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Today’s Sports Betting Preview & BONUS Tips – By Rick Elliott

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The Spurs Can Go Marching On 

Tottenham have won all four matches at their new stadium without conceding a goal. They have not been convincing in each fixture but have managed to get the job done. A semi-final against Ajax in the Champions League is on the horizon but qualification for the competition next season is not assured. The Dutch champions have eliminated Real Madrid and Juventus in the knockout rounds and Tottenham could still finish outside the top four in the Premier League. Three points against West Ham at home today would put that issue to bed so TOTTENHAM are the bet at 4/9 with Coral. 

At the other end of the table Brighton are in a fight with Cardiff to avoid relegation. They lost by a late goal at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium earlier this week but showed enough fight to win the points to avoid the drop. Brighton have not scored in seven marches while Newcastle have notched just 13 times in 17 fixtures on the road. Games involving these clubs are the lowest for goals in the Premier League. Cardiff have a winnable game against relegated Fulham so Brighton need something against Newcastle but may have to settle for the DRAW which is 21/10 with Paddy Power.    

It’s the finale of the jumps season at Sandown but it all starts again next Saturday at Uttoxeter and Hexham. The feature race of the final day is the bet365 Gold Cup (3.35) which used to be called the Whitbread. It’s a staying handicap chase over three miles and five furlongs so has similarities with the Grand National. By the process of elimination a system identified ROCK THE KASBAH as a potential winner of the National. The horse was never going well and was brought down on the second circuit. There could be compensation in the bet365 Gold Cup at 14/1 with Coral.  

  

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Today’s Sports Betting Preview – By Rick Elliott

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Two Against The Field For The Grand National

Only six horses have won more than one than Grand National but another could join that exclusive club today. This runner is proven over the course and distance as a past winner of the National. The horse has the stamina and jumping ability to win the Grand National for the second time. The fences in the greatest steeplechase in the world are unique and still take plenty of jumping despite modifications to make the race safer. The distance of the race also presents a unique challenge. 

This horse safely negotiated the 30 obstacles and can win another Grand National today. Tiger Roll won the race last year but there is no value in the price so ONE FOR ARTHUR is the horse who can win a second National and the best price for that outcome is 28/1 with bet365. The trainer reports the horse looks back to his best at home so can win the race for Scotland one more time. 

The Grand National of 2019 revolves around one horse and that horse is called Tiger Roll. The winner of the race in 2018 has now won at the last four Cheltenham festivals and is in the form of his life. Tiger Roll won the cross country chase at the festival for a second year and was one of the easiest winners of the meeting. 

The National is such a tough race to win more than once due to the weights hike after the first win. The Grand National is a handicap which means even the best horses will not always beat better handicapped runners. However, on official ratings Tiger Roll has a few pounds in hand and is the most likely winner of the National but One For Arthur is preferred at a much more realistic price. 

A second string to your bow should be Rock The Kasbah based on past trends. The horse won a handicap chase at Cheltenham over three miles three and a half furlongs last November. The Richard Johnson mount carries carried 10-13 and is aged 9. Significantly unofficial ratings have also highlighted ROCK THE KASBAH so this is another horse to back to win the 2019 Grand National at 18/1 with Ladbrokes.  

Today’s Sports Betting Preview – By Rick Elliott

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Nicholls Could Dominate Ladies Day At Aintree

Its Liverpool’s turn to try to go back to the Premier League with tonight’s televised fixture at Southampton. Three points would see Liverpool overhaul Manchester City again and take the club a step closer to a first title in 29 years. The Saints have lost just once in six league fixtures at home and avoiding defeat tonight could be massive in the outcome of the title. Liverpool have been riding their luck and winning without playing well is not sustainable so may have to settle for a damaging DRAW against Southampton and that outcome is 15/4 with Betfair.  

