Sport Comment: Referee Oliver proved his pedigree March 11, 2015 IN a season when the FA Cup’s mojo has been well and truly rediscovered, it was good to see two of the giants of the English game turn it on the other night. Manchester United-Arsenal was a snorter but I had to chuckle when the TV millions were exhorted to vote for their man of [...]
Lancaster recalls Lawes and Brown for Calcutta Cup bash March 11, 2015 ENGLAND head coach Stuart Lancaster believes his side will benefit from an injection of know-how when they bid to resurrect their Six Nations title hopes against Scotland at Twickenham on Saturday. Second row Courtney Lawes has been recalled to the starting XV in place of George Kruis after recovering from an ankle problem and is [...]
Mayweather ignites bout with Pacquiao March 11, 2015 UNDEFEATED American superstar Floyd Mayweather could not resist taunting rival Manny Pacquiao last night as the duo faced off during a pre-fight news conference ahead of the much-awaited Las Vegas showdown in May. The bout is set to be the richest in history with an expected purse in the region of £167m. Mayweather is unbeaten [...]
Ma Filleule set to fly in the Ryanair Chase March 11, 2015 BILL ESDAILE PREVIEWS THE RYANAIR CHASE AND THE BROWN ADVISORY PLATE THERE have been some mouth-watering races to enjoy already at this week’s Cheltenham Festival with the promise of plenty more to come, but there isn’t a race I’ve been looking forward to more all week than this afternoon’s Ryanair Chase (2.40pm). The race has [...]
Take Monetaire and Attaglance to shine in the Plate March 11, 2015 DAVID Pipe has an enviable record in the Brown Advisory & Merriebelle Stable Plate (4.00pm), winning it three times in the last six years. His father Martin won it four times in just six years and it’s clearly a race that Pond House target. Their sole representative this year is MONETAIRE, owned by Alan Stennett, [...]
Cole Harden has each-way claims in highlight March 11, 2015 BILL ESDAILE PREVIEWS THE WORLD HURDLE THE LADBROKES World Hurdle (3.20pm) without Big Buck’s is a bit like a cheese sandwich without pickle, but Paul Nicholls still has the joint-favourites in Zarkandar and Saphir Du Rheu. Zarkandar won the Triumph Hurdle four years ago, but he has only won one of his last six visits [...]
Apache Stronghold can land JLT under masterful Carberry March 11, 2015 BILL ESDAILE PREVIEWS THE JLT, PERTEMPS FINAL AND KIM MUIR STILL a relatively new race at the Cheltenham Festival, the JLT Novices’ Chase (1.30pm) is for those horses who need further than the two miles of the Arkle and less than the three and a bit miles of the RSA Chase. No horse fits that [...]
Racing FX March 11, 2015 I’VE got another good book of rides today and hopefully we can get into the winner’s enclosure again. VALSEUR LIDO takes his chance in the JLT Chase (1.30) and I’d be pretty confident that he can reverse the form with Apache Stronghold from last time. That was his first run for a while and he [...]
Jose laments PSG’s reliance on aggression March 10, 2015 CHELSEA boss Jose Mourinho has labelled Paris Saint-Germain the most physical side the Blues have faced this season ahead of their Champions League last-16 second-leg showdown at Stamford Bridge tonight. Mourinho was irked by the Ligue 1 outfit’s persistent fouling in the first leg in the French capital, which ended 1-1 after a second-half strike [...]
Football Comment: Fans’ performance as important as the result March 10, 2015 I’ll be heading off to Stamford Bridge tonight with a spring in my step. Over the past decade or so, European nights have often brought out the best in Chelsea. We’ve taken an advantage from the first leg in Paris but nothing can be guaranteed when you’re up against such an expensively put together team, [...]