more on the Volandri match

Here's what Tennisform had to say about the match yesterday.

24/10
2100 - Volandri hasn't played since retiring with a right forearm injury in the Palermo challenger earlier this month. Volandri's last match off the dirt was in this event 2 years ago, where he lost 6-4 6-4 to the Russian wild card Mikhail Elgin. It goes wthout saying that close attention should be paid to the market in his match against Gabashvili.

25/10

13:52 Gabashvili will have a 2-1 win over Volandri today if the set betting is to be believed. Nearly 60K has been matched on set betting on Betfair with plenty under 3.5 on the 2-1 option. The outright market has had plenty of interest too with the price on Gabashvili yo-yoing between 1.21 and 1.52.

18:52 Gabashvili advanced to the second round at the expense of Filippo Volandri, who didn't appear to have any intention of winning this match and acted out his part of the script well. Gabashvili was heavily supported throughout the one hour, 49 minute farce and despite playing some woeful tennis at times, the result was never in doubt. The Russian received medical attention for a knee complaint when he was trailing by a set and a break but still continued to trade below 1.20 on Betfair. Volandri threw in plenty of double-faults, errors and short balls, and even feigned interest from time to time. The Italian flexed his right wrist and sought medical attention for a forearm strain in the third set, though it looked to be a hollow gesture, and one that he will likely point to in the unlikely event that his efforts here get called into question. "It was like two different matches," said Gabashvili, who also has plenty of 'previous'. "The first one was awful and the second was normal. The reason for this was because I felt burned out before the start. But I really wanted to win my first first-round match here, especially as my opponent was not the strongest." (Forum extract) "Two fixers, in a fixer's tournament. Not much of a surprise, market was absolutely certain Gabashvili would win all the way, even when a set and a break down people were taking any odds possible. A more blatant fix than Tipsarevic last week." Gabashvili 3/6 6/3 6/2.Posted byScott Fergusonat11:04

punting for charity

The gambling world often gets criticised for encouraging the vulnerable to waste their money with not much given back to society. Most charitable efforts by the firms aren't reported, and Betfair and Sportingbet are just two of the firms with quite substantial charitable contributions on their books each year.

But the biggest donations you ever see from punters usually comes from the media when they hire some 'experts' to make a few bets with the winnings (which are definitely not guaranteed!) going to a nominated charity. There may be others I've missed but there is rarely a co-ordinated charity betting campaign of any substance. Until now.....

PuntingAce, a website and forum I write for regularly, have been running a charity challenge for quite a while. They started with a bank of AU$125k two years ago, and are now over AU$55k in profit. And that doesn't include the annual Charity Swim one of the owners does each year to benefit a local school for children with special needs. The full list of donations and causes PuntingAce has supported over the years (over AU$50k) can be found here.

Too much is made of sensationalist stories from halfwit politicians like Nick Xenophon in Australia who see every form of gambling as evil - but of course everything the banks and financial markets do is perfectly credible. Guys like this who spend a significant chunk of their time making money for charity deserve to be applauded. Well done fellas.Posted byScott Fergusonat15:12

industry news round-up

Ladbrokes have joined the list of UK firms avoiding setting up in France under the current unviable licensing structure. Several firms have simply decided not to waste their time and money in a market which will deliver nothing for several years, and only if/after the French government water down the current prohibitive licensing and taxation structure. The last straw for Ladbrokes was when the French govt decided on top of extortionate turnover tax and sports rights levies, they would also have to pay VAT as well. Unibet however, who have a similar model to Bwin, of taking vast numbers of low-stake bets, are pressing on.

The Betfair IPO is off to a good start. Conditional trading has the shares trading at around £15.30, after the initial valuation of £13. Tomorrow is the acid test for them though, when they become available to the public.

Betsson is going from strength to strength as live betting pushes their revenues higher. Bwin, Hills and Sportingbet have released similarly healthy results in recent weeks.

Eastern European bookie Fortuna raised €78.3m with their October IPO.

Tasmania are going down the route of most other Australian states by imposing race fields fees for wagering operators. Lucky all the other states have already gone down that route, there's no way they'd be able to do it if they tried to be Robinson Crusoe... Betfair Australia have set up (not sure how new this is) a site which details the facts behind Racing Industry funding in Australia, and dispels the myths and propaganda from bodies such as Racing NSW.

Two former Betfair colleagues have set up Gaming Edge Associates, an industry consultancy firm, and recently launched the company website.

And last but definitely not least, I was planning to have a big rant about the hypocrisy of British Horseracing Authority chairman Paul Roy being chairman of an investment fund which purchased £5m of Betfair shares, the same firm he has sledged and slandered repeatedly in his racing role over the Levy debate. But I simply don't think I can say it better than ATR presenter Sean Boyce in his brilliant blog post.Posted byScott Fergusonat16:04

Betshop sold for peanuts as parent company go down the toilet

Poor website, poor offering and overvalued - no surprises that Betshop didn't achieve the €5m asking price as their owners, Leisure & Gaming (LNG), are stone broke and desperate for a sale.

LNG forced into administration and cut price Betshop sale

Embattled Leisure & Gaming (LNG) has been placed into administration with its principal asset, Betshop Group (Europe) Ltd (BSG) sold as a going concern to Honeymead Services for €1m, less than a fifth of the price it had previously agreed with Pefaco earlier this month.


Administration statement

On 12 October 2010 specialist restructuring, recovery and insolvency firm, FRP Advisory LLP ("FRP"), on behalf of the Company, contacted 13 potentially interested parties with a deadline to receive indicative funded offers for BSG by 14 October 2010 with a view to completing both due diligence and a transaction during week commencing 18 October 2010. Separately, five turnaround funds were also contacted. The short timescale to disposal was dictated by the group's critical cash position that required an injection of circa €3m, which included €1.5m as working capital into BSG, €0.5m into the Company to deal with immediate creditors and €1m to the bank who had issued demand for repayment.

Any punter that deals with this amateur firm obviously doesn't understand the concept of value, although their bookies must be beatable...

€450k of sports betting losses were incurred in the week ending 17 October 2010, further compounding the cash position in BSG.

Although this part is just a little curious....

Discussions were held with all parties, one of which was Honeymead Services Limited, a company which is controlled by a syndicate of investors including Gabriel Chaleplis, a director of BSG. Through that process, Honeymead Services Limited increased their initial offer to €1m payable as to €500k on completion and €500k deferred over 12 months. At the same time, the remaining interested parties withdrew from the bidding process.

A director of Betshop, which happened to lose a huge chunk of its value due to severe trading losses in the week before the sale, is part of the purchasing syndicate. Could be perfectly legitimate, but just smells a little bit fishy if you ask me...Posted byScott Fergusonat16:19

Kildare Hurdle Victory For Aitmatov

Posted by Leigh on October 26, 2010 · Leave a Comment 

Scoring a quick double for trainer Noel Meade and jockey Paul Carberry, Aitmatov gave a determined performance for a victory in the Go Racing In Kildare Hurdle at Punchestown.

Goldikova Looking Good For Breeders’ Cup Mile

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Bradburne Picks Up First Victory After Return

Posted by Leigh on October 26, 2010 · Leave a Comment 

Mark Bradburne was aboard his first winner after coming back to the track after a serious injury scoring a victory with Pairc Na Gcapall in the Crinkle Birr Handicap Chase at Taunton.

Dixon Gives Strike Warning Over Levy

Posted by Leigh on October 27, 2010 · Leave a Comment 

With time running out until the upcoming Levy agreement, Racehorse Owners Association president Paul Dixon has given a warning that a possible strike by members could be on the cards due to the amounts paid by bookmakers into the scheme.

Chase Debut Victory for Noble Prince

Posted by Leigh on October 27, 2010 · Leave a Comment 

With an ideal start to his chase career, Noble Prince had a comfortable victory in the Dobbins Panoramic Restaurant Beginners Chase at Punchestown.

McCoy Urges Unwilling Drill Sargeant Home

Posted by Leigh on October 27, 2010 · Leave a Comment 

Jockey Tony McCoy will have his ride on Drill Sergeant etched in his memory for a long time after eventually getting his mount across the line, but not without drama in the Racing UK Home of Jump Racing Novices’ Hurdle at Haydock.

Mowbray named new Middlesbrough boss

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Championship strugglers Middlesbrough have acted quickly in replacing outgoing manager Gordon Strachan by appointing former player Tony Mowbray into the role.

The 46-year-old has been out of work since leaving Celtic in March and he joins the Teeside outfit with the club sitting third from bottom after recording only three games all season.

To say his has a challenge on his hands would be an understatement. The players are low in confidence, lacking in self-belief and generally on a bit of a downer. The fans are far from happy either.

Moqbray should get a positive welcome by Middlesbrough fans though and be given suitable time to turn things around. He was a popular player for the club during his 10-year spell at the Riverside and someone who demanded respect as captain.

His name was mentioned by several Middlesbrough fans when questioned by paypal betting pundits about who they would like to see takeover, so they will be happy enough with the appointment.

Mowbray will certainly be hopeful that he is more successful with his new club than he was in Scotland with Celtic. He failed to win over the club’s fans and left with the Hoops ten points adrift of Rangers in the SPL.

Middlesbrough represents a different challenge for him though and he will look to emulate the success he had with West Brom in the Championship.

There is still plenty of expectation as far as Middlesbrough are concerned, but the fans will appreciate any progress that can be made in the coming weeks. Ending a run of defeats on the road would be a start.

Mowbray comes to the Riverside knowing that there is some quality amongst the squad and that if he can get off to a good start, the fans will be on side again and perhaps some free bets will be placed on a surge towards the play-offs.

This is a long way off at the moment though and his only thoughts at the moment will be the match at home to Bristol City on Saturday. This is then followed by another home tie against Crystal Palace, so there is an opportunity to get some much needed points on the board in the next week or so.