The most eye catching performance on the first day of the Grand National meeting at Aintree was Kemboy’s win in the Betway Bowl. The horse was always in charge of the track’s version of the Cheltenham Gold Cup and won the race with something in hand. Kemboy fell at the first fence in the Gold Cup last month and on this form would have come close to winning the race. The horse is trained by Willie Mullins who also trains the winner, Al Boum Photo. He has two leading contenders for the 2020 Gold Cup and the best bet is KEMBOY at 8/1 with Paddy Power.    

There are another three Grade I races at Aintree on ladies’ day when it’s all fake tans and skimpy outfits and that’s just the men. Paul Nicholls could win two of those with Topofthegame and Politologue but there could be more value in backing ARAMON in the novices’ hurler at 2.20 at 4/1 with Betfair. The Topham Chase (4.05) over two miles and five furlongs is the second most famous race over the Grand National fences. Nicholls could also have the winner of this 30 runner handicap because SAN BENDETTO has the ratings to prevail at 16/1 with Paddy Power. 

This Weeks Sports Betting Preview – By Rick Elliott

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Only four horses in the history of the race which began in 1839 have won the Grand National in successive years. Tiger Roll is the most likely winner this year and will join that exclusive club but the value in the price has gone. Two other horses won versions of the Nationals back-to-back but are not in the record books because the races were not official ones run at Aintree.

On ratings Tiger Roll has something in hand but the last horse to win the National twice in a row was Red Rum in 1973 and 1974. ROCK THE KASBAH ticks most of the boxes and the horse can be backed at 20/1 with Coral to win the 2019 Grand National on Saturday. The jockey will be ridden by the three times champion Richard Johnson who has never won the big race.

The National is the feature on the three day Grand National meeting which begins on Thursday. There are nine Grade 1 races which is second only to the Cheltenham Festival in terms of the number of races at the highest level at one fixture over jumps. There is a three week gap between the spring festivals this year which makes it feasible for horses to run at both. Waiting Patiently has been saved for Aintree.

The second biggest race is probably the Melling Chase on Friday but Altior will be absent. This could be the day on which WAITING PATIENTLY will reward the patience of the trainer by winning this Grade 1 Chase at the current price of 5/1 with Ladbrokes. Thursday’s Aintree Hurdle looks like being the race of the meeting. The mares allowance received by BENIE DES DIEUX could be crucial for a horse who is on offer at 6/1 with Coral to win this race.

Ludlow on a Monday and Aintree at the end of the week are like chalk and cheese. The catering at the Shropshire track is a tea room that serves the best Cornish pasties in the world. Punters can also enjoy a decent handicap chase over two miles at 3.55 but there are only four runners. The morning odds-on favourite is Timoteo but there is better value in backing VALSEUR DU GRANVAL at 5/2 with Ladbrokes.

There are matches in the Premier League this week with Manchester City at home to Cardiff and Liverpool on the road at Southampton. Arsenal play Newcastle at the Emirates tonight and they have the third best home record after the two big guns. A home win is essential for their top four ambitions and that can be achieved with something in hand and ARSENAL -1 is 21/20 with Coral.

Today’s Sports Betting Preview – By Rick Elliott

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Bristol De Mai Runs In The Bowl Not National 

The framing of the weights for the Grand National to attract the best horses has worked well this year because the runner-up in the Gold Cup will be the top weight next Saturday. Anibale Fly was only beaten by Al Boum Photo at Cheltenham two weeks ago and in the absence of Bristol De Mai carries most weight at Aintree. 

The National weights will rise by 4 pounds which means that Anibale Fly will have a burden of 11st 10lbs as the horse tries to improve on the fourth place finish behind Tiger Roll last year. BRISTOL DE MAI now runs in the Betway Bowl and on Gold Cup form is the best horse in the race. Currently there is no ante post betting. 

