Today’s Sports Betting Preview – By Rick Elliott

Welcome Win For Villa Tonight 

Aston Villa gambled on a return to the Premier League last season with the signing of John Terry and successful efforts to keep Jack Grealish at Villa Park. The strategy was a 99% success but the missing percentage point meant that Villa failed to win promotion to the top flight of English football after losing in the playoff final to Fulham. Terry has since retired from the game but Grealish has not left. 

Things did not go well at the start of this season and when a fan threw a cabbage at the manager, Steve Bruce, his days were numbered. Dean Smith was recruited from Brentford but two away defeats have compromised his efforts to get Villa moving up the table. A home win against Bolton tonight should steady the ship. The visitors have scored just one goal in five Championship matches so ASTON VILLA should be backed at 4/9 with William Hill. 

It’s the first of two night’s racing in the Breeders’ Cup at Churchill Downs in Kentucky. Despite the number of lucrative races around the world at this time of the year the meeting is seen as the unofficial world championships of Flat racing on turf and dirt. There is a strong European contingent but historically visiting horses have suffered for not being given legal race day medication. 

Bob Baffert has been inducted into the National Museum Racing’s \hall of Fame and has won 15 Triple Crown races. He is just about the most famous trainer in the United States and the Breeders’ Cup is his domain. Baffert’s banker is GAME WINNER in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (10.05) on turf and the horse is the nap of the night at 7/4 with Ladbrokes.  

The star of the show in Britain and Ireland today is Samcro who is now the favourite for the Champion Hurdle after connections decided to keep the horse over hurdles this season. However, Sharjah has the fitness edge and form to upset the favourite at Down Royal in the Grade 2 WKD Hurdle over two miles today (1.45). There is also a decent mares novice hurdle on the card (1.10) and SANCTA SIMONA is the horse to back at 11/10.