The Championship is a very difficult league though and if Middlesbrough are to turn their horrific form around, Mowbray will have to make one hell of an impact on proceedings.

Event: English Carling Cup – Round 4 – West Ham United v. Stoke City

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Rangers staying realistic

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Rangers have had a surprisingly good start to their Champions League, sitting second in a group containing European giants Valencia and Manchester United as well as Turkish champions Bursaspor. Although some optimistic Rangers fans may be eyeing up the next stage of the tournament, the more realistic ones would settle for a third place finish and a place in the Europa League.

After draws against Valencia and Manchester United as well as their win over Bursaspor, Ranger are pretty much guaranteed that third place, barring a complete collapse. After earning a well deserved home draw against Valencia in their last match, Rangers will travel to Spain to take on Los Che on their own patch. If the Glasgow club can come away from Spain with something from a match they will go into as underdogs, then they could realistically start looking at qualification to the next round of Europe’s top competition. Anyone who bet on Champions League group stages will know this is something of a shock.

The Scottish club will go into the Valencia game in good form domestically as well as in European. The Gers produced an impressive display to see off fierce rivals Celtic last weekend, taking the first Old Firm game of the season 3-1. The Scottish side will still be very wary of Valencia despite them going through a blip recently, failing to win in three games and suffering a surprise home loss to Mallorca at the weekend.

Walter Smith may play a similar style to the defensive tactics employed at Old Trafford in their opening group match and allowed them to defy the Champions League predictions to claim a point. If the Glaswegians can hold firm at the back then they could have a chance of nicking a goal on the counter attack and claiming a famous victory at the Mestalla.

United look to get past the Wolves

The Carling Cup has been a successful competition for Manchester United recently, lifting the trophy twice in the past two years. They will have to get past Wolves this week when the two sides meet at Old Trafford in the fourth round of the tournament. While Sir Alex will most likely rest a number of his key players, United will still go into the match as overwhelming favourites to progress to the fifth round.

Ferguson’s side put a tough week off the pitch behind them to snatch a late away win at the weekend at Stoke, thanks to a brace from young Mexican striker Javier Hernandez. After a less than perfect start to the season, United are level on points with second placed Arsenal as well as their City rivals, five points behind leaders Chelsea. Ferguson will be keen for his team to keep their winning form this week against Wolves. The Red Devils eased into this round with a comfortable 5-2 win over Championship side Scunthorpe.

Wolves have gone a little off the boil recently, after enjoying a decent start to the season they have dropped into the relegation zone with only three points from their last eight games.

Mick McCarthy’s men did show signs of improving in their 2-0 defeat to league leaders Chelsea at the weekend. Those who bet carling cup money regularly note that they will need to improve on their levels of performance from their previous rounds in this year’s competition.

In reaching the fourth round, Wolves struggled to get past both Notts County and Southend, both victories requiring extra-time.

A surprise carling cup 2010 odds win could give Wolves the boost they need to improve their season.

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India v New Zealand Test series preview

New Zealand face perhaps the hardest tour in world cricket as they seek rejuvenation. The Black Caps are not in disarray in the Test arena in the same way they are in One Day cricket, but this is perhaps due to their inactivity

Lamb and Lillee in war of words

The build up to the Ashes is always dominated with a war of words between England and Australia. This can come between fans, pundits or players.

On this occasion, it is the latter, but instead of those taking part in the series this winter, it is two former players having a bit of a slanging match.

First of all, former Australian bowler Dennis Lillee claimed that Ricky Ponting had the better bowling attack at his disposal ahead of the test matches which start next month.

Speaking about the firepower each team had on show, he said:

Flintoff has no natural replacement – but that’s okay

Flintoff is an undisputed Ashes legend. In the 2005 series he was sublime: England’s third highest scorer, contributing 402 runs, and top bowler with a return of 24 wickets. In 2006 he was plagued by niggling injuries, and his return was greatly diminished, but in 2009, he was back to help England regain the Ashes trophy with a man of the match performance at Lords in the Second Test Match, and a phenomenal run-out on the final day of the fifth Test to send Ricky Ponting back to the pavilion.
Flintoff holds the record for the most sixes scored for England, beating Ian Botham’s record, and despite a career ravaged by ankle injuries and a chequered disciplinary history, he remains the 10th highest wicket-taker in Test cricket, with 218. Put simply he is a legend; a true one-off.
As a result, England must not waste their time looking for his replacement

Breeders’ Cup Turf Green Light for Workforce

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So You Think Scores Cox Plate Back to Back

Posted by Leigh on October 23, 2010 · Leave a Comment 

Australian trainer Bart Cummings, the ‘Cups King’, had cause for celebration scoring back to back victories with his charge So You Think, putting on an impressive performance in the in the Group One Tatts WS Cox Plate at Moonee Valley on Saturday.

Halford Opens Group One Tally With Casamento Post Trophy Victory

Posted by Leigh on October 23, 2010 · Leave a Comment 

Trainer Michael Halford opened his Group One tally with Casamento bringing home an all Irish first three with a victory in the Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster.

Memorable Day for JP McManus

Posted by Leigh on October 24, 2010 · Leave a Comment 

It was a memorable day on Sunday for owner JP McManus who had a treble both at Galway and Towcester, adding six victories to the owner’s tally.

Cue Card Impressive at Aintree

Posted by Leigh on October 24, 2010 · Leave a Comment 

The Colin Tizzard trained Cue Card has given an impressive performance on him first career occasion over obstacles in the EBF Bestway “National Hunt” Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree.

Gentoo Follows Up With Prix Royal-Oak Victory

Posted by Leigh on October 24, 2010 · Leave a Comment 

In a slowly paced Group One Prix Royal-Oak at Longchamp on Sunday, jockey Christophe Lemaire had to bide his time waiting for an opening for his mount Gentoo, who gave a ready response to add a second Group One victory to his tally.

Ante-Post Heroes and Villains

Casamento for 2000 Guineas and Derby?

Such is the nature of ante-post wagering, dear reader, that we get involved early and hope that subsequent events conspire in our favour. When they do, we’re sitting pretty (though not actually paid out), and when they don’t, we are perched slightly less comfortably (though not actually dead in the water).

And so it was that this past weekend offered both ends of the pretty/less comfortable spectrum, as the fledgling Geegeez ante-post portfolio had two runners, who performed with contrasting merit.

First up was Casamento, who was sent off as favourite for the Group 1 Racing Post Trophy, and was bidding to truncate the odds from the 16′s (2000 Guineas) and 25′s (Derby) that I – and a number of you – am/are holding.

The  record shows that Casamento did the business in professional, if slightly workmanlike, fashion. There was little of the pizazz of Frankel’s demolition jobs here. But then it is rarely the case that ‘demolition job’ horses prove as robust as ‘workmanlike’ horses when it comes time to ‘toe to toe’ it.

Our boy won by three-quarters of a length from Seville, the first of two Ballydoyle horses home – the other being Master Of Hounds – who completed the podium places.

The form looks strong, with all the right horses towards the fore of the field at the finish (with the exception of a listless Titus Mills), and Casamento was certainly dossing at the end here. I’m sure there was more in the tank, and I expect him to strengthen up over the winter and look a proper racehorse next season.

This contrasts with my suspicion that Frankel may not have the same scope to mature into a better horse next season. Of course, I’m no particular judge of these things, and I’m taking my cue here from people who know better than me. So if they’re wrong, I’ll be wrong.

Bolger Scores Stylish Victory at Leopardstown

Posted by Leigh on October 25, 2010 · Leave a Comment 

Stylish One, with the guidance of jockey Kevin Manning, opening her winning tally with a determined victory in the opening race at Leopardstown, the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden.

Killavullan Stakes Victory for Dubai Prince

Posted by Leigh on October 25, 2010 · Leave a Comment 

In an impressive display, the Dermot Weld trained Dubai Prince was comfortable victor of the Group Three JRA Killavullan Stakes at Leopardstown on Monday.

Famous Name Too Good in Trigo Stakes

Posted by Leigh on October 25, 2010 · Leave a Comment 

Trainer Dermot Weld score his second victory for the day when his charge, Famous Name was a very comfortable victor in the Listed Trigo Stakes at Leopardstown.

English Premier League Soccer – Aston Villa v. Sunderland

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Rooney to stay - was it all a beat-up?

Bookies in the NorthWest are going into panic mode (or is it that media stir-up mode) with news that there has been strong support for Wayne Rooney to stay at Man Utd this morning. Hills reported 7/4 into 4/9 before suspending the market, several others have followed suit. Not much money on Betfair for it, but after a high of 4.0, the Yes to Stay option is now into 1.08!

UPDATE - Two mins later, the announcement that a new five-year contract has been signed. Ho-hum....Posted byScott Fergusonat12:37

yet another US track star busted for doping

Unfortunately it always seems that the positive tests don't seem to come out until AFTER their careers are finished. In the 80s it was still a Cold War thing and positive tests were swept under the carpet. It has only been the last 20 years that American athletes, the really good American athletes not just lower-ranked scapegoats, have started being busted for steroid abuse (or other banned substances). Yet the hysteria and suspicion still lies with the 'unknown' or the evil enemy, namely Russia or China.


Former US Champion Clay banned for doping violations

(Reuters) - Former U.S. 200 meters champion Ramon Clay has been suspended for two years for using steroids and other banned substances from 2000-04, the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) said Friday.

So in recent years from the US, we've had Marion Jones, Justin Gatlin, Antonio Pettigrew, C.J. Hunter, Tim Montgomery, Kelli White, Jerome Young....

For a full list of doping cases in athletics, visit Wikipedia

Repeated doping violations in the US, and the ridiculous amount of time it takes to catch these cheats, just darkens the legacy of champions like Edwin Moses and Michael Johnson.