The highlight of the three day Grand National meeting could be the Melling Chase next Friday if all the intended runners hold their ground. Altior will be trying to break the record for successive wins while Cyranne is the highest rated chaser in Britain and Ireland.  The form of the Champion Chase suggests Sceau Royal and Politologue have place prospects but the horse to take Altior on with is WAITING PAITENTLY who is 7/1 with Betfair to win the Melling Chase a week today. 

There are no meaningful football matches in Britain tonight so the best betting action is a Super League fixture between the home team in Leeds and Castleford. Leeds were the champions in 2015 and 2017 but are currently bottom of the table with just two points from eight matches. The relative point’s difference between the two sides suggests CASTLEFORD -6 is the best bet at Evens with bet365. 

In today’s racing the richest race is the handicap chase over three miles at Warwick. (3.45). None of the five runners can be dismissed and on ratings there is only a five pounds range over the field. Coup De Pinceau has some decent form at a higher grade and could be a good thing at the weights. However, a more reliable proposition is KING OF REALMS at 2/1 with Betfair.  

I’d Rather Be Backing The BetVictor Gold Cup Favourite – By Ian Hudson

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Mister Whitaker beat Rather Be in a handicap chase at the Cheltenham Festival in March. However, the weights for the BetVictor Gold Cup at the track on Saturday give Rather Be a great chance to reverse the form and the horse has been backed into favouritism. Trainer Nicky Henderson had entered four horses but the current market leader is now his only runner and that could be a tip in itself. The biggest racing occasion at the track other then the festival attracts a big crowd and many of those attending will be backing Rather Be so a win would bring the house down. 

The Cheltenham card on Friday features a cross country handicap chase for which Tiger Roll is the favourite. The horse has won at three festivals, including the 2018 cross country race, and then won the Grand National. Tiger Roll is still only eight and has a few goes left at being a dual festival cross country race and Grand National winner. Tiger Roll can begin the season with a win on Friday. 

The BetVictor Gold Cup is a handicap chase over two miles and four and a half furlongs for which horses aged four and older are eligible. There are 15 fences in the race and the track is left-handed and undulating. There is an uphill run from the last fence of 237 yards and the complexion of races can change after the jumping. Its an intermediate race distance which means speed and stamina can play a part. The going is projected to be good to soft but a dry few days could take soft out of the description. The extremes of firm and heavy are not anticipated.  

The race has had several sponsors but those of a certain age might still call it the Mackeson. The chase is one of few races still known by the name of the original sponsors to some professionals. The Hennessy and Whitbread are still highlights of the jumps season for some stalwarts which no doubt annoys their current bookmaker sponsors. Snobs who don’t like the idea of bookmakers sponsoring races must accept that the UK betting brands put money into the sport through race sponsorship. However, its no coincidence that several major handicaps are backed by bookies.  

Five horses have won the November jumps highlight two times, the most recent being Cyfor Malta in 1998 and 2002 which is the biggest range between wins. The horse was trained by Martin Pipe who is the leading trainer with eight wins. Tony McCoy rode four of those horses and he is the leading jockey with four wins. Since 2000 seven winners have carried more than 11 stone. Horses aged nine have won the last two renewals and the average price of the winner over the last 10 years is 11/1. Tranquil Sea in 2009 was the last winning favourite and Ginge Of Splash at 25/1 was the biggest priced winner over the last 15 years.   

The key form race for Saturday’s contest is the Close Brother’s Handicap Chase at Cheltenham in March. Mister Whitaker beat Rather Be by a head with a weight advantage of six pounds. The weights for the BetVictor race have shifted by nine pounds in favour of Rather Be so on the handicap the Henderson horse is the one to beat. Weight allocation is not an exact science and Mister Whitaker is a progressive horse but beating Rather Be under the race conditions will be a tough ask. Rather Be will also have suitable ground so the horse ticks many boxes and is the tip.  

his Weeks Sports Betting Preview – By Rick Elliott

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Huge Champions League Match For Manchester United

It’s match day 3 in the Champions League and Jose Mourinho will take great delight in saying that of the four Premier League teams involved Manchester United are the only ones unbeaten. That record comes under threat when Juventus visit Old Trafford on Tuesday. The Serie A leaders have won all their away games this season and only lost once in 12 away matches in the Champions League. JUVENTUS are 7/5 with bet365 to win this fixture.

