David Pipe looks ahead to the Grand National March 28, 2019 AS THIS weekend is pretty quiet on the jumping front, it’s a good opportunity to look ahead to next Saturday’s Grand National. It’s a race we won back in 2008 with Comply Or Die and I’d obviously love to win it again. I don’t remember that day much as it remains a bit of a [...]
Horse Racing Betting Tips: Castle can cap a Dream night for Godolphin March 28, 2019 THERE is a mouth-watering $35million up for grabs across eight races at Meydan racecourse tomorrow afternoon, culminating in the showpiece Dubai World Cup (4.40pm). The feature 1m2f contest looks arguably the trickiest puzzle to solve of the lot with strong cases to be made for at least six of a deep 13-runner field. Last year’s [...]
Horse Racing Betting Tips: South can leave Lincoln rivals all at sea for Kirby March 28, 2019 EVEN though the Flat season doesn’t officially start until Guineas weekend, the traditional curtain raiser takes place at Doncaster tomorrow. The Unibet Lincoln (3.35pm) is the first leg of the ‘spring double’ and is followed by next weekend’s Randox Health Grand National. Phil Kirby is planning an audacious bid at snaring both prizes and I [...]
Where Huddersfield Town rank among the five worst teams in Premier League history March 28, 2019 Huddersfield's relegation from English football's top tier could be confirmed this weekend. But where do the Terriers rank among the worst teams ever to play in the Premier League? 5. Sunderland 2002-03: 0.50 Points per game The fifth worst team in Premier League history, this Sunderland side took just 19 points from their 38 matches. Under [...]
Wolves on course for Europa League, but is becoming the Premier League’s best of the rest worth it – or a poisoned chalice? March 28, 2019 Should Burnley manager Sean Dyche feel moved to dispense some characteristic no-nonsense wisdom to his opposite number this weekend, it might be of the be-careful-what-you-wish-for variety. Occupying the visitors’ dugout at Turf Moor on Saturday will be Nuno Espirito Santo, a rising star whose Wolves team have cut a dash in their first season back [...]
Glasgow Warriors can use Scotland’s Twickenham heroics for inspiration against Saracens in Champions Cup quarter-final March 28, 2019 Glasgow may not have beaten Saracens in Europe in five attempts but the Scottish side can take solace from their national team’s historic clash against England just two weeks ago as they prepare for this weekend’s Champions Cup quarter-final. Scotland were down and out after half an hour at Twickenham, with England 31-0 up, only [...]
Chris Tremlett: Ashwin’s Mankad was borderline cheating and should be banned from cricket for good March 27, 2019 Ravichandran Ashwin’s conduct in the Indian Premier League has caused debate right across the cricketing world this week. With his side, Kings XI Punjab, up against it on Monday the Indian spinner decided to run out Rajasthan Royals’ batsman Jos Buttler while he was backing up at the non-strikers’ end. The dismissal, known as a [...]
Cricket’s growing trend? How the success of Twenty20 leagues could lead to a rise in white-ball only contracts March 27, 2019 It’s been over a year since Adil Rashid sparked debate across the cricket world – not with a spinning delivery, but by signing a piece of paper. The England leg-spinner drew criticism after turning his back on first-class cricket by agreeing a white-ball only contract with his county Yorkshire in February 2018. Read more: Meet [...]
English referees are being overlooked by Uefa for Champions League ties March 27, 2019 If the full complement of English teams progressing to the Champions League quarter-finals is evidence that England’s teams are among the best in Europe then the absence of referees from these shores raises some uncomfortable questions for our officials. For the first time in a decade, four Premier League clubs have reached the last eight [...]
Karl McDermott interview: Lord’s head groundsman on the Cricket World Cup, Ireland’s Test match against England and more March 26, 2019 When the Cricket World Cup final rolls around at the height of this summer the two teams and their fans won’t be the only nervous people inside Lord’s. Cricket, more than any other sport, is shaped by the surface it’s played on, and the man tasked with delivering the perfect one for its biggest occasion [...]