Coca-Cola League One
starts Sa Aug 7
Tranmere are fancied to go well, along with
Hull and
Brentford. Rovers again narrowly missed out on the play-offs last term, despite a run of sparking form towards the end. If they can get off to a good start this year, they have the ability to get automatic promotion at least. Brian Little's signing of Jason McAteer on a free form Sunderland could be inspirational in midfield, while fellow new-boys Michael Jackson and Mark Rankine, from Preston and Sheffield United respectively, look good too!
Hull will be looking for successive promotions after coming up with Doncaster last season. There is a recent tradition for sides from the bottom level to go all the way through the divisions, and Peter Taylor's side have the ability to make a big impact this season. Brentford have been backed at fancy prices, and in Paul Hart they have a good manager who has made some good signings over the summer, including Deon Burton.
bet365 League One prices... Bristol City 5/1, Hull, Tranmere 8/1, Swindon 9/1, Walsall, Sheffield Wednesday, Barnsley 12/1, Brentford 33/1, others on
bet365 website. Each Way 1/4 odds 1.2.3.4.
Coca-Cola League Two
starts Sa Aug 7
With Conference sides having such a great record in this division,
Chester City are likely to take all the beating this season, especially given their winning margin last term.
Northampton also look strong this season, after finishing last season in excellent form, while a chance can also be given to
Bristol Rovers. Ian Atkins has been active in the transfer market for Rovers and knows exactly what he wants.
bet365 League two prices... Northampton 5/1, Chester 15/2, Yeovil 10/1, Notts County, Bristol Rovers, Grimsby 12/1, others on
bet365 website. Each Way 1/4 odds 1.2.3.4.
Here at
bet365 you can take advantage of some fantastic enhanced place terms on ante-post bets placed on the new football season:-
BARCLAYS PREMIERSHIP…NOW ¼ ODDS 1-2-3 (was 1/5, 1.2.3).
COCA-COLA CHAMPIONSHIP, LEAGUE 1 & 2…NOW ¼ ODDS 1-2-3-4 (was 1/4, 1.2.3).
These enhanced place terms will apply to all ante-post football bets placed between Midnight Wednesday 4th August until 15.00 Saturday 7th August 2004.
Shergar Cup Mile
Sa Aug 7 - 14.45 Ascot
Gay Kelleway's
Vortex doesn't know how to run a bad race at this track, and is fancied to finally win the big race he deserves. After a good third in the Victoria Cup over seven furlongs back in May, Vortex was a fast finishing and somewhat unlucky second at Newbury on his penultimate start.
Drooped back to seven furlongs last time out, he showed that he was still at the top of his game when fourth, beaten only two and a half lengths by the winner. Providing the ground is still on the fast side, the return to a mile on Saturday should be ideal.
Last year's winner
Pentecost had no luck in running in the William Hill Mile at Goodwood last week, and rates the main danger to the selection.
Shergar Cup Sprint
Sa Aug 7 - 16.20 Ascot
Khabfair will be a warm order to follow-up his course and distance win last time out, with only a 3lb penalty for that success. Trainer Amanda Perrett has been in irresistible form of late, and she looks to found another good opportunity for her lightly raced and improving handicapper.
Beaten by only Fantasy Believer in a hot Newbury handicap on his seasonal debut when lack of race fitness told, Khabfair made no mistake last time out, and he looks to be still one step ahead of the handicapper. Top-weight Alderney Race was a good winner at Newmarket last time out and should again go well, although the concession of weight to the selection may just find him out.
bet365's 5-star betting service will again be in operation on Saturday, where you can take advantage of the following:
BEST ODDS GUARANTEED RACE DAILY - Take an early bird price and be safe in the knowledge that if the SP is greater you will get paid out at the bigger price!
ENHANCED PLACE TERMS - We offer enhanced Place Terms on selected races throughout the season.
DOUBLE RESULT - We pay out on the official result and on any disqualified runners in every UK and Irish horse race, including forecasts and tricasts!
CHANNEL 4 OFFER - Back a winner at 4/1 or over in any live channel 4 race and we will give you a free bet to the stake (up to £50) on the next Channel 4 race - 6 races from Newmarket and Redcar on Saturday.
NO MORE 5P RULE 4'S - We have abolished this annoying deduction for the first such withdrawal in any race.
PGA Tour Golf, The International
This week's event is decided by a stableford scoring system, rather than the usual strokeplay format, which means that attacking play is rewarded, and therefore favours certain types of player.
Ernie Els is our favourite this week and it is not difficult to see why when you consider he has finished no worse than sixth in the last five years! The question is whether he will want the extra pressure that a win will put on him going into next week's USPGA Championship, the final Major of the year, especially considering he has finished runner-up in two of the three Majors played so far. He has twice let-down short price backers the week before both of the last two Majors.
At the odds, better value can found in the shape of
Charles Howell, who boasts three top-20's here in the last three years, and is obviously suited by the format here. A prolific scorer of birdies and eagles in strokeplay events, but often with plenty of bogeys too, his aggressive play can be rewarded this week (two points for a birdie, five for an eagle), whilst he will not be over punished for his bad holes - only minus one point for a bogey.
Another player with an obvious liking for this event is Australian
Geoff Ogilvy, after finishing eighth and 14th in his last two starts here. He has yet to win on Tour but is shaping up into one of the most consistent players around. Rookie
Vaughan Taylor is tops in the field for eagles and 14th in birdie average on Tour, so he can be expected to score some points this week. With two top-10's in his last seven starts he could be ready to breakthrough this week.
Nigel's Three Off The Tee... Howell @ 28/1, Ogilvy @ 40/1, Taylor @ 125/1.
We will be betting this tournament In-Running throughout.
Get in the game and be lucky!
Nigel
Note: Odds correct at time of going to press
NIGEL RIDGWAY, an experienced punter and betting shop owner of many years, believes that “The key to successful gambling is getting value for money.” Nigel was once forced by local bookmakers, to stop writing a tipping column in a UK newspaper, because he was costing them a fortune.