The following night Liverpool are at home to a Red Star Belgrade side that have lost once since March. MANCHESTER CITY, 5/1 with Coral to win the Champions League, and Tottenham have tough away matches in their groups. Arsenal visit Sporting Lisbon in the Europa League on Thursday. That follows tonight’s home match in the Premier League against Leicester. ARSENAL are 11/20 with Betfair to win their tenth successive match in all competitions.

This weekend sees the final Group 1 race on the Flat and the first meeting of the jumps season at Aintree. The Racing Post Trophy is for horses aged two while the Old Roan Chase is the first significant race at the track that hosts the Grand National. The Aintree race is run over two miles and four furlongs of the Mildmay Course and is named after the three-time winner Monet’s Garden who is the only horse to win the race more than once.

Red Rum is the last horse to win more than one Grand National and TIGER ROLL is 20/1 with William Hill to add to last season’s win. Today’s nap is I’LL HAVE ANOTHER at 13/8 with Ladbrokes to win the Class 1 Listed contest at Pontefract (3.30) which is the richest race of the day in Britain and Ireland.

England’s badly timed tour of Sri Lanka continues this week with the fifth One Day International and a Twenty20 fixture. The matches are being played during the monsoon season and the first four ODI’s have been affected by rain. There has been one No Result, one England win in a shortened match and two wins by the Duckworth-Lewis Method. ENGLAND are 11/20 to score the most runs in the first 15 overs in tomorrow’s Fifth ODI but the weather could interven

Blaklion Can Win The “Whitbread” At Sandown – By Ian Hudson

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Sandown stages the last day of the jumps season on Saturday and the new season begins on Monday even though the first meeting is not until next Saturday. Richard Johnson and Nicky Henderson will be honoured as the leading jockey and trainer and everyone goes back to zero at the start of next week. The highlight of the season finale is the “Whitbread” which is now called the bet365 Gold Cup. Two unlucky runners in the Grand National and Scottish version are leading contenders.

Blaklion was brought down at the first fence of the National while The Young Master fell at the same obstacle at Ayr last Saturday. Neither horse had a run even though they continued rider less. Both horses have top class form from earlier in their careers and could be well in at the weights. The bet365 chase is run over three miles five furlongs which is two laps of Sandown and there are 24 fences. Horses aged five and older are eligible for this handicap chase but experience of the track is important. There are seven fences down the back straight and getting in to a rhythm is paramount.

Four horses have won the race twice but there have been no 3-times winners. The leading jockey and trainer have not won the race is 1984. The race was first run in 1957 and it was the first race to be sponsored. A five-year-old has not prevailed in the history of the race and only two horses aged six have won it. Since 2000 only four winners have carried 11 stone or more and twice in the last three years the winner carried the minimum weight of 10 stone. Richard Johnson, Ruby Walsh and AP McCoy have had two wins since 2000 and are the leading jockeys of the current era.

Blaklion was fancied for this year’s National, having finished fourth in the race last year. It was unfortunate to be brought down at the first fence and nobody knows what might have been. Blaklion was proven over the fences and is a Grade 1 chase winner so could have carried the weight. Saturday’s chase should be in his comfort zone and Blaklion can win off top weight and The Young Master can make the frame. The horse unshipped the jockey right at the beginning of the Scottish National. The prizes are handed out, the season ends and the new season begins immediately.