At least some sports have recognised major issues with doping, namely weightlifting, and have been prepared to dish out extreme penalties - banning whole nations for repeated positive drug tests. Will we ever see it in athletics for the USA or biathlon for Russia? There's more chance of a man swimming across the Atlantic unaided....Posted byScott Fergusonat21:06

when a bot goes wrong

Ouch, this is messy. Peter Webb from BetAngel detailing a bizarre trading move yesterday at Newbury races. A 400/1 shot backed down to 1.08 (1/12) in pre-race betting, with no logic behind it whatsoever, it could only be a mistake.

Fat fingers crucify punter

£27k alone backing the 400/1 shot at 1.08 - you can't get that back!

And it wasn't an omen either - the horse ran third last, beaten over 20 lengths.

Bots can be brilliant when they have been properly tested and work perfectly, but by golly, they can be expensive when they go wrong. Posted byScott Fergusonat07:04

more dodgy tennis

The ATP have been getting slack on fixed matches this year so it's only fitting that after last week's Janko Tipsarevic fix, we've got another one going on right now in St Petersburg, in front of a huge crowd of about 20 spectators.

Filippo Volandri is obviously supposed to lose and is doing his level best to make sure that happens. He won the first set, yet Gabashvili's price to win the match shortened. Gabashvili then goes down a break in the 2nd set, takes an injury timeout for treatment on his right knee which is now strapped heavily. Volandri makes sure he can't go further ahead by throwing in two timely double-faults to lose his serve. Gabashvili wins the second set, then Volandri hands him a very soft break in the opening game of the third.

At 2-1 in the third set, the Italian conveniently calls out the trainer for treatment on his right arm and pops a pill to make it look like there are reasons for his pathetic tanking. He is now doing everything he can to lose this, deliberate errors, double faults etc... Over £2.3m has now been traded on Betfair on this awful, awful match.

The ATP and their integrity unit will have received warnings about this match while it has been in progress. They'll take a look at it and find some convenient reasons why they can't take any action against the players. Playing in a country (Ukraine) that probably doesn't have sporting fraud and corruption listed as a crime will be one of those reasons. And both players were injured, blah, blah, blah.... Nothing will be done.

Here's the washup. Whether the sport is actually dirty or not is almost irrelevant - it comes down to the perception. Too many events, played at the wrong time of year, serving no real purpose in the calendar other than to give journeymen a few extra chances to win (or lose) a few matches, only pours fuel on the fire.

The ATP has a real problem on its hands now....Posted byScott Fergusonat16:02

Rooney Leaving United

family’? Alex Ferguson, who has oft times been labeled a bully or Wayne Rooney who has proved in recent weeks that he has the loyalty of a streetcat?

Rooney has, just two days before the start of the season declared that he wants to quit the club, much to the disappointment of Ferguson, who took Rooney under his wing after buying him from Everton for

Man Utd Vs Stoke Odds

Another Sunday afternoon, another Premier Game and this week it’s the turn of Manchester United and Stoke City to battle it out over the next few hours. Of course, over-shadowing the whole affair is the Wayne Rooney saga and after the week he’s just had it’ll be amazing if a) he plays and b) the fans don’t lynch him!

The bookies are fairly certain that he’ll get a run out and enough to make him 5/4 to get an anytime goal which could be on the money as he’s really got quite a bit to prove today. Maybe a winning goal may go some way to assuage the tension with his fellow team mates and the fans??

Utd are odds on favourites to walk away with the win today but Stoke may not be singing from the same hymn sheet, and are themselves, desperate for points. I think it’s going to be closer than the bookies are giving them credit for and with Kenwyne Jones a power house in waiting it really is anyone’s game especially if Manchester United are still recovering from the very shaky week they’ve just had!

In saying all of that however, Utd are now the only team still unbeaten in the Premier League so far this season and although it’ll be close, I don’t think Stoke have the edge over them…

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Hull v Portsmouth Preview

It was only last season that these two sides were slogging away in the Premiership although those days must now seem a long, long time ago. Both have started the season in appalling fashion although Portsmouth fans are probably feeling the more positive, with Pompey one of the form teams at the moment and slowly climbing the table. Hull on the other hand are plummeting and Nigel Pearson must be worried by his side’s league standing of 19th.

Hull may have their financial troubles, but the decision to appoint Nigel Pearson in the summer seemed an exceptionally shrewd one considering his success at Leicester last season. However, Pearson has been unable to bring that positivity to the KC Stadium and the Tigers’ position of 19th will not sit well with their supporters. Part of the reason for their league position is their form through the last few weeks, with Pearson’s men just recording the one victory in their last six outings. Worryingly, they’ve bagged just the three goals during that spell and considering some of the attacking talent they have at their disposal, that must puzzle Pearson. It may be early days, but already Hull find themselves seven points behind the top six and by the looks of things recently, that margin is only going to widen.

Portsmouth on the other hand may only be a few places above the Tigers, but it’s clear to see that the Fratton Park outfit are heading in the right direction. Pompey sit in 15th spot on fifteen points although the majority of those have come in the last few weeks. Up until late September Steve Cotterill’s men were rock bottom but things have completely changed around lately and having won four out of their last five, they’re certainly one of the form teams in the division. A lot of bookmakers had the club down as certainties for the drop during the summer considering their terrible financial problems, yet judging by their recent progress you’d be tipping them more for a challenge at the top end of the table.

As for team news, a new knee injury means that Hull’s Jimmy Bullard is unlikely to be risked for this one. On the positive side, James Harper could finally make his debut following his summer move after recovering from a broken foot, but Craig Fagan won’t feature as he struggles with a groin injury. The visitors meanwhile are set to welcome back Aaron Mokoena who missed the last outing through suspension. Elsewhere however, Ricardo Rocha won’t feature for the next few weeks due to a hamstring problem.

Had this game been at Fratton Park, we’d be predicting an easy victory for Portsmouth. However, Hull have the vital home advantage and with that, we can see them getting something from this one. In a great game for the neutral, we’ll predict a 2-2 draw.

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Burnley v Reading Preview

These are two sides who were tipped to fare well in this campaign and as it stands both have had reasonable seasons. Their recent relegation from the Premiership almost automatically made Burnley one of the favourites for promotion, while Reading were at one point favourites for the title having freshened up their squad during the summer. As it stands Burnley are living up to expectations and sit in 4th spot, while Reading are probably underachieving a little and are down in 11th.

Burnley supporters may not have felt Brian Laws possessed all the qualities to be the right man to lead them this season, but one thing they knew he had was a vast experience of this division. Through the summer Laws recruited shrewdly and the rewards now appear to be paying off, with the club sat in 4th position after the opening twelve games of the season. Their last defeat came mid-September and while they have drawn a lot of games, their league position speaks for itself. Goals do not appear to be a problem and six goals in their last two games has made the Clarets one of the most dangerous sides in the division in front of goal. They will also be heading into this game with plenty of confidence having strolled past Barnsley in their last game with a comfortable 3-0 victory.

Reading on the other hand are a few places lower in 11th although their supporters will still be quite happy with the progress they’ve made last season. It was only last year that the Royals were rooted in the bottom three at this point in the campaign and since taking over, manager Brian McDermott has changed the club’s fortunes around. However, their season so far can be described as nothing but inconsistent and that’s probably the reason why they’re only sat in mid-table. They come into this fixture on the back of two defeats and while they have been narrow, McDermott will know that his side must start picking up points if they are to meet expectations and challenge in the top six.

Burnley will again be without the services of Clarke Carlisle for this one as the former Leeds defender completes a three match suspension. However, Brian Laws will be able to select Danny Fox, who didn’t feature in their last game due to a thigh injury. There’s just the one update for the visitors as Reading will be hoping for good news on Jay Tabb. The former Brentford man hasn’t featured since August but is nearing closer to return following a foot problem.

As for a prediction, we’ll have to tip Burnley in this one. The Clarets have hit some good form recently and with Reading losing their last two, we think they’re there for the taking. Our prediction

Coventry v Barnsley Preview

With both of these sides struggling down at the wrong end of table in the past, similar was expected this term. However, both sides are currently defying those predictions as Coventry sit in 9th spot while Barnsley are several places lower in 16th. However, both lost their last game and with the division being so tight at the moment, both managers will know the importance of bouncing back.

Coventry supporters must be very happy with their season and the work that Aidy Boothroyd has done in his short time at the club. While there were early doubts on Boothroyd’s appointment, he’s seemingly transformed them into a team battling in the lower regions of the table to one that is very close to breaking into the playoffs. As it stands they sit in 9th spot, two points away from the top six, having accumulated eighteen points from the opening twelve fixtures. Recent form has been relatively good as well although after recording two wins from three, they then went down 2-1 at home to Cardiff in their last outing. However, it took until the 87th minute for the Bluebirds to net the winner in that game and with Cardiff riding so high, Coventry can still take great heart from that performance.

While Barnsley supporters probably should be happy with their current position, a few fans are getting increasingly frustrated with how their season is heading. For the past few years the Tykes have had severe problems on the road and it still doesn’t seem as though Mark Robins has addressed this, with the club without an away win since February. That has meant that they’ve had to rely heavily on their home form which is obviously a huge burden to have. What’s more, the team often seem to crumble after conceding and their 3-0 defeat to Burnley, which saw them concede three goals in quick succession in the second half, was another example of this. The Tykes were tipped as relegation candidates at the start of the season and while they now sit in 16th, there’s no doubting that they must start getting results away from home if they are to survive.

It’s very quiet on the team news front for the home side who have no new concerns heading into this one. Aidy Boothroyd will be without the likes of Freddy Eastwood, Chris Hussey and James McPake but other than that, there are no other problems for the Sky Blues. Barnsley meanwhile were rocked midweek after Jay McEverley was forced under the knife following serious damage to his knee. However, Mark Robins worked fast and brought in Matt Hill on loan from Wolves and he is almost certainly going to be a direct replacement for the former Derby man.

