the INSIDER October 22, 2009 The Racing Post Trophy is a top race that is regularly won by a leading contender for next June’s Epsom Derby. I’m not sure we have the top two-year-olds running in this year’s renewal, but we do have the ante-post favourite for the Derby in the field. St Nicholas Abbey, a 200,000 Guineas purchase as [...]
Rafa looks deflated but ‘Pool can still have a ball October 22, 2009 LIVERPOOL vs MANCHESTER UNITEDSUNDAY 2.00PM, SKY SPORTS 1 MANY pundits thought this was finally Liverpool’s year, but things have not started well and Rafa Benitez’s side – with no thanks to the infamous beachball goal at Sunderland last Saturday– have now lost four games in a row, their worst run in 22 years. Their play [...]
IN-RUNNING TRADING HINTS October 22, 2009 THIS has undoubtedly been one of the most dramatic recent openings to a season which is exactly what in-running punters want to hear. Liverpool were matched on Betdaq at 1.24 against Lyon on Tuesday night, while the French team were as big as 40.0 before going on to win; which highlights the massive value punters [...]
Arsenal boss makes trophy pledge to fans October 22, 2009 ARSENAL manager Arsene Wenger is convinced his young side will finally realise their potential and end a five-year wait for silverware this season. The Gunners have not won a trophy since the 2004-05 campaign, when they lifted the FA Cup. But on a day when largest shareholder Stan Kroenke declined to clarify whether he plans [...]
Blues appeal to suspend transfer ban October 22, 2009 CHELSEA have pleaded with the Court of Arbitration for Sport to have their Fifa transfer ban frozen until a decision on their appeal hearing is made. The Blues have been prevented from signing players until January by the world governing body after being found guilty of inducing Gael Kakuta to break his contract with Lens [...]
Roy denied by last-gasp equaliser October 22, 2009 MARCO ANDREOLLI’S stoppage time volley denied ten-man Fulham a third successive Europa League victory, at the expense of Italian giants Roma. Roy Hodgson’s men took a deserved lead when defender Brede Hangeland headed home Bjorn Helge Riise’s cross from close range. Hangland was then wrongly sent-off for a foul on Riise’s brother John Arne, only [...]
Premiership stars are facing burn-out, says players’ chief October 22, 2009 PLAYERS’ chiefs have responded to fears over the welfare of professionals by calling for compulsory rest periods to be made more widespread. The credit crunch has forced Premiership clubs to trim their squads, meaning a greater burden is being placed on each player. And Rugby Players’ Association chief Damian Hopley believes enforced periods of rest [...]
Defeat is a blessing in disguise October 22, 2009 KICKING INTO TOUCH WITHBRENDAN VENTER IN many ways, last week’s first defeat of the season, against Toulon in the Challenge Cup, was a blessing in disguise for us at Saracens.Things had gone, perhaps, too well for us in the opening six weeks of the season, and a first setback gave us, as a squad, the [...]
D-Day for F1 contenders Todt and Ari October 22, 2009 FORMER Ferrari team boss Jean Todt and ex-rallying champion Ari Vatanen go head-to-head today in the battle to succeed Max Mosley as the president of world motorsport. The two men are locking horns in the quest for votes in what has become an increasingly bitter election. Indeed, just hours before the votes are counted, Todt [...]
Ashes hero Swann came close to quitting cricket October 22, 2009 ENGLAND Ashes hero Graeme Swann has admitted he was on the brink of quitting the game during a seven-year spell in the international wilderness. Swann fell out of favour with coach Duncan Fletcher after oversleeping and missing the team bus on his first England tour, the 1999-2000 trip to South Africa. It was not until [...]