Punchestown stages the fifth and final day of their festival on Saturday and it’s the last day of the jumps season in Ireland. Grand National winning jockey Dave Russell will be crowned the champion jockey but the trainer’s title is still up for grabs. Going in to the third day of Punchestown on Thursday Willie Mullins had forged ahead after a six-timer the previous day. He had a strong hand over the rest of the meeting but the championship might go down to the wire and the last day of the season. The Punchestown Champion Hurdle could be the decider.

Samcro has never raced out of novice company but that could all change in the Grade 1 race that carries €275,000 in prize money. The championship could come down to one single race and Mullins could have up to five runners. The trainer will throw some big guns at the race if the title is on the line. Samcro has done nothing wrong and deserves a crack at the Champion. The horse can win at the highest level and Elliott can be the leading trainer in Ireland for the first time.

Today’s Sports Betting Preview – By Rick Elliott

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Blaklion Is The National Bet

The Grand National is the people’s race and the one day in the year when the man on the street goes to the races. It is the longest race in the calendar and still the ultimate test for horse and rider. The fences are more forgiving and in recent years there has been a reduction in the number of horses that don’t get round. In good ground it’s a tough assignment to finish but the degree of difficulty increase when the going is soft. There has been plenty of rain in the Aintree area so there will be a heavy ground National. That means more horses will be pulled up and a low number of finishers. The tip for the race is BLAKLION at 14/1.

The novices’ chase at 3.00 is a good opportunity for Petit Mouchoir. He is by some distance the best horse in the field on form over hurdles and fences. The tactics were wrong at Cheltenham where Footpad took advantage and Petit Mouchoir finished third. That was still a reasonable effort in the context of today’s race so PETIT MOUCHOIR should be backed at 8/15 with Ladbrokes. The stayers’ hurdle gives SAM SPINNER a chance to make up for not winning at Cheltenham and the best price is 6/4 with bet365. It’s then the greatest race in the world.

There are three live matches in the Premier League today so it will be a betting bonanza. Liverpool begin their home fixture with Bournemouth at 5.30 which is 15 minutes after the Grand National starting time. The race is the most watched in the world so you would hope for a good race with no casualties. There could be less than 10 finishers but hopefully one of those will be Blaklion and the horse will be the first past the finishing post.

This Weeks Sports Betting Preview – By Rick Elliott

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Grand National And Champions League This Week 

It’s a massive week for sports betting with turnover expected to reach record levels for the midweek Champions League quarter-finals and the Grand National on Saturday. There are regular tournaments for tennis and golf and it could turn out to be a bookies benefit or a bonanza for punters. Bookmakers go 10/1 the field for the National and the most famous race in the world looks the most open for a number of years.

The Grand National is the highlight and culmination of the Grand National meeting at Aintree from Thursday to Saturday. This year there is a four week gap between the Cheltenham Festival and Aintree so its feasible for horses to run at both meetings. Aintree is less intense than Cheltenham but the racing is just as good and there is the cherry on top of the National on Saturday for which BLAKLION is 12/1 with Betfair.

There are four Grade 1 races at Aintree on Thursday and even that does not happen at Cheltenham. The quality of the racing and facilities has improved massively over the last 20 years. Ladies Day has its special attractions and is Liverpool’s day out but overall the three day meeting offers high class sport. Buveur D’Air, Might Bite and Altior could be running this week and they are superstars of the jumping game.

The four Champions League quarter-finals are decided with two fixtures on both Tuesday and Wednesday. Manchester City are 3-0 down to Liverpool after the first leg at Anfield and will need something special to progress. Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Barcelona are favourites to join one of the English clubs in the semi-finals. BAYERN MUNICH are 3/1 with William Hill to win the Champions League.

The racing week begins today with jumps meetings at Ludlow, Wincanton and Kempton and they race on the All-Weather at Wolverhampton. The prize money at the small country Ludlow track is decent for a Monday and the Handicap Chase at 3.55 is worth over £13,000 to the winner. SPACE ODITY carries top weight but enters calculations on past form and can be backed at 7/2 with Ladbrokes.