As for a prediction, we fully expect a comfortable Coventry victory here. Barnsley haven’t won at Coventry for seventy seven years and combining that statistic with their dreadful away form at the moment, there’s only one conclusion for us

Swansea v Leicester Preview

Posted on October 22nd, 2010 in English Championship

This would have been one of the most explosive encounters of the weekend a few weeks ago having featured the return of Paulo Sousa after he quit the Liberty Stadium to join Leicester in the summer. However, following a dreadful start by the Foxes Sousa has now been replaced and it’s been left up to former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson to pick up the pieces. While the Walkers Stadium outfit are struggling at the lower end of the table, Swansea are having a very good campaign and occupy the last playoff place in 6th.

Swansea have become renowned for playing a unique and attractive style of football through the years and when they lost Paulo Sousa during the summer, there were worries that this brand could come to an end. What’s more, there were big doubts over the credentials of new manager Brendan Rodgers, who had endured a truly awful spell in his last post as Reading manager. However, it appears as though Rodgers has learned from his mistakes and Swansea supporters will be very happy with the direction their season is heading. Rodgers has put together a strike partnership of Stephen Dobbie and Scott Sinclair and with nine goals between them already, that’s just one part of the success story. They’ve lost just once in their last eight and having held league leaders QPR to a draw in their last outing, the Swans will definitely be full of confidence as they continue their assault on the top positions.

Leicester on the other hand are slowly climbing up the table following the awful start to the season they had. Since Paulo Sousa’s departure, the Foxes have managed seven points from three games and that’s a significant improvement on the form which saw them rooted to the bottom of the league after the opening weeks of the season. Sven-Goran Eriksson has got to work on putting his own team together and having brought in the likes of Kyle Naughton, Curtis Davies and Darius Vassell already, it’s plain to see that the Leicester squad has already improved immensely on paper.

As for team news, the Swans are preparing to be without Mark Glover for the next six weeks after it was found that the midfielder had torn his hamstring. Brendan Rodgers might hand a debut to Marvin Emnes though after the striker was left on the bench in the midweek fixture. Leicester’s new singing Darius Vassell is highly unlikely to feature as he bids to regain his match sharpness. Matty Fryatt and Lloyd Dyer could start though as the duo return from suspension and injury respectively.

Swansea are one of the few sides in the division who are unbeaten at home but we think that statistic could change this weekend. The Swans are having an excellent season, but Leicester are growing in confidence every game and with the

Taking stock in Stockholm

It didn’t appear to represent anything special. Roger Federer has won many more important titles than the 2010 Stockholm Open, but for the Swiss legend it was a significant trophy to lift for many reasons. The Swedish showpiece might just be one of the minor ATP Tour 250 events, but it helped Federer to pass some significant milestones.

Federer’s second round victory over Taylor Dent was his 900th ATP tour victory. His first came in 1998, which is one indicator of his longevity. Those 900 matches brought 727 wins

United drift as Rooney restlessness is confirmed

  By Courtney Canning 5:55PM 19 OCT 2010 A shocked and bemused Sir Alex Ferguson revealed in Tuesday afternoon's pre-Champions League matchday three clash with Bursaspor that not only has Wayne Rooney injured an ankle and misses the Theatre of Dreams tussle but that he wants to walk away from Manchester United.

RELATED LINKS Free bet Bet In-Play now  United have been eased to 1-4 by Paddy Power to record a first European home win after their goalless Group C draw with Rangers and sneaked 1-0 win at Valencia.

And their Premier League odds continue to drift. They are now 5-1 to claim the title for a fourth time in five years.

At the press conferencea dejected Ferguson said "I had a meeting with him, and he intimated to me, in his own way, that he wanted to leave."

Reports on Monday had suggested that negotiations over Rooney's contract had broken down, as well as his relationship with the United manager.

Manchester City are now the new favourites to be his next club and are 7-4  to land the wantaway striker. The move would be considered hugely controversial in the city of Manchester and recognised as a major shift in the balance of power between the two clubs.

Despite denying any interest in the striker Real Madrid are second favourites to secure his signing at 7-2 with Coral.

Barcelona remain third-favourites and Coral are again biggest, at 7-1, that Rooney will be playing with Messi and co next season.

Hills, who thought there was little truth in the rumours on Monday night, have had to backtrack considerably.

Their 1-3 that Rooney would be a Red Devil next season has been dropped and they now go 7-2 that he remains at Old Trafford.

If United are to cash in on Rooney then it seems likely that he will be sold during the January transfer window.

Paddy Power go 1-2 that he leaves and Victor Chandler are  a top-priced 9-4 that he remains until at least the end of the season.

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Goodbye Order of Merit, hello road to Cheltenham

  Grand National   Comments Log in to post comment Show all comments Comments Help   RELATED STORIES Albertas Run heads classy entry for Old Roan Chase 1:24pm 18 Oct 2010 KEMPTON: Katchit foiled by Australia Day on seasonal bow 4:31pm 17 Oct 2010 CHELTENHAM: Clerk's Choice destroys high-class field 3:20pm 16 Oct 2010 TOP STORIES McCoy targets 200 after riding his century 4:14pm 21 Oct 2010 Murtagh to ride Master Of Hounds as ten left in Trophy 10:46am 21 Oct 2010 Doncaster going quickens after drying day 4:35pm 21 Oct 2010 Rascal In The Mix owner disqualified for six months 3:52pm 21 Oct 2010 Meade eyeing Hennessy for smart Pandorama 1:37pm 21 Oct 2010 Fair Along chasing second John Smith's success 3:20pm 21 Oct 2010 12:38pm 21 Oct 2010 Clowance faces tough comeback in St Simon Stakes 11:20am 21 Oct 2010 Consistent Galtymore to have tenth start at Doncaster 11:56am 21 Oct 2010 Ballydoyle star Rip Van Winkle retired to stud after setback 7:22pm 20 Oct 2010 Show All Current Stories LATEST STORIES BHA chairman questions Levy figures claim 6:22pm 21 Oct 2010 AUSTRALIA: So You Think out to join greats in Cox Plate 12:24pm 21 Oct 2010 Investors eagerly awaiting Betfair float 6:20pm 21 Oct 2010 Classic option for Mile second favourite Gio Ponti 5:29pm 21 Oct 2010 Lukas worried Mine That Bird will miss Dirt Mile cut 5:28pm 21 Oct 2010 Doncaster going quickens after drying day 4:35pm 21 Oct 2010 "Ruby" longlisted for Irish sports book of the year 4:27pm 21 Oct 2010 McCoy targets 200 after riding his century 4:14pm 21 Oct 2010 Rascal In The Mix owner disqualified for six months 3:52pm 21 Oct 2010 AUSTRALIA: Americain guaranteed Melbourne Cup start 8:21am 21 Oct 2010 Show All Current Stories REPORTS PONTEFRACT: Zenella lands Listed prize for Duffield 4:22pm 18 Oct 2010 KEMPTON: Katchit foiled by Australia Day on seasonal bow 4:31pm 17 Oct 2010 NAAS: Emulous powers home in Garnet Stakes 4:49pm 17 Oct 2010 KEMPTON: Karasenir makes light work of rivals 3:30pm 17 Oct 2010 NEWMARKET: Twice Over gives Cecil Group 1 double 3:09pm 16 Oct 2010 NEWMARKET: Frankel lives up to star status in Dewhurst 2:28pm 16 Oct 2010 NEWMARKET: Red Jazz strikes first Champions Day blow 1:53pm 16 Oct 2010 NEWMARKET: Crystal Capella lands second Pride Stakes 4:55pm 16 Oct 2010 NEWMARKET: Cape Dollar 20-1 for Guineas after Rockfel 4:20pm 16 Oct 2010 CHELTENHAM: Clerk's Choice destroys high-class field 3:20pm 16 Oct 2010 BREEDERS' CUP Classic option for Mile second favourite Gio Ponti 5:29pm 21 Oct 2010 Lukas worried Mine That Bird will miss Dirt Mile cut 5:28pm 21 Oct 2010 O'Brien pair out of Breeders' Cup - but back next year 9:32am 21 Oct 2010 Supreme Summit to be added to Sprint field 12:13pm 21 Oct 2010 Richard's Kid to bypass Breeders' Cup Classic 8:59am 20 Oct 2010 Oak Leaf winner Rigoletta ruled out of Juvenile Fillies 11:56am 18 Oct 2010 Wigmore Hall will not contest Breeders' Cup 9:52am 18 Oct 2010 Reggane set for Breeders' Cup after EP Taylor win 2:42pm 17 Oct 2010 Breeders' Cup an option for Gitano Hernando 11:23am 17 Oct 2010 Zenyatta 'as good or better' than 2009 - trainer 1:21am 17 Oct 2010 INTERNATIONAL AUSTRALIA: So You Think out to join greats in Cox Plate 12:24pm 21 Oct 2010 AUSTRALIA: Act of kindness torments Katsidis's fiancee 8:14am 21 Oct 2010 AUSTRALIA: So You Think 'can only get better' - Cummings 8:25am 21 Oct 2010 AUSTRALIA: 'Boom' sprinter Hay List misses Schweppes 8:18am 21 Oct 2010 AUSTRALIA: Americain guaranteed Melbourne Cup start 8:21am 21 Oct 2010 AUSTRALIA: GoingStick readings introduced for carnival 1:23pm 21 Oct 2010 JAPAN: Injury rules Eishin Flash out of Kikuka Sho 7:34am 21 Oct 2010 USA: Cloudy's Knight retired through injury 5:40pm 20 Oct 2010 BAHRAIN: Hind joins up again with trainer Smith 3:28pm 20 Oct 2010 AUSTRALIA: McEvoy makes winning return after injury 2:10pm 20 Oct 2010 Show All Current Stories RACING BUSINESS BHA chairman questions Levy figures claim 6:22pm 21 Oct 2010 Investors eagerly awaiting Betfair float 6:20pm 21 Oct 2010 Football results boost William Hill profits 11:42am 21 Oct 2010 RCA backs Howard call for offshore betting legislation 4:46pm 20 Oct 2010 Offshore firms must pay to be licensed - Howard 8:54am 20 Oct 2010 Bookmakers stand firm after levy offer rejection 5:36pm 19 Oct 2010 New deal gives British and Irish racing Australian boost 1:30pm 19 Oct 2010 Bookies will offer less than £50m for levy - Coward 8:16am 19 Oct 2010 Flat jockeys boost Racing United levy campaign 7:58pm 18 Oct 2010 Point-to-point riders earn the right to sponsorship 2:12pm 17 Oct 2010 Show All Current Stories WORLD CLASS Frankel rated best juvenile of 21st century (Oct 18) 11:58am 18 Oct 2010 So You Think can make his mark on world stage (Oct 11) 12:24pm 11 Oct 2010 Workforce proves versatility with gutsy Arc win (October 4) 12:06pm 4 Oct 2010 Hay List flys the flag for Australian sprinters (September 27) 11:37am 27 Sep 2010 Weight boost for So You Think in Cox Plate defence (Sept 20) 9:43am 20 Sep 2010 Behkabad serious Arc contender after Prix Niel win (September 13) 12:26pm 13 Sep 2010 Blanco polarises opinion with Irish Champion romp (September 6) 11:19am 6 Sep 2010 Discreetly Mine blossoms as a sprinter (August 30) 10:46am 30 Aug 2010 Winkle confirms he retains every inch of his natural talent (August 23) 10:41am 23 Aug 2010 Note of caution about Makfi's Marois victory (August 16) 12:02pm 16 Aug 2010 Show All Current Stories RACECOURSE NEWS AND OFFERS WINCANTON: Charity Day for Hospice 1:30pm 17 Oct 2010 AINTREE: Halloween themed attractions for racegoers 1:21pm 17 Oct 2010 NEWBURY: Royal British Legion members in free 1:15pm 17 Oct 2010 FONTWELL: Great Ormond Street to benefit from ticket sales 1:02pm 10 Oct 2010 CHELTENHAM: Charity race to be staged for Greatwood 10:26am 3 Oct 2010 DONCASTER: Halloween special fixture on October 30 10:19am 3 Oct 2010 CHEPSTOW: Olly Murs to perform for Halloween special 7:15pm 25 Sep 2010 Nottingham offer ten free premier enclosure tickets 1:03pm 19 Sep 2010 Kempton sign up injured Thornton for new season 11:52am 19 Sep 2010 SANDOWN: Pantomime theme for Tingle Creek meeting 10:01am 12 Sep 2010 Show All Current Stories OPEN MEETING Mulholland plans Open meeting raid with Midnight Chase 2:38pm 19 Oct 2010 HENNESSY MEETING Meade eyeing Hennessy for smart Pandorama 1:37pm 21 Oct 2010 GOING AND NON-RUNNERS Friday: 12:11am 22 Oct 10 Saturday: 12:11am 22 Oct 10 Sunday: 12:11am 22 Oct 10 Monday: 12:11am 22 Oct 10 Tuesday: 12:11am 22 Oct 10 Wednesday: 12:11am 22 Oct 10 Thursday: 12:11am 22 Oct 10 Search our News Archive Horse Racing News RSS Feed All Racing Post RSS Feeds Follow us on Twitter Follow us on Facebook Download our iPhone app COPYRIGHT

