Chelsea v Man Utd
Su Aug 15 - 16.05 BEST ko (SS1)
Chelsea can hit the ground running with a win over
Manchester United at Stamford Bridge this Sunday, a game that is going to have a massive impact in the rest of the season. If last weeks' performance in the Community Shield is anything to go by, United are going to struggle to find the extra couple of gears that will be required to get off the mark against Chelsea.
Apart from Alan Smith's superb equalising goal there was little encouragement for United fans, and it is not difficult to see Mourinho's side exploiting the apparent lack of cohesion shown by the United back-line in Cardiff. Back Chelsea at
6/5 to take all three points, and then take advantage our fantastic FREE IN-RUNNING BET on the game.
FREE £25 IN-RUNNING BET
To qualify for your free In-Running bet, simply have ANY bet on the game before kick off. Once the second half kicks off we will match your stake (up to £25/$40 or currency equivalent), and give you a free bet to place on the In-Running market of your choice.
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bet365 match prices... Chelsea 6/5, Draw 11/5, Man Utd 9/4.
Great St Wilfrid Handicap, Ripon 6f
Sa Aug 14
The revitalized Jonny Ebeneezer looks the best bet to land this prestigious sprint handicap (15.15). His four latest wins have all been achieved in the last three weeks, and he showed no sign of going off the boil when bolting in over this trip on good to soft ground at Windsor on Monday night.
Despite a 4lb penalty for that win, the David Flood trained gelding is actually 'well-in' on Saturday, being able to race off a mark of 83, still 3lb below his highest successful rating achieved at Goodwood nearly two years ago. He will be better suited than some by the likely easy ground, as will Cd Europe, who had no luck in running in the Steward's Cup last month, doing really well to finish tenth, not beaten far.
Dropped a few pounds since to a mark from which he was successful last November, he looks the value alternative to the favourite. Confidence in either horse's chances would be increased by a draw next to either rail, with recent stats suggesting that horses drawn in the middle berth having a major disadvantage.
bet365 Gt St Wilfrid prices... Jonny Ebeneezer 6/1, Mutawaqed 7/1, Machinist 8/1, Pic Up Sticks 9/1, Cd Europe 14/1, others on
bet365 website.
US PGA Championship
The final Major of the season is being played at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin, a brand new course designed along the lines of a classic British links course, being located on the shores of the wind swept Lake Michigan. At over 7,500 yards it is also the longest course in Major championship history, and if the wind blows a score over par, maybe well over par, is almost certainly expected to win the tournament. In fact, a 'Winning Score' of 290 (2 over par) and over is favourite at 7/4 here at
bet365.
For the winner a case can be made for a whole number of players including
Tiger Woods, who looked near to peaking again in his last event, and
Phil Mickelson, who has successfully geared his season around the Majors (1st, 2nd and 3rd this season).
Ernie Els and
Vijay Singh will have their supporters too, but they could all be bigger prices in our In-Running market, and the pre-tournament value could lie elsewhere?
There is a strong contingent of Australians in with a chance this week, and the boys from down under may well be inspired to lift their games further by compatriot Rod Pampling's win in Colorado on Sunday. Adam Scott has already won twice in the States this year, and his superb long-iron play could be the key on a course with three par fours over 500 yards. He does lack 'links' form, however, and at the prices the chances of fellow Aussie Stuart Appleby are preferred.
Having reached an Open play-off back in 2002, and with a good effort in last year's Australian Open on the similarly styled Moonah Links course, he looks ideally suited to cope with the rigours of Whistling Straits. He also fits the profile of previous USPGA winners - a player in his thirties winning his first Major having won on the regular Tour - while his record in this event has been most consistent - 23-17-16-4 in the last four years! He looks worthy of support, not only in our outright market, but also in our
'Top Rest Of World' market at 14/1.
The stats are strongly against a European win this week, with none having won this Major since the event became a strokeplay event back in 1958. In fact the last time a European won a major of any description was back in 1999, when Paul Lawrie took the Open Championship. However, the European contingent will take heart from the links layout of this course, and the likes of Garcia and Harrington must have a great shout on a course that will demand shotmaking flair and a great touch around the greens, just their sort of game.
Another European player with strong credentials this week is Alex Cejka, who gave European Ryder Cup captain Bernhard Langer a timely reminder of his talents with a superb second place in the International on Sunday. Cejka was also top European in last year's US PGA, so August would seem to be his month, while his length and accurate driving will be a major asset this week, and he looks value at 20/1 in our
'Top European' market.
The tournament within a tournament this week is certainly the race for the Ryder Cup team, with as many as seven spots on the US team still up for grabs. That race must end on Sunday, which gives John Daly a bigger incentive than most to perform well this week. He is currently 20th in the standings, and probably requires the captains pick to get into the team, but he must be relishing the prospect of tackling the longest course in major history, as no one hits the ball further than him.
This is also the tournament in which he made history back in 1991, when he arrived at Crooked Stick as ninth reserve, and proceeded to tear the field apart with an awesome display of power and finesse to take the title. Four years later he added the Open at St Andrews to his Major portfolio, and it must hurt that he is the only double Major winner who has not played in a Ryder Cup. He will not be phased by being paired with Tiger Woods and Vijay Singh over the first two days, and will not want for the support of the galleries either, so he looks a fair bet to outscore his two opponents in 3-ball bets, and should also be supported in our
'Top American' market at 33/1.
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.
