I'm alive, all is well. I'm done with uni now (can't believe how quickly three years can go) and I'm currently an unemployed graduate - you've probably seen one before, there's plenty knocking about these days.
World Cup time and I'd thought I'd let you into my 'portfolio'. It sounds very professional but the bets it contains are pretty amateur. Read and laugh as I try and justify betting away those hard earned (now taxable) pounds.
Holland to win outright (11-1)
Yes, everyone says the orange army implode at the big tournaments but it can't happen every time. Trends are there to be upset - look at Workforce, statisticians said no horse beaten in the Dante had won a Derby...until last Saturday. The Dutch team are full of quality: Van Bommel, Sneijder and Van Persie to name a few. The back four is a bit shaky but if they can keep it together, the Tango men will be champs.
Spain to win outright (5-1)
Okay, I've chickened out with this insurance policy but at this price, Spain look a cracking bet. Euro winners two years ago, no-one has looked like beating them since. Are sure to face a strong side in the last 16 from the Group 'of Death' G, they will be confident enough to breeze aside anyone (except Holland in the final hopefully!).
France to win Group A (2.46)
A stonking price - they won the tournament in '98 and still have the class to beat their group-mates. I'm not saying they'll go any further than the knock-out stage but they have the ability to dominate a weak group.
Honduras to concede most goals (9-1)
A tricky bet, with North Korea the favourites. Kim Jong Il's men are pretty dire but they didn't let many in against Mexico and Greece in friendlies so I'm willing to go with Honduras. They're a terrible bunch of men and how they even got to the finals is beyond me. A clean sheet is more common in Pete Doherty's bed than in a Honduras game and hopefully the likes of Switzerland, Spain and Chile can pile in the goals.
8 June 2010
19 March 2010
So you thought I'd gone.
Wassup people.
As you may have guessed, I was more tan happy to let this blog die a slow and painful death by neglect but event have conspired against my mistreatment and words have been fed to a hungry page.
At the moment I do a weekly blog for geegeez.com and I sent the editor this article before the Champion Hurdle. It reads pretty forth telling in light of recent events...
We all know JP McManus loves a bet at Cheltenham during the third week of March. His rivalry with the late bookie Freddie ‘Fearless’ Williams has gone down in Festival folk law and Barry Dennis recently recalled how he was facing an £800,000 paid out to the Irishman had Barracuda got past Ingles Drever up the Prestbury Park hill in the 2005 Stayers’ Hurdle.
Last year, we saw a heavily gambled on Wichita Lineman scrape home in front in McManus’ green and gold silks to land the William Hill Trophy and some hefty bets to boot.
Most of the Irishman’s festival punts are a strongly held secret - only a few insiders know when the money’s down. Even his trainer, Jonjo O’Neill, isn’t really sure himself when JP’s ‘having it big’.
But could this year’s gamble have been his most exposed one yet? Is the news that this horse is going to be carrying more than his jockey right under our nose?
I’m talking about Binocular.
So marginally denied in last year’s Champion Hurdle, it was made no secret that Nicky Henderson’s steed would be a stronger, much tougher animal in 12 months time.
Since then, we have seen quite the opposite: comfortably beaten twice by Go Native before landing the odds in a poor three-runner affair at Sandown, the progress we were promised from Binocular has failed to materialise.
Despite these disappointments, dreams of going two places better in the Champion Hurdle were kept alive and the son of Enrique was available at odds of 6-1 for the championship event.
Now, this is where my thinking kicks in. Was JP McManus sitting in his mansion back in Ireland thinking: ‘Sixes! That’s far too short for a good ol’ gamble!’?
So what does he do?
BINOCULAR OUT OF CHAMPION WITH MUSCULAR PROBLEM read the next day’s headlines.
Boom. There’s no better way to get larger odds on a horse than to put their participation in doubt. Some bookies even took him out of their markets.
His chances had been written off.
A ‘muscular problem’ is a very good excuse. Unlike, say, a bone fracture or tendon injury, the period of recuperation varies upon the extent. With this, they can keep the horse out of the Champion Hurdle picture for as long or as little as they want.
So, surprise, surprise, last week we hear that Binocular is back on track for Cheltenham and he is immediately re-instigated in the betting markets. At 8-1.
Now, McManus takes a sip of his 25-year old malt, reclines in his armchair and thinks: ‘Eights! Pile in lads!’.
As you may have guessed, I was more tan happy to let this blog die a slow and painful death by neglect but event have conspired against my mistreatment and words have been fed to a hungry page.
At the moment I do a weekly blog for geegeez.com and I sent the editor this article before the Champion Hurdle. It reads pretty forth telling in light of recent events...
We all know JP McManus loves a bet at Cheltenham during the third week of March. His rivalry with the late bookie Freddie ‘Fearless’ Williams has gone down in Festival folk law and Barry Dennis recently recalled how he was facing an £800,000 paid out to the Irishman had Barracuda got past Ingles Drever up the Prestbury Park hill in the 2005 Stayers’ Hurdle.
Last year, we saw a heavily gambled on Wichita Lineman scrape home in front in McManus’ green and gold silks to land the William Hill Trophy and some hefty bets to boot.
Most of the Irishman’s festival punts are a strongly held secret - only a few insiders know when the money’s down. Even his trainer, Jonjo O’Neill, isn’t really sure himself when JP’s ‘having it big’.
But could this year’s gamble have been his most exposed one yet? Is the news that this horse is going to be carrying more than his jockey right under our nose?
I’m talking about Binocular.