Fair Along chasing second John Smith's success

Fair Along: will bid to start his season with a win at Wetherby again

  PICTURE: Martin Lynch  Fair Along chasing second John Smith's win By Peter Scargill 3:20PM 21 OCT 2010 FAIR ALONG returns to action at Wetherby on October 30 when he bids for a second successive victory in the Grade 2 John Smith's Hurdle.

Trained by Philip Hobbs for owner Alan Peterson, the eight-year-old slammed five rivals by 18 lengths in the 3m1f contest last season but was unable to add to his victory in three subsequent outings.

Hobbs, who suggested Fair Along may go chasing again in his recent Racing Post Stable Tour, said on Thursday: "The plan is for Fair Along to go to Wetherby again. He is fine and in really good order at the moment, so we are looking forward to going there with him.

"He was entered in the Cesarewitch on the Flat last week but we thought that, at his age, he didn't really need to be doing that, so we gave it a miss and kept him fresh.

 "It was a great thrill last year when he won the John Smith's Hurdle the way he did. It is the race in the calendar when the conditions are all more or less right for him, so he will go there again and he should run another good race."

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AUSTRALIA: GoingStick readings introduced for carnival

Westmead Guru lands Henlow Derby in style Cahill stars on course for Newcastle FestivalBradley races to track record in Leger semiDroopys Oscar goes well in Newcastle warm-upMac is back in Harold's Cross Grand NationalRead Full News Service Search News Archive

Meade eyeing Hennessy for smart Pandorama

Arqana October ends with record median Decline in number of mares bred in USFigures rise across the board at OBS MixedRip Van Winkle is 'great' addition to CoolmoreRainbow Peak set for sale as Savill downsizesRead Full News Service TONY MORRIS Zoffany: could thrive beyond a mile at threeBuzzword: honest performer willing to give his all Search News Archive

O'Brien pair out of Breeders' Cup - but back next year

Cape Blanco: dual top-flight scorer will not race in the Breeders' Cup Turf

  PICTURE: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)  O'Brien pair out of US trip - but back next year
 By Tony O'Hehir 9:32AM 21 OCT 2010 FAME AND GLORY and Cape Blanco will miss the Breeders' Cup, although both will remain in training next year, trainer Aidan O'Brien has revealed.

On a day when stablemate Rip Van Winkle, also under consideration for a trip to Churchill Downs, was retired after suffering a setback, O'Brien announced four-time Group 1 winner Fame And Glory and dual top-flight scorer Cape Blanco will not head to the US - but will race on in 2011.

"Both horses had hard races and tough passages in the Arc, and it has been decided that neither of them will be going for the Breeders' Cup Turf," said O'Brien on Wednesday.

"But they'll be kept in training next year."

Outlining Ballydoyle's likely team for the Breeders' Cup next month, O'Brien said: "Beethoven is being aimed at the Mile and Bright Horizon will go for the Marathon. Together is under serious consideration for the Juvenile Fillies Turf, while Treasure Beach, who ran third in the Royal Lodge, may go for the Juvenile Turf.

"We will be declaring both Seville and Master Of Hounds in the morning for the Racing Post Trophy on Saturday and it is possible, depending on how they get on, that one of them might go for the Juvenile Turf."

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AUSTRALIA: Americain guaranteed Melbourne Cup start

Westmead Guru lands Henlow Derby in style Cahill stars on course for Newcastle FestivalBradley races to track record in Leger semiDroopys Oscar goes well in Newcastle warm-upMac is back in Harold's Cross Grand NationalRead Full News Service Search News Archive

Rascal In The Mix owner disqualified for six months

Westmead Guru lands Henlow Derby in style Cahill stars on course for Newcastle FestivalBradley races to track record in Leger semiDroopys Oscar goes well in Newcastle warm-upMac is back in Harold's Cross Grand NationalRead Full News Service Search News Archive

McCoy targets 200 after riding his century

Westmead Guru lands Henlow Derby in style Cahill stars on course for Newcastle FestivalBradley races to track record in Leger semiDroopys Oscar goes well in Newcastle warm-upMac is back in Harold's Cross Grand NationalRead Full News Service Search News Archive

"Ruby" longlisted for Irish sports book of the year

Ruby Walsh: autobiography has been longlisted for award

  PICTURE: Edward Whitaker (racingpostpix.com/photos)  'Ruby' longlisted for Irish sports book of the year By Racing Post staff 4:27PM 21 OCT 2010 HE has won the biggest prizes in steeplechasing, but Ruby Walsh faces one of the toughest races of his career after his autobiography, entitled ‘Ruby’, was long listed for the William Hill Irish Sports Book of the Year.

His was one of four horse racing books to make the 25-book long list. Richard Dunwoody’s second autobiography, 'Method in my Madness', covering the escapades and expeditions he has undertaken in retirement, is also included, as are two books by Anne Holland: the eponymously titled story of Sea The Stars and ‘Kinane’, telling the history of the famous racing family.

Competition from other sporting books include tomes about Italia ’90, Lansdowne Road and several about hurling.

Tony Kenny, spokesman for William Hill Ireland, said: “This sees some of the biggest names in Irish sport competing for the biggest prize in Irish sports writing. 

“The long list again highlights the quality of sports writing we have in Ireland and with a range of sports involved it will again be a tough decision for the judges and the public, who also get the opportunity to vote online.

“From John Giles and Ruby Walsh to Darragh Ó’Sé, Bernard Dunne and Lansdowne Road, the subject matter is fascinating for this year’s award.”

More information and voting can be found on the official website.

