth more than a passing interest. Soft ground the order of the day at Uttoxeter this afternoon and Stop Talking (12.30) improved for the step up in trip when scoring at Ludlow last week and he can race from the […]