Horseracing: David Pipe’s City AM Column January 3, 2019 WITH only one runner over the next couple of days, it will be a relatively quiet weekend for us. RATHLIN ROSE takes his chance in the Veterans’ Handicap Chase (3.00pm) at Sandown tomorrow and this has been the plan for some time. He had a nice pipe-opener here back in November and seems in good [...]
Horse Racing Betting Tips: Rose to prove a thorn in his rivals’ side January 3, 2019 A UNIVERSAL success is the only way that the Veterans’ Chase Series can be described since it was launched in 2015. It has revitalised the programme for older horses and tomorrow sees the fourth running of the Final (3.00pm) at Sandown, with a staggering £100,000 in prize money up for grabs. The roof of Sandown’s [...]
Ollie Phillips: All to play for at the halfway point of a tight and unpredictable Premiership season January 3, 2019 Saracens and Exeter may be streets ahead at the top of the Premiership, but at the halfway stage of the season every other position is up for grabs. Although I’m backing last year’s finalists to repeat the trick, there’s plenty of intrigue elsewhere to keep us guessing until May. There is very little consistency in [...]
Maurizio Sarri has not had the instant impact Chelsea expect of new managers with the club one point worse off than last year January 3, 2019 Chelsea's blueprint for success under Roman Abramovich's ownership has been dependent on new managers and signings having an immediate impact, with the high turnover of personnel a trade-off in the pursuit of instant results. But after a promising start, those instant results have begun to desert manager Maurizio Sarri, with the Blues one point worse [...]
Chris Tremlett: Honours are there for the taking for England in 2019 with the World Cup and Ashes approaching January 2, 2019 England begin 2019 in a great place: full of confidence and with honours there for the taking. The tour of the West Indies, which starts this month, is followed by the 50-over World Cup and the Ashes, which are both on home soil. It is a combination which presents a brilliant opportunity. Having beaten India [...]
Manchester City are ready to halt the Liverpool juggernaut and get their Premier League title defence back on track January 2, 2019 It was at this stage last season that Liverpool ended Manchester City's unbeaten run in the Premier League with a 4-3 win at Anfield. Until then City had looked unstoppable, but they came undone when visiting Anfield on 14 January and have been unable to beat Liverpool in three attempts since. Thursday night's trip to [...]
Ollie Phillips: Johnny Sexton’s outstanding Ireland and dominant Saracens lead my 2018 roll of honour December 20, 2018 There is only one place to start a look back at rugby in 2018 and that’s with its best side. Ireland have been the undoubted stars of the last 12 months. They may not have overtaken New Zealand as No1 in the world rankings, but their first ever home win over the All Blacks last [...]
Cardiff City v Manchester United: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer hopes to spark happy new era at old stomping ground December 20, 2018 When Ole Gunnar Solskjaer parted ways with Cardiff City in September 2014, the Norwegian could not have envisaged the circumstances of his return. Solskjaer, in his own words, “stepped aside” at Cardiff due to a “difference in philosophy” with owner Vincent Tan, but the brutal reality is that he had failed during his nine-month spell [...]
Horse Racing Betting Tips: Agrapart can slog his way to JLT Hurdle success at Ascot December 20, 2018 IF YOU have finished your Christmas shopping and don’t have plans tomorrow, then head to Ascot for a terrific card featuring the Grade One JLT Hurdle (2.25pm). A race that has served up plenty of small-field uncompetitive affairs in the past has been blessed with 11 runners and has the potential to be a cracker. [...]
Horseracing: David Pipe’s City AM Column December 20, 2018 AS THIS is my last column of the year there is plenty to cover off. I’m looking forward to seeing EDEN DU HOUX back in action at Ascot (3.40pm) this afternoon. This looks a hot bumper, but he did the job nicely at Plumpton earlier in the month and we like him a lot. The [...]