Ruby Walsh, 'Ruby' and Richard Dunwoody, 'Method in my Madness', are available from the Racing Post bookshop

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Doncaster going quickens after drying day

Arqana October ends with record median Decline in number of mares bred in USFigures rise across the board at OBS MixedRip Van Winkle is 'great' addition to CoolmoreRainbow Peak set for sale as Savill downsizesRead Full News Service TONY MORRIS Zoffany: could thrive beyond a mile at threeBuzzword: honest performer willing to give his all Search News Archive

Lukas worried Mine That Bird will miss Dirt Mile cut

Westmead Guru lands Henlow Derby in style Cahill stars on course for Newcastle FestivalBradley races to track record in Leger semiDroopys Oscar goes well in Newcastle warm-upMac is back in Harold's Cross Grand NationalRead Full News Service Search News Archive

Classic option for Mile second favourite Gio Ponti

Westmead Guru lands Henlow Derby in style Cahill stars on course for Newcastle FestivalBradley races to track record in Leger semiDroopys Oscar goes well in Newcastle warm-upMac is back in Harold's Cross Grand NationalRead Full News Service Search News Archive

Investors eagerly awaiting Betfair float

Westmead Guru lands Henlow Derby in style Cahill stars on course for Newcastle FestivalBradley races to track record in Leger semiDroopys Oscar goes well in Newcastle warm-upMac is back in Harold's Cross Grand NationalRead Full News Service Search News Archive

AUSTRALIA: So You Think out to join greats in Cox Plate

Westmead Guru lands Henlow Derby in style Cahill stars on course for Newcastle FestivalBradley races to track record in Leger semiDroopys Oscar goes well in Newcastle warm-upMac is back in Harold's Cross Grand NationalRead Full News Service Search News Archive

BHA chairman questions Levy figures claim

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tennis gets crooked.... again

There's nothing like an end-of-season ATP event to bring out the crooked betting patterns. Throw in an Argentinian facing an eastern European and you have a recipe for disaster... or a perfect set-up, depending on which side of legality you are cheering for.

From the highly valuable subscription service, Tennisform

Zeballos came through in a highly suspicious 3 sets against Janko Tipsarevic, who judging by the pre match and in play betting on Betfair had no intention of winning. Tipsarevic drifted markedly in the Betfair market in the hour before the match started eventually going off the underdog and despite winning the opening set and appearing to be the better player in the second set he was still odds against with Zeballos trading at 1.25 prior to the start of the final set. Some bookies have reportedly voided the match. Tipsarevic said afterwards that he felt a pain in his back in yesterday’s doubles match and today things only worsened. "My opponent was trying to make me run from left to right, and I could not do this. That’s why I tried to play “serve’n’volley” which is so out of character for me," Tipsarevic said. "I have three more tournaments to play this season and I do want to be 100 % fit for the next one in St. Petersburg." (Forum extract) "Here the money clearly knew he was going to tank, even when he was winning." Zeballos 4/6 6/4 6/3.

After the match, Tipsarevic claimed on Twitter to have choked on the key points.

"Biggest choke EVER...All my life playing like shit when I defend the points(finals here last year)on the same week...sigh...no comment..."

Then said in the press conference he had been injured in a doubles match the previous day. "If it was another tournament, not the Kremlin Cup, then I have would have pulled out, but I really enjoy playing in Moscow" ... ""My opponent was trying to make me run from left to right, and I could not do this. That’s why I tried to play “serve’n’volley” which is so out of character for me," Tipsarevic said. "I have three more tournaments to play this season and I do want to be 100 % fit for the next one in St. Petersburg."

Pre-match, the Serb drifted from 1.18 (82% chance of winning) to 2.20 (45% chance) with strong liquidity, not just small chance. And it's not as if Tipsarevic has a clean record when it comes to dodgy tennis...

July 17, 2009 from Tennisform again. "Fears over match-fixing in men's tennis have surfaced for the third time in a month after "extreme movements" in betting patterns on a match between two top 100 players led to cancellation of markets and reports to the authorities. A flood of "unusual" money was placed on Spain's Oscar Hernandez, the world No 56, to beat Serbia's Janko Tipsarevic, the world No 79, in straight sets in the first round of the Mercedes Cup in Stuttgart on Tuesday. High street firms including William Hill suspended betting, while Betfair reported "extreme movements" as abnormal sums were matched on Hernandez. The Spaniard won 6-4, 6-4. The match has been referred to the Gambling Commission and to the sport's in-house Tennis Integrity Unit for investigation. The case is at least the sixth in men's tennis in 2009 to be referred to the GC, the TIU or both."


For those who read this and aren't familiar with the betting elements here and how big an issue this is, here's the case against Tipsarevic:

1 - major drift in the betting against him just before the match.

2 - when he wins the first set, he is even more of an outsider. In a three-set match between two players priced fairly evenly, the winner of the first set should move from 2.0 into around 1.33. Instead, Zeballos who started the match at around 1.8, got shorter after LOSING the first set and then shortened dramatically into 1.25 for the start of the final set. If the match was so even, then it would be reasonable to expect Zeballos would only be a marginal favourite.

3 - ooh, I choked. What a cop-out.

4 - bookmakers aren't stupid. Most suspicious betting comes from the same sources - accts they watch very closely and use as their warning system. When these guys get involved when the odds aren't logical, something is up.

5 - he has a history of such scams, and nothing was done about it.

If it was betting people knowing he was injured pre-match, then the fluctuations wouldn't have been so severe during the match. Sometimes it happens that a player isn't as hurt as they thought and can play a lot better. The evidence is very compelling that it was lot more than that. Betfair continued to trade throughout, with significantly higher volumes than usual, and if called upon, their data will be shared with the ATP and Tennis Integrity Unit. But if past events are anything to go by, nothing will happen. The ATP love getting involved in suspending players for six months for placing €5 bets, but when a genuinely fraudulent match comes up, they crap themselves....

UPDATE - Two hours after the 'choked' tweet, Tipsarevic had obviously been copping some abuse on Twitter..

"Hmmm...Should I really keep this Twitter accout (sic)..."

Oh, and if you think this is an isolated event because I haven't reported one for a while - don't be fooled. It just gets stale after a while....

Here's a link to the in-running odds early in the second set. At that point of the match (Zeballos one set down but a break up) the odds should have reverted to roughly what they were at the start of the match.Posted byScott Fergusonat23:10

Cecil Looks to Follow Up with Midday

Posted by Leigh on October 19, 2010 · Leave a Comment 

It’s been a dream autumn campaign for the Henry Cecil team and they are anticipating following up recent successes with Midday when she attempts to bring home the coveted Breeders’ Cup in November.

Celestial Halo Falls at Exeter

Posted by Leigh on October 19, 2010 · Leave a Comment 

Celestial Halo, a previous Champion Hurdle runner up, had a rough beginning to his career over fences when he fell at the fourth last fence in what was a drama filled Best Mate Beginners’ Chase at Exeter.

Frankel Still Has Much To Prove…

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Halford Keeps An Eye On Post Challengers

Posted by Leigh on October 20, 2010 · Leave a Comment 

While preparations are underway for Casamento’s journey to Doncaster for a shot at the Racing Post Trophy on Saturday, trainer Michael Halford is aware of the challenge coming from fellow Irish rival, the Kevin Prendergast trained Dunboyne Express.

Geelong Cup Victory for Americain

Posted by Leigh on October 20, 2010 · Leave a Comment 

Carrying the highest weight to win in a Geelong Cup in 44 years, Americain, with Gerald Mosse aboard, has scored a victory and is now as short as 10-1 second favourite for the Emirates Melbourne Cup on the first Tuesday in November.

Pastoral Player Impresses at Ffos Las

Posted by Leigh on October 20, 2010 · Leave a Comment 

The Hughie Morrison trained Pastoral Player has shown that patience pays off with an impressive run to score a victory in the H M Plant Hitachi Handicap at Ffos Las.

Adam Beschizza, Champion Apprentice Elect Interview

Adam Beschizza: Fighting out the Champion Apprentice title this season

Who is the odd one out from Martin Lane, John Fahy and Adam Beschizza? All three jockeys are currently in a nail-biting battle to win this season’s apprentice championship, yet one of them can boast of a remarkable achievement.

The last-named rider has become a punters’ favourite this year with his reliability when on board favourites and his strength against more experienced jockeys yet, remarkably, unlike the rest of his championship rivals, he is only in his first full season with a licence.

Born and bred in Newmarket, 18-year old Beschizza (pronounced

Hobbs Hoping for Back To Back Victories at Wetherby

Posted by Leigh on October 21, 2010 · Leave a Comment 

The John Smith’s Hurdle at Wetherby a week from Saturday will see the Philip Hobbs trained Fair Along attempt victory in the event for the second consecutive year.

Rip Van Winkle to Start Coolmore Stud Career

Posted by Leigh on October 21, 2010 · Leave a Comment 

A slight setback has caused Rip Van Winkle to be withdrawn from having another shot at the Breeders’ Cup and he will now begin a stud career for Coolmore.

Viking Shows Spirit at Brighton

Posted by Leigh on October 21, 2010 · Leave a Comment 

Viking Spirit has returned to the winners’ enclosure for the first time in over two years, giving his owners The Masterminds cause for celebration, in the Ryan Moore Three Classic Wins 2010 Handicap at Brighton.

Merseyside derby suggests change in the dominant force

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Having to sit and watch as the club they had just taken over was beaten in convincing style by its biggest rivals (who also happen to be succeeding despite the fact that they have been forced to work with a far more modest budget) surely can’t have been the most pleasant of experiences for the new owners of Liverpool Football Club.

However, the fact Everton were able show they are, for now at least, the best side on Merseyside (and perhaps by a considerable distance on the evidence of the terrible display put on by their rivals at the weekend) means that Toffees fans have good reason to smile this week. Although anyone who follows the Betfair Football Andy Gray predictions would have seen it coming.

The Toffees still look to be an outside bet to qualify for the Europa League at the end of the season, but the club looks all set to begin a run of form which could see them rise swiftly up the table, something that Liverpool fans can only dream of at present. In fact, the Premier League betting suggests Everton could finish above Liverpool for the first time in four seasons.

With manager David Moyes showing a level of passion and realism that Roy Hodgson seems to have failed to develop during his long career, Everton could be set for bigger things.

If they can find a backer who is prepared to put only a fraction of the money into the club that Liverpool are going to require, they will be more than capable of matching the likes of Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal in the competition for that fourth and final Champions League place on a regular basis.