So marginally denied in last year’s Champion Hurdle, it was made no secret that Nicky Henderson’s steed would be a stronger, much tougher animal in 12 months time.
Since then, we have seen quite the opposite: comfortably beaten twice by Go Native before landing the odds in a poor three-runner affair at Sandown, the progress we were promised from Binocular has failed to materialise.
Despite these disappointments, dreams of going two places better in the Champion Hurdle were kept alive and the son of Enrique was available at odds of 6-1 for the championship event.
Now, this is where my thinking kicks in. Was JP McManus sitting in his mansion back in Ireland thinking: ‘Sixes! That’s far too short for a good ol’ gamble!’?
So what does he do?
BINOCULAR OUT OF CHAMPION WITH MUSCULAR PROBLEM read the next day’s headlines.
Boom. There’s no better way to get larger odds on a horse than to put their participation in doubt. Some bookies even took him out of their markets.
His chances had been written off.
A ‘muscular problem’ is a very good excuse. Unlike, say, a bone fracture or tendon injury, the period of recuperation varies upon the extent. With this, they can keep the horse out of the Champion Hurdle picture for as long or as little as they want.
So, surprise, surprise, last week we hear that Binocular is back on track for Cheltenham and he is immediately re-instigated in the betting markets. At 8-1.
Now, McManus takes a sip of his 25-year old malt, reclines in his armchair and thinks: ‘Eights! Pile in lads!’.
11 January 2010
2010 - A big year for...
I could easily give you the names of five or so horses to follow in the in the opening year of the…(what will this decade be called? The teenies?) but that’s not blogging, it’s tipping. Anyway, I’d probably be wrong. No, these are the human names that will reach a higher level in 2010, the people who you need on your side for the year ahead.
Jockey - Phil Makin.
After a fraught couple of seasons due to injuries, the ‘Tom Queally of the North’ was back with a bang in 2009. Like his southern counterpart, Makin is reliable, hard-working and gives it to you straight. With the momentum of a currently successful all-weather season behind him, he looks set to rake in a multitude of winners come the new season. Not only should he be pushing into the top 5 in the jockeys championship but a plunder of the odd valuable contest should be within. When the likes of Gosden, Stoute and Godolphin head up north and need a jockey, don’t be surprised if Makin gets the leg up.
Apprentice - Paul Pickard
Last season Frederik Tylicki proved that northern firepower can out-muster any southern attack by beating David Probert in a thrilling race for the apprentice’s championship. Likewise, a northern push could be enough to propel Pickard to the top of the rookie riders’ tree. After a promising 2009, he has decided to stay in England for the all-weather season - a wise move and one that should be rewarded with an expanding of his contacts book. Heading into the new season with a 5lb claim will make him an attractive proposition to many trainers, including that of his boss, Peter Midgeley. With an apparent natural aptitude for race- riding and a polite manner out of the saddle, Paul Pickard is a name to remember.
Trainer - Warren Greatrex
The pronunciation of his surname may be a matter of debate but there’s no doubt about the fact that Greatrex has equine firepower. The real task will be for the rookie handler to steer his horses in the right direction and aim them at the achievable targets. Backer Malcolm Denmark has put full faith in his trainer and the results have so far been highly encouraging. Greatrex has made no secret about the fact that anything he does now will be a stepping stone for future years but, from recent evidence, he big time may come sooner than he thinks.
Ok, I said I wouldn’t give you a horse to follow but there’s one bit of value I’ve seen that has to be gobbled up like the last roast potato at Christmas dinner. His name is Punjabi. Yes, that probably does ring a bell. He’s 12/1 for the Champion Hurdle, a race he won only last March. Even the each-way thieves can’t resist a price like that.
Jockey - Phil Makin.
After a fraught couple of seasons due to injuries, the ‘Tom Queally of the North’ was back with a bang in 2009. Like his southern counterpart, Makin is reliable, hard-working and gives it to you straight. With the momentum of a currently successful all-weather season behind him, he looks set to rake in a multitude of winners come the new season. Not only should he be pushing into the top 5 in the jockeys championship but a plunder of the odd valuable contest should be within. When the likes of Gosden, Stoute and Godolphin head up north and need a jockey, don’t be surprised if Makin gets the leg up.
Apprentice - Paul Pickard
Last season Frederik Tylicki proved that northern firepower can out-muster any southern attack by beating David Probert in a thrilling race for the apprentice’s championship. Likewise, a northern push could be enough to propel Pickard to the top of the rookie riders’ tree. After a promising 2009, he has decided to stay in England for the all-weather season - a wise move and one that should be rewarded with an expanding of his contacts book. Heading into the new season with a 5lb claim will make him an attractive proposition to many trainers, including that of his boss, Peter Midgeley. With an apparent natural aptitude for race- riding and a polite manner out of the saddle, Paul Pickard is a name to remember.
Trainer - Warren Greatrex
The pronunciation of his surname may be a matter of debate but there’s no doubt about the fact that Greatrex has equine firepower. The real task will be for the rookie handler to steer his horses in the right direction and aim them at the achievable targets. Backer Malcolm Denmark has put full faith in his trainer and the results have so far been highly encouraging. Greatrex has made no secret about the fact that anything he does now will be a stepping stone for future years but, from recent evidence, he big time may come sooner than he thinks.
Ok, I said I wouldn’t give you a horse to follow but there’s one bit of value I’ve seen that has to be gobbled up like the last roast potato at Christmas dinner. His name is Punjabi. Yes, that probably does ring a bell. He’s 12/1 for the Champion Hurdle, a race he won only last March. Even the each-way thieves can’t resist a price like that.
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