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Today’s Sports Betting Preview – By Rick Elliott

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England Are On The Way To Wembley 

England made the perfect start to their Euro 2020 campaign with a 5-0 win over Czech Republic at Wembley. The last player to touch the ball was one of the opponents for three of the goals but it was an impressive win. The squad has a good mix of youth and experience and Gareth Southgate has brought some joy back to following the national football team. The semi-finals and final of the European Championship are being played at Wembley so next July ENGLAND could lift the trophy at their traditional home and that outcome is 13/2 with Ladbrokes. 

Gibraltar is a British dependency on the edge of Europe so in effect the UK has another team in the tournament.  Residents of the Rock voted massively in favour in staying British and remaining in the European Union. Gibraltar is the smallest country in Europe and the national stadium is little more than a school playing field in the shadow of the Rock. Ireland play on the pitch today in Euro 2020 qualifying with a FIFA ranking of 34 compared to Gibraltar at 194. The visitors will win the match but not by a cricket score so the bet is GIBRALTAR + 3 at 6/5 with bet365.  

There is a decent meeting at Newbury today with good opportunities for horses not running at the two spring festivals at Cheltenham and Aintree. The best race is the Grade 2 mares’ novices’ hurdle at 3.15. She Mite Bite is an improving horse who is more about potential than form on the track. The White Mouse has a good record over hurdles and is on a manageable mark. OSCAR ROSE has been a beaten favourite eight times over hurdles but this could be her day and is the each way top 4 bet at 12/1 with Ladbrokes at one fifth the win odds.   

Today’s Sports Betting Preview – By Rick Elliott

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Could Gibraltar Win Euro 2020 At 5000/1 A La Leicester City?

Sotogrande is near the Costa del Sol which is home to many ex-pats who will be out in force for the first round at the resort’s Valederrama golf course for the first round of the Andalucía Masters. From certain points on the course you can see the Rock of Gibraltar which is on the edge of Europe. Gibraltar could sneak into the finals of Euro 2020 which would be remarkable because their home ground is little more than an Astroturf school pitch near the runway of the airport. 

The UK dependency could earn their place by winning one of the minor sections in the Nations League. Surely that would make a farce of a tournament that is known as finals. Gibraltar could qualify while Germany may be absent which is all very democratic but hardly an elite tournament. ENGLAND are 10/1 with Ladbrokes to win the Nations League while Gibraltar are 25/1 to win League D Group 4. 

The course at Valderrama rewards accuracy over distance and Sergio Garcia has the best recent form. He has won all five regular tournaments played in Spain and is a two-time winner on one of his favourite courses. On current and course form Garcia could lap this field but his foundation is the host and he will have duties away from the course. However, he has enough in hand to handle both elements of the week. 

The 2017 US Masters winner has always won on the course as a major champion but the sample is just one tournament. One of the stellar three-balls starts at 12.35 GMT and brings together a course winner, multiple major champion and player from Spain. ANDREW ‘BEFF’ JOHNSTON is the selection to beat Padraig Harrington and Alvaro Quiros over 18 holes today at 13/10 with bet365.   

The racing is more about quantity than quality with six meetings in Britain and Ireland and no fixture offering prize money getting close to six figures. There is a competitive handicap chase at Carlisle (3.45) which is a qualifier for a staying chase series final and its just over three miles in distance. Six of the runners can be backed between 5/1 and 8/1 at the top of the betting. ACDC won at Wetherby yesterday and the seven pounds penalty is negated by a jockey’s allowance. The horse is 11/2 with William Hill to win races on two consecutive days which is rare.   

Sergio Could Struggle In His Own Event – By Ian Hudson

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Valderrama is one of the most iconic golf venues in Spain and the course on which Europe won the Ryder Cup in 1997. The team was captained by Severiano Ballesteros and included Ignacio Garrido and Jose Maria Olazabal from Spain. Thomas Bjorn, the captain of Europe this year, also qualified as a rookie. The matches against the United States 21 years ago came too soon for Sergio Garcia who was still an amateur. His golf foundation hosts the Andalucia Masters at Valderrama this week.  

Garcia was one of Bjorn’s wildcard picks and justified his inclusion in the team that won impressively at Le Golf National near Paris. He is the clear favourite for his own tournament but hosting an event can go one of two ways. Jobs off the course may make practising unfeasible or the course can be a refuge form interviews and other responsibilities. Garcia is in the former camp and is too short in the betting even against a moderate field and other players are preferred. 

The 2017 Masters champion is odds-on to be the top Spanish player. He has followed Ballesteros and Olazabal as world class players from Spain. Jon Rahm is next in line but he is not playing this week. He beat Tiger Woods in the singles in the Ryder Cup and is a winner on both main tours. Rahm should win majors and would be a big favourite if competing this week. There are 16 players from Spain in the field and that includes a guest appearance from Olazabal, maybe in memory of Seve but definitely in support of Garcia. Valderrama is a worthy venue for Garcia’s event.  

Garcia is Europe’s leading Ryder Cup point’s scorer and a two-time winner of this tournament. He won the second edition in 2011 and is the defending champion this week. Garcia won three titles in total in 2017, including that elusive first major. He has been trying to win one of the tournaments that matter most for over 20 years. Winning the Masters was the ultimate dream but winning his own event will be very special. Garcia will be suited to the second shot track but will be busy away from the course and juggling both activities will be tough.

Valderrama was the first Ryder Cup venue in mainland Europe. The home team won by one point and have now won six Ryder Cups in succession on home soil. Ballesteros has inspired many Ryder Cup wins especially in matches involving his compatriots. Apart from Garcia Spain will struggle to produce a genuine contender in southern Spain this week. The Rock of Gibraltar is visible from the area and the UK dependency is the last land in Europe before the crossing to Africa. Lee Westwood is the favourite in the top English player betting.     

The captain and three of his vice captains from last month’s Ryder Cup are playing this week. Padraig Harrington has joined the field and he was one of Bjorn’s assistants in France. Harrington has won three majors and Valderrama suits his game. The tournament will raise funds for deprived children in Spain and the fan’s favourite to win will be Garcia. Shane Lowry will feel at home on the course that is parkland but with a links feel due to breezes even though the course is a few miles inland. Accuracy is more important than distance for good scoring. 

Andrew Johnston, or Beef, is a course winner and he made the top 25 last year. He won the Spanish Open at Valderrama in 2016 after graduating to the Tour the previous year, heading the Challenge Tour rankings. His winning score of one over indicates the degree of difficulty around Valderrama. Johnson can win at one of his favourite venues again and set up the barbecue of steak and some beers. The drinks could be on Beef on Sunday night.