Rooney’s Future In Doubt As Man Utd Drop More Points

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UEFA Champions League Soccer – Internazionale v. Tottenham Hotspur

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Can Arsenal Be Serious Title Contenders This Season?

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Arsenal had a shaky start to the 2010-11 Premiership season with the defeat at home to West Brom having the Arsenal fans worrying if it was going to be another one of those seasons. Many have already written off Arsenal as real title contenders with many seeing Chelsea, Man Utd and now Man City as the three teams that will be slugging it out come the end of the season. However none of the other three are without their weak spots, so can Arsenal take advantage of this and lift the league trophy?

Chelsea have looked in great form so far this season scoring a huge number of goals, however the squad is considerably weaker than last seasons so the question marks remain if they can last the full season with their current squad. A number of the Chelsea players, including Frank Lampard and Yossi Benayoun, are already on the treatment table and with some key players like Ricardo Carvalho having failed to be replaced in the summer injuries could be what derails Chelsea’s title defence.

Arsenal of course could sympathise with Chelsea with injuries affecting them potentially more than any other club in recent years. However the Arsenal team now looks to have more depth. The signing of Koscielny and Squillaci has given the Gunners much needed cover in defence and with the advancements that young players like Jack Wilshere, who has been one of the star performers in Arsenal shirts this season, has made means there is now more depth in midfield . The signing of Chamakh has also given Arsenal an option they didn’t have last year and gives them a more physical presence in the box.

Man Utd’s problems are well documented at the moment, not only have they been unable to hold onto leads but their top striker has also declared he wants to leave the club. This type of news can only unsettle the players around him and with Man Utd already looking more vulnerable than we have seen them for many seasons this could be what ends Uniteds title challenge this season, especially if Wayne Rooney is indeed coming to the end of his days in Manchester United shirts.

This season Arsenal seem to have much more unity about them and they have managed to scrape out victories in games that you could have seen them dropping points in. Also with Fabregas having been injured for a large part of the start of the season other players like Wilshere have stepped up to stake their claim for a starting spot, and to show the Arsenal fans the future of the Arsenal midfield if Fabregas eventually gets his move to Barcelona.

Man City probably have the most talent packed squad with the main criticism of them at the moment seeming to be the inability to score goals. City sit second in the league at the moment so it is hard to criticise them too much but they have dropped points in games you thought they would have won, but then again so has Arsenal. City’s main concern this season is going to be  keeping all their very expensive players happy with many having to sit on the sidelines and watch.

The pressure on Arsenal has been removed to a certain extent at the moment, many already see them as out of the running for the title. However Arsenal may just have enough to surprise everyone and win the title if, and it is a big if, they can keep their players fit. Too often Arsenal have fallen short for this reason but with a larger and more talented squad this year the club could mount a serious challenge and take advantage of the weaknesses the other top teams have.

Written by Colin Hill, a sports blogger who writes about new soccer jerseys.

Liverpool, Down The Table, Up In Expectation

Liverpool FC were once a revered club, having been League Champions eighteen times, FA Cup and League Cup winners seven times, European Cup winners five times and UEFA Cup winners three times… easy to see why they are the joint most successful football club in the history of English football.

Also then easy to see why George Gillett and Tom Hicks were eager to secure the club during the 2006-07 season when it was valued at

NFL – The League might suspend players for helmet-to-helmet hits

Football, as played in the United States, is one of the most violent and aggressive sports on the planet. Perhaps, excluding the Martial Arts and boxing, only Rugby comes anywhere close to the sort of hits that players exposed themselves to in every game.

The danger is out there. Liability-wise, football players are among the most prone to injury players in the professional athlete world. Although there has been a very significant improvement in terms of regulation and plain simple understanding that professional careers are at risk at every play, there is still a long way to go in making this game as safe for the players at it is entertaining for the fans.

This morning, NFL vice president of football operations, Ray Anderson has stated that the NFL is working its way to formulate new rules that would start suspending players for extremely dangerous helmet-to-helmet hits like the ones we saw this last Sunday.

Of course, it will be NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell who’s final word would decide if these sort of sanctions are taken into practice in the next following weeks. The NFL commissioner and the delegates will have to take a work with the professional football players’ union in order to take make this new adjustment. As of press time, the NFL has limit itself to fine players for their dangerous hits.

And yet, we all know that such measures are not the answer as despite the considerable amounts involved in the fines, these guys are extremely wealthy athletes who don’t seem to mind too much when it comes to hitting and paying cash. Now, may the new rule pass, and then they would have to deal with suspension. That’s a whole different story.

Let’s just take a look at what happened this Sunday. The Atlanta Falcons’ Dunta Robinson hit the Philadelphia Eagles’ DeSean Jackson with extreme aggressiveness. The hit knocked them out of the game. Reports on Jackson condition are still uncertain but there are rumors that there might be a bit of a head injury and some degree of concussion.

On the other hand, 6 feet, 242 lbs. Linebacker James Harrison from the Pittsburgh Stealers sidelined two players from the Cleveland Browns with head injuries. They better start suspending players, because this guys are making at least a couple million dollars a year, and a $10,000 fine is really not making a difference.

NCAA football – Quick Guide to Understanding the Bowl Championship Series Ranking

When it comes to assessing NCAA College Football teams, things do get very interesting and up to some extent extremely confusing. For starters, there are quite a few different rankings out there. We have to start by working our way around a key-issue: understanding and defining the Bowl Championship Series. As you know the NCAA is the sanctioning entity that rules and governs American Collegiate Sports.

The NCAA organizes many distinct events and tournaments that will yearly bring in an elimination process that will give out a National Champion. When it comes to Football, things work a bit different, as there is no single-elimination postseason to determine a National Champion. So contrary to the NCAA Basketball’s March Madness or its winter counterpart for Hockey’s Frozen Four, the NCAA Football has come out with a ranking and poll-based system to promote big postseason games and appoint a national champion.

That’s where the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) kicks in. The BCS is a selection system that annually creates five bowl-matches at the end of the regular season, involving the top 10 ranked teams in the nation, or to be more precise, the top 10 ranked teams in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision. This is a group of Conferences that contain the elite of college football programs in the nation.

A couple factors ramble in as to what makes a conference fit the Bowl Series or the Championship Series. Altogether, it is a matter of game-day Stadium attendance, the total number of full scholarships offered to the athletic program of an specific school, and the tradition and prominence of the Conference at which a team plays which dictates its status as a Bowl Series.
Now, the best two teams out of that top ten ranking are given a chance to play the BCS National Championship Game that is held once the other four Bowl Games are played. The winner of this game is then virtually considered the National Champion.

The remaining 8 teams then have a chance to play the other prestigious and significantly lucrative BCS Bowl games. The BCS bowl games are the Rose Bowl Game in Pasadena California, The Sugar Bowl in New Orleans, The Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, Arizona, and the Orange Bowl at Miami Gardens, Florida. For a chance of prominence for other competitive teams not ranked in the top 10 of the nation there are other 27 non-BCS bowls held annually in the postseason.

The 10 teams that play the Bowls include the conference champion from each of the six BCS Conferences and four other teams. Up to a certain extent, the other conferences would then have a chance to bring on their best prospects to fill up those 4 spots, but it is not usually the case.

Understanding the Rankings:

The BCS ranking formula was revised after the somewhat embarrassing season of 2003. It was evident that something went wrong when the next-to-final BCS poll ranked the University of Southern California (USC) at #3 while both the Coaches’ and the AP Poll had ranked USC at #1. As a result of this discrepancy, USC did not play in the BCS’ national championship game. The criticism came up as the BCS rankings had privileged computer based votes over human voters, as many believed the USC should had been given a chance at the BCS National Championship Game.

USC went on to defeat another highly ranked team: Michigan. The AP Poll kept USC at #1 while the Coaches Poll, which is contractually obligated to select the winner of the BCS game as the number 1 team in the nation, went on to vote for Louisiana State University (LSU). The resulting split national title was the very problem that the BCS was created to solve.

The BCS would then again have to face yet another embarrassing moment as the Associated Press decided not to take part of the BCS rankings after what happened in the 2004 season in the final Polls between University of California at Berkeley and the Texas Longhorns. Truth be said, iCal was affected not only by the AP voters but also by the Coaches’ Poll as well. And yet, because the AP poll was made public and the Coaches Poll was kept confidential, most of the criticism over the decision to promote Texas over California was placed on the AP voters.

The AP Poll steps down from BCS rankings

The BCS ranking system is based on a combination of the most prestigious polls in the nation and computer selection methods that determine a weekly ranking of the teams. First thing first: let’s leave the math to the mathematicians as most of the formulas and algorithms involved here, particularly in the computer based votes, certainly surpass the understanding of our writer’s staff.  Anyway, this is what we have come to understand so far.

Up until the 2004 season the BCS ranking system took into account the AP Poll, the Coaches Poll and a computer average which is based on 6 distinct ranking systems. In this computer calculation the lowest and the highest ranking for each team is dropped. The main distinction is that with the computer based calculation there is a schedule strength factor involved in the mathematical formula that helps level things out.

The AP Poll and the Coaches’ Poll, on the other hand, are human based votes. The Coaches Poll is compiled by the USA Today Board of Coaches, which is conformed by 59 head coaches from teams at Football Bowl Subdivision. It has been going on since the 1950’s and it is somewhat of an insider’s look at the NCAA college football rankings.

The Associated Press (AP) is a compilation of the top 25 list elaborated weekly by the polling sportswriters across the nation. Each voter makes his own top-25 list and the results are then combined to give out the official weekly review. As we mentioned before, since 2004 the AP requested their poll would not be taken into account for the BCS rankings. Despite their reluctance to be part of the rankings that decide the National Champion, the AP Poll is one of the most respected rankings out there for both NCAA football and basketball.

