Ruby a diamond bet at 13/8 to be top jockey March 10, 2011 IT’S been a winter to forget for Ruby Walsh. Everything was looking good in early November when he landed a big race double at Down Royal with Kauto Star and The Nightingale. Things took a turn for the worse in the next, though, when he fell from Corrick Bridge, broke his leg and faced an [...]
COUNTDOWN TO CHELTENHAM March 10, 2011 Martin Pipe was a master at plotting a horse for one of the big handicaps at Cheltenham and his son David is following in his footsteps. The one I can see shortening markedly over the next few days is I’MSINGINGTHEBLUES in the Grand Annual. He hasn’t won for over two years, but this has been [...]
In-form Moore to strike with Via Galilei in Imperial Cup March 10, 2011 WE are now only four days away from the start of the Cheltenham Festival and tomorrow’s Paddy Power Imperial Cup at Sandown (3.00pm) gives us one last chance to garner some extra clues. The sponsors are putting up a £75,000 bonus for a horse that wins tomorrow and at the Festival. The only place to [...]
The INSIDER March 10, 2011 It’s been a while since my last confession, but I’m back, just in time for the Cheltenham Festival. Is it really 12 months since the Prestbury Park roar welcomed the release of the starting tapes for the Supreme Novices’? Let’s hope we can again find the winner of the first and give ourselves a huge [...]
Scottish pain to continue in Calcutta Cup contest March 10, 2011 ENGLAND vs SCOTLAND SUNDAY – 3.00PM BBC2 SCOTLAND’S defence coach Graham Steadman has pinpointed how his team can beat England in Sunday’s Calcutta Cup clash at Twickenham. He says that neutralising the opposition’s creative back three of Chris Ashton, Mark Cueto and Ben Foden is the key. That is certainly easier said than done. Despite [...]
BEHIND THE LINES March 10, 2011 It’s the Calcutta Cup on Sunday and once again we’re offering EVS both teams on the handicap. England have been impressive so far this tournament, but Martin Johnson wants an improved showing from his men before the likely Grand Slam decider in Dublin next weekend. We fully expect them to win this in style against [...]
WHITE HOT LANE March 9, 2011 l Spurs edge out mighty Milan l Harry hails amazing achievement TOTTENHAM 0 vs AC MILAN 0 Tottenham win 1-0 on aggregate PROUD Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp hailed his side’s progression to the quarter-finals of the Champions League as an amazing achievement. The north Londoners, enjoying their debut season in Europe’s premier club competition, made [...]
QPR face points penalty threat over FA charges March 9, 2011 QUEENS PARK RANGERS top-flight promotion bid was thrown into turmoil last night after they were charged by the Football Association with seven breaches of rules banning third-party ownership in relation to their midfielder Alejandro Faurlin. If found guilty by a three-man independent panel, the runaway Championship leaders would be open to a number of punishments [...]
2012 chiefs slam BOA as row ignites March 9, 2011 LONDON 2012 organisers LOCOG last night hit back at the British Olympic Association (BOA) in an increasingly bitter row over cash, calling its complaints “sad”. The hard-up BOA, chaired by Lord Moynihan, believes it was short-changed when it sold marketing rights to next year’s Games to LOCOG for £28m in 2004. Chief executive Andy Hunt, [...]
Barca add insult to Arsenal’s injury March 9, 2011 BARCELONA star Javier Mascherano has accused Arsenal of sour grapes for blaming their Champions League exit on the controversial sending off of Robin van Persie. Gunners manager Arsene Wenger and midfielder Samir Nasri are facing possible European bans after being charged with improper conduct for remarks made to referee Massimo Busacca after Tuesday’s defeat. Both [...]