Champions League draw reaction: English clubs face daunting ties in the last 16 December 16, 2019 In a change to the usual reaction of despair at familiar match-ups, today’s Champions League last 16 draw was met with a widespread reaction of excitement. In recent years the random draw has far too often thrown up repeat fixtures, with Europe’s best club sides getting used to lining up against each other every season. [...]
Review of 2019: Koepka and McIlroy inseparable after brilliant years, Lowry’s Open triumph the stand-out moment December 16, 2019 Golf has enjoyed another great year and with 2019 drawing to a close it is time for me to look back on its stand-out protagonists, moments and more. Player of the year This is a tricky one, but the world rankings don’t lie: Brooks Koepka and Rory McIlroy are No1 and No2 for a good [...]
EFL Cup and Club World Cup: How Liverpool are planning to fight on two fronts this week December 16, 2019 Liverpool will play Aston Villa tomorrow night in the EFL Cup quarter-final less than 24 hours before they are due to play in the Club World Cup semi-final half-way across the world in Qatar. It means Jurgen Klopp’s side will have played three games in the space of five days, following Saturday’s 2-0 win over [...]
Arsenal 0-3 Manchester City: Kevin De Bruyne masterclass leads City to comfortable win at the Emirates December 15, 2019 Being torn apart by a player as brilliant as Kevin De Bruyne is not in itself embarrassing. But the ease and speed with which the Belgian playmaker ended Manchester City’s trip to Arsenal as a contest was dispiriting. As the popular refrain goes, Gunners fans arriving at the Emirates Stadium this afternoon expected little and [...]
Sports business in 2019: Industry insiders pick the trends that defined the year December 15, 2019 Izzy Wray, consultant in Deloitte’s Sport Business Group Women’s football The growing popularity of women’s football has been one of the defining sports trends of 2019. The Women’s World Cup smashed TV audience records, with a reported 1bn people watching it worldwide and over 28m people tuning in to the tournament on the BBC. Numerous [...]
Horse racing: David Pipe on his runners across the country over the next few days December 12, 2019 THERE appears to be plenty of rain around so the ground will most likely be soft for the start of Cheltenham’s two day meeting this afternoon. We run NORDIC COMBINED in the handicap hurdle (1.20pm) who has the ability but is a little bit of a monkey. The race and conditions should suit him, and [...]
Horse racing betting tips: French raider can land the Cross Country December 12, 2019 PLENTY of traditionalists tend to crab the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase (3.05pm) but this afternoon’s 16-strong renewal looks the pick of the action on the opening day of Cheltenham’s December meeting. The eye is immediately drawn to the JP McManus-owned pair of Yanworth and Josies Orders at the top of the weights, but they may [...]
Horse racing betting tips: Windsor a money spinner in Donny’s December Chase December 12, 2019 UNBEATEN in two starts this season and one of the most promising novice chasers around, WINDSOR AVENUE looks the best bet on the card at Doncaster tomorrow. The Brian Ellison-trained seven-year-old steps up to three miles for first time in the Grade Two December Novices’ Chase (2.10pm), and based on what we’ve seen so far [...]
Horse racing betting tips: You would be Nutz to miss Queens Cave December 12, 2019 TRAINER Nicky Henderson has won the last two renewals of tomorrow’s International Hurdle (3.05pm) and his unbeaten Triumph Hurdle winner Pentland Hills is 6/4 with Ladbrokes to land the hat-trick. We won’t know the final field for the Grade Two prize until later this morning, but Henderson is likely to be represented by Call Me [...]
Horse racing betting tips: No Secret Nicholls loves Caspian Caviar Gold Cup December 12, 2019 PAUL Nicholls is out to continue his domination of tomorrow’s Caspian Caviar Gold Cup (1.55pm). The champion trainer has won tomorrow’s Cheltenham contest five times in the last 10 years and he has a couple of leading fancies lining up this time. SECRET INVESTOR is the shortest one of the pair in the betting. He’s [...]