The Harris Interactive College Football Poll

After the Associated Press’ decision to withdraw its participation in the BCS ranking, the NCAA formed the Harris Interactive College Football Poll to be used instead. The rankings are compiled by Harris Interactive, a leading company in the Internet market research field.
The Harris Interactive Poll has its own scientific approach to the matter of ranking college football teams. The Poll does not usually come out each year until the last weeks of September. By that time the tournament has already been played for at least three or four weeks. The final Harris Poll comes at the end of the regular season. It is the only poll that doesn’t provide for a preseason or a postseason ranking.

The Harris Interactive Poll is composed of former coaches, former players, athletic program administrators and from sports media specialist both active and retired. Like in the case of the AP and the Coaches’ Poll each voter submits his or her own list of top-25 teams in the nation. The panel of voters of the Harris Interactive Poll has been selected to be a statistically valid representation of all 11 Football Bowl Subdivision Conferences and of the Independent Institutions as well.

The BCS rankings explained

From the moment the first official BCS ranking comes out, each week, the BCS standing is delivered. The BCS ranking consists of the Harris Interactive Poll, the USA Today Coaches Poll and the computer rankings. Each distinct Poll or ranking conforms one-third of the BCS Standings. Each team is assigned an inverse point total. The No.1 team is awarded 25 points; the No. 2 team receives 24 and so on. The two poll percentages are calculated by dividing each team’s total points by the possible points in each poll. That is 2850 possible points for the Harris Interactive and 1475 possible points for the Coaches’ Poll.

The computer ranking percentage is calculated by dropping the highest and lowest ranking for each team and then dividing the remaining total by 100, which is the maximum possible points given by the computer ranking. So basically, the same process is applied to each of the third components. Once these three figures are derived, the BCS Average is calculated by averaging the percentage totals of the Harris Interactive Poll, the Coaches’ Poll and the computer rankings.

This Season, the No.1 and No.2 teams in the BCS rankings as of December 6th, 2010, will be selected to play in the BCS National Championship Game on January 7th 2011. The game will be held in Pasadena California. The winner of the game will be awarded the Coaches Trophy. Since there is no official standing from the NCAA as which team is the National Champion, the Coaches Trophy is emblematic of the National Championship.

Burnley v Barnsley Preview

Posted on October 19th, 2010 in English Championship

It’s not uncommon for some media outlets to get these two clubs confused due to the similarity of their names and traditions. However, six places separate them in the league now although if Barnsley can net a victory, they’ll go above the Clarets so much is the tightness of the division.

In our summer previews, we thought that Burnley should be right up there challenging with the best considering some of the talent they had on paper. Doubts have been cast over the credentials of Brian Laws, but in fairness the former Sheffield Wednesday manager constructed a very good squad over the summer and one that definitely seemed to be up there with the best. With that, a league position of 8th doesn’t seem so great, although with just three points separating them from 3rd spot, they’re by no means struggling. They’ve put together some good form over the last few weeks as well and having not lost in their last six, they’re definitely one of the form teams of the division.

Barnsley are definitely one of the most inconsistent teams in the division. Throughout the season, the Tykes have been used to picking up fantastic results only then to go on a slump of a few games. They ended a miserable four game winless streak by comfortably beating Nottingham Forest on Saturday and that result means they are now sat in 14th spot on fifteen points from the opening eleven matches. Considering their relegation struggles over the past few years that is certainly a position that they should be looking to keep although Mark Robins knows that he needs to tighten up the consistency if they are to achieve that. What’s more, it’s clear there is a worrying reliance on home form, with the Tykes one of only a handful of sides not to net an away victory this term.

In terms of team news, Burnley are sweating on the fitness of defensive duo Danny Fox and Michael Duff who are struggling with thigh and calf problems respectively. One defender who certainly won’t be featuring is Clarke Carlisle though, with the former Leeds man sitting this one out through suspension. It’s very quiet on the team news front for the visitors who again just have the one concern in striker Jeronimo Neumann. Following an impressive substitute appearance on Saturday, Mark Robins must decide whether or not to hand Jacob Butterfield a starting place.

While Barnsley recorded a very good result in their last outing, there is only one team that’s going to win this for us. With Burnley yet to lose at home and the Tykes still without a victory on the road, the only way we see this going is a win for Brian Laws’ men

Bristol City v Reading Preview

These two teams that the bookies had down to succeed this term, although Bristol City are doing far from that. The Robins have endured an abysmal start to the season and prop up the table on just six points after the opening eleven games. It’s a better story for visitors Reading who have enjoyed a steady start to the campaign and sit in 10th spot on sixteen points.

They may have had a turbulent start to the season through the unexpected loss of a manager, but there’s no doubting Bristol City’s form so far has been nothing short of inexcusable. On paper, they possess some extremely talented players and having continued to invest over the past few months, there doesn’t appear to be any clear reason why they are performing so badly. The pressure is definitely mounting on Keith Millen and it looks increasingly likely that the decision to appoint someone with so little experience is going to prove a very poor move by the City board. Having collected just one point from their last six and conceded an appalling nine goals in their last three games, it’s clear to see that the problems are deep at Ashton Gate and time is ticking for the club to pick up points before they become enthralled in a real relegation scrap. The fact they threw away a 2-0 lead and lost 3-2 to Cardiff on Saturday won’t have done confidence any favours either.

Reading on the other hand have been relatively solid through the season and following last year’s poor campaign, their supporters will probably be happy that their club is starting to climb again. Their position of 10th highlights a steady start, but with only two points separating them from the playoffs it’s clear that anything is still possible this term. An unbeaten home record which stretched back to the opening day of the season was broken with a 1-0 defeat to Swansea on Saturday and with that they’ll be looking to put things right in this midweek outing. Their form on the road is one of the best in the division and with just one away loss so far, they’ll prove very tough opposition for Bristol City.

Bristol City head into this game still without the services of influential front men Sam Vokes and Nicky Maynard, with the duo still being kept out by hamstring and knee problems respectively. Other than that there’s nothing to report although Keith Millen will again want to ring the changes after his side threw away the game on Saturday. Reading on the other hand will have the option of including Brian Howard and Jay Tabb after the duo became available following suspension and injury at the weekend. However, Brynjar Gunnarsson will not feature as he continues to struggle with a hamstring injury.

The stats suggest that Reading should have a very good chance of taking all the points here, but for some reason we think Bristol City may just edge it. City’s season must turn around soon and after coming so close on Saturday, we think they’ll just close this one with a 1-0 victory.

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Norwich v Crystal Palace Preview

Having romped to the League One title last season, nobody could have quite expected the success that Norwich are enjoying at the moment. The Canaries are flying in 3rd position which is in stark contrast to opponents Crystal Palace, who are still seemingly getting over last season and sit down in 23rd place.

At first some will have thought Norwich’s early success was down to the momentum they were carrying from their promotion, but as time has passed it appears there is more to it than that. Twenty points from eleven games has propelled them into 3rd spot and at the moment they are on a small run of three unbeaten games. Their last one was a goalless draw against QPR, a result that has strengthened their promotion aspirations no end considering how strong QPR appear to be this term. Of course, it’s still early days, but there’s no doubting that in Paul Lambert the Canaries have a hugely talented manager and considering some of success in his short career already, don’t be surprised if they manage to keep their lofty position.

Crystal Palace on the other hand aren’t enjoying much success and it looks as though it’ll be a long, hard struggle for George Burley’s men. Having only narrowly avoided extinction during the summer, you could say they are lucky to even be competing, but with new owners in place there was renewed optimism at Selhurst Park. The appointment of Burley seemed to be a step in the right direction but the Eagles have struggled to hit any sort of form and they’ve picked up just the eight points from the opening eleven fixtures. Worryingly, their form over recent weeks has been abysmal and Burley will know that it’s vital to end the five game winless run that the club are currently on if they are to survive.

In terms of team news, the home side will have to cope without the influence of Elliott Ward as he sits out through suspension. Elsewhere, fellow defender Adam Drury is hoping to beat a hamstring injury and be declared fit to feature. All of Crystal Palace’s news focuses on suspensions and George Burley will firstly welcome back striker James Vaughan who returns after completing a one game ban. However, a second red card of the season for Claude Davis means that he’s now going to miss the next four games.

As for a prediction, we’re going to go with the obvious. Norwich have the form, the home advantage and the league position and it would be silly to bet against them. Paul Lambert’s men have enjoyed a brilliant start to life back in the Championship and we fully expect that to continue here. 3-1 Canaries.

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Spurs ready for biggest test

When Peter Crouch nodded home against Manchester City last May to confirm the Londoners place in this season’s Champions League, they knew they would have nights like Wednesday to look forward to.
This evening they step out at the San Siro in Milan for a clash with Inter that confirms their re-emergence in the big time and the Champions League specials suggest they could even have a chance of winning.

They go into the game in decent form, both domestically and in Europe. They are joint top of Group A with four points from two games and came from behind at Fulham on Saturday to continue their good run in the Premier league.

Rafa Benitez’s men will be their toughest test so far though and they will have to do it without Rafael Van Der Vaart. The Dutchman, who signed from Real Madrid on deadline day, has been in sensational form for Spurs but his red card against FC Twente last time rules him out of this massive encounter. People looking to place a Champions League bet should remember the away side will be without perhaps their most influential player.

Peter Crouch therefore is set to play a lone striker as the away side look to keep things tight early on. The former Liverpool frontman is one of only a few Spurs players to have Champions League experience so the pressure is on him to lead the other though such a big game.

Though the result is important Spurs fans will also look to enjoy the occasion. They’ve waited a long time to make it into the Champions League and they will certainly make the most of it.

A defeat wouldn’t be a disaster either as their performances in their opening two games suggests their European adventure could have some way to run yet.

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