Week in Sportbiz: Sports give qualified backing to Covid certification plan; US Beijing boycott talks escalates; Masters caught up in vote row April 8, 2021 British sport’s leading governing bodies have backed plans to use Covid certification if it means they can reopen stadiums in full later this summer. But they have called for urgent clarification on how and when social distancing will be relaxed, warning that partially full venues will not stem their financial losses. The Premier League, Football [...]
Coffey on the House if Hendo has a treble April 8, 2021 IT HASN’T been a golden year for six-time champion trainer Nicky Henderson, but Aintree’s Friday card looks a prime opportunity for the Seven Barrows trainer to have some spring success. DUSART, who can be backed at 9/4 to land the Top Novices’ Hurdle (2:20pm), could be a future star, and this isn’t the strongest of [...]
You’d be Well and truly Nuts to miss this one April 8, 2021 COURSE winner NUTS WELL looks a cracking bet in the Marsh Chase (3.25pm) on day two of Aintree’s Grand National meeting. This 10-year-old might have reached the veteran stage of his career but he seems to be getting better with age. He’s been in the form of his life this season. His Kelso defeat of [...]
Morning can brighten up the afternoon in Topham April 8, 2021 SATURDAY’S Randox Grand National is a race still missing from trainer Nicky Henderson’s CV, but he has a good record in the Randox Topham Handicap Chase (4.05pm) over the famous fences. The master of Seven Barrows saddles a trio of contenders in a bid to land the contest for a sixth time with all three [...]
Athletes are driving the acceleration of sports investment – will we see European players follow the US trend for SPACs and NFTs? April 8, 2021 Barely a day goes by without another high-profile athlete being announced as an investor in a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC), a tech start-up or launching their own non-fungible tokens (NFTs). While the Covid-19 pandemic has created major cash-flow problems for many elite teams and leagues, there is certainly no shortage of liquidity being channelled [...]
Clondaw Castle looks the call in the Bowl April 7, 2021 PLENTY expected Tiger Roll to return to Aintree this week, but not many predicted it would be in the Betway Bowl (2.50pm) rather than an attempt at a history-equalling third Randox Grand National victory. The evergreen 11-year-old rolled back the years with an emphatic fifth success at the Cheltenham Festival last month when pulverising his [...]
Destrier looks ready to strike in Red Rum April 7, 2021 AINTREE handicaps, like at Cheltenham, are always devilishly difficult puzzles to unravel and that looks the case with the 18-runner Close Brothers Red Rum Handicap Chase (4.40pm). Paul Nicholls’ Getaway Trump will be well fancied after his impressive win at Doncaster last month, but he has the burden of top weight which may prove too [...]
Eileendover looks a McFabulous bet at Aintree April 7, 2021 THURSDAY’S feature is the Betway Aintree Hurdle (3.25pm) and given only 10 pounds separates 10 of the 11 contenders on official ratings, the majority of the field can argue they have solid claims of taking the Grade 1 contest. Abacadabras looks likely to go off favourite, but the seven-year-old has plenty of questions to answer [...]
Hong Kong Racing Tips: Nordic Wellstar could bounce back at the Valley April 7, 2021 BETTORS are asked a serious question about the chances of Harmony And Rich in the Cooper Handicap (1:15pm) over five furlongs. The top-weight was a clear-cut winner against similar opposition over the course and distance last month and is capable of defying a penalty. The problem, however, is that he is now ridden by 3lb [...]
Hong Kong Racing Tips: Wuyi to Star at Happy Valley April 7, 2021 IT WASN’T that long ago that talk about reigning champion jockey Zac Purton retaining his title was out of the question, with Joao Moreira ‘over the hill and faraway’. In the early weeks of February, Moreira had a decisive lead of 30 and was riding winners for fun, making the most of his partnerships with [...]