Murray illness threat to GB’s bid for history April 3, 2014 GREAT Britain’s bid to reach the last four of the Davis Cup for the first time since 1981 hung in the balance last night after Wimbledon champion Andy Murray was struck down with a stomach virus. British hopes of overcoming Italy in Naples will depend on Murray winning at least his two singles matches, and [...]
Vunipola warns Sarries to expect Ulster backlash April 3, 2014 ENGLAND prop Mako Vunipola anticipates Ulster will be out for revenge when Saracens arrive at Ravenhill for tomorrow’s Heineken Cup quarter-final. Sarries, who defeated Ulster 27-16 at the same stage in last year’s competition, are seven points clear at the top of the Aviva Premiership and have guaranteed a place in the end of season [...]
Motta fears Chelsea remain favourites to reach semi-finals April 3, 2014 CHELSEA remain favourites to reach the Champions League semi-finals next week, according to Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Thiago Motta, despite Wednesday’s 3-1 defeat at the Parc des Princes. Blues boss Jose Mourinho questioned whether his strikers possess the capability required to overturn their two-goal deficit, after an own goal from defender David Luiz, plus strikes from [...]
The New One holds off challenge from McCoy to win Aintree Hurdle April 3, 2014 CHAMPION jockey AP McCoy lost out in a photo-finish to Sam Twiston-Davies and The New One on the first day of the Grand National meeting at Aintree. McCoy was eventually ruled to have placed third on Diakali in the Aintree Hurdle yesterday, with Rock on Ruby second to the 4-9 favourite, trained by Twiston-Davies’s father [...]
Sri Lanka storm through to final April 3, 2014 CRICKET: A thunderstorm helped Sri Lanka reach the World Twenty20 final yesterday after beating West Indies by 27 runs on the Duckworth/Lewis method. West Indies were reduced to 80-4 in reply to 160-6 before rain fell.
Seven suspected of spot-fixing April 3, 2014 FOOTBALL: Seven players from Football League clubs were yesterday arrested in connection with alleged spot-fixing. The players are aged 18 to 30 and based in the north west.
Absent Prince set to make up for lost time in Grand National April 3, 2014 BILL ESDAILE PREVIEWS THE CRABBIE’S GRAND NATIONAL THE CRABBIE’S Grand National is now a very different race to what it was 10 or 15 years ago. It has often been referred to as a “lottery”, but that description is even more accurate now with numerous changes made to the fences meaning more horses have a [...]
Sporting Index: Spread betting on the Grand National April 3, 2014 FINDING the winner of a 40-runner 4m 4f handicap steeplechase over 30 testing fences isn’t the easiest of tasks and many will be scratching their heads again this year after the 66/1 shock 12 months ago. Sporting Index are predicting a winning starting price this time of between 20.5 and 21.5, so if you are [...]
Smart Josses Hill can go one better in today’s opener April 3, 2014 BILL ESDAILE PREVIEWS THE BEST OF THE ACTION AT AINTREE TODAY AND TOMORROW TIME will probably tell that JOSSES HILL bumped into an absolute monster in Vautour at the Cheltenham Festival last month. Willie Mullins’ powerhouse smashed the track record, held by none other than the mighty three-time Champion Hurdle hero Istabraq, that day and [...]
Saint Are poised to strike at his beloved Aintree April 3, 2014 SOME horses just tend to come alive at this time of year. The sun on their backs and the sound of their hooves rattling a little louder seems to rejuvenate them and I often look for horses at this meeting who have run well in previous years. Battle Group was a prime example 12 months [...]