He ain’t Seve – But then again who is?
Horse Racing
With the flat season getting into full swing this week we will watch on with a close eye when the Derrinstown Stud Derby trial is run on Sunday. Seville, tipped up for the Derby in this column is set to show his true Derby credentials and make our 8/1 look very attractive. On Saturday however we are likely to have some very fast ground given the recent weather conditions. Looking at the Victoria Cup at Ascot first, a 7F straight sprint I’m looking to side with Al Muheer. Dandy Nicholls is an expert at these sprints and regularly springs a big odds winner. Al Muheer is 16/1 with William Hill and this for me represents excellent e/w value. He has some patchy form of late but is a course and distance winner at Ascot, a track which throws up a host of repeat winners. He hasn’t won since that day two years ago but he largely has been tried over a mile. I think this step down in trip coupled with the fact he is running off his lowest ever racing weight seems a good reason to get on. In the Swinton Hurdle at Haydock I am again looking for a long shot. Drill Seargant in his flat days loved the fast ground. although since his switch to hurdling he has tended to win on ground a bit softer. He ran over course and distance a few weeks ago and finished second on good to firm ground, and given the excellent form Doanld McCain Jnr’s string seem to be in (Overturn landed the odds for us in the Chester Cup) I’m going to give Drill Seargant a chance to have a big win at last – 25/1 with Stan James looks attractive and I feel he may just have been aimed with this race in mind. He may well not quite be good enough and Remember now is very well fancied but at the odds he is worth a nibble.
Advice –
Remember Now – 6/1 – Win
Dril Seargant – 25/1 – E/W Both in the Haydock 3.40
Al Muheer – 16/1 – E/W – Ascot 3.10
Already Advised – Seville – 8/1 – Win – Epsom Derby
Football
In the football this weekend Sunday is where all the action lies. However to keep it interesting for the whole weekend I have a few selections in the First goalscorer markets. Blackpool’s defence is incredibly leaky and particularly susceptible to a bit of pace, Jermain Defoe at 4/1 is picked to score first for Tottenham. I’m also going to have another go with Leighton Baines for Everton. Everton are Man City’s bogey team and I am happy to follow him today at 20/1 (each way).
Peter Odemwingie has been a revelation this season bagging 14 goals and I fancy him to open the scoring against Wolves on Sunday at 13/2 (with VC). I am keen to put this in a double with Dirk Kuyt (8/1 with William Hill) for Liverpool on Monday. He has been in great form as have Liverpool and a cheeky double (at 52-1) may just be profitable.
My banker for the weekend are West Brom and whilst I am throwing a lot of effort into condemning Wolves to the Champonship I feel West Brom who have been impressive of late, and have an ok away record, are a good price at 5/2 with Stan James.
Advice:
First Goalscorers –
Jermain Defoe – 4/1
Leighton Baines E/W– 20/1
Peter Odemwingie – 13/2
Dirk Kuyt – 8/1
Odemwingie and Kuyt – Double
West Brom to beat Wolves – 5/2 – Stan James
I cannot end the post without commenting on Severiano Ballesteros. He was one of the worlds most loved and revered golfers. The tributes are evident far and wide and having won nearly 100 titles as well as being a trailblazer for European golf he will be sadly missed. His best golf was before my era but the clips I have seen are mesmerising. Having grown up on a farm and only had a 3 iron at his disposal he learnt every shot in the book and then wrote a new one. He won 5 majors and won the Ryder cup as player and captain. He was the first European to win the Masters and won the open 3 times. However it was his flair and ingenuity that he is most remembered for. Some of his shots were quite literally outrageous and he will remembered for playing the game in the right fashion – the words charisma, fun and flair have been the most common adjectives to describe him. His short game was exquisite and when anyone ever chips in from a bunker or around the green the cry of ‘call me Seve’ is never far away. Simply he was a genius and will be sorely missed.
“When I was caddying for Seve in Switzerland, he birdied the 13th, 14th, 15th, 16th and 17th to tie for the lead in the last round of the Grand Monatana. Seve being Seve sliced a 3 wood 50 yards right off the 18th tee and ended up behind a tree. I pleaded with him to chip it out fearing my paycheck was about to massively decrease. Seve, who only had half a backswing, had to go around a tree, over an 8 foot wall, through a gap in the trees the size of a dinner plate and then over a swimming pool! wanted to take the shot on. He turned to me and smiled telling me not to worry. He played the best shot I have ever seen just short of the green and then of course chipped in for a birdie. It was the best shot I have ever seen in golf” Bily Foster (Lee Westwood’s Caddy) who was about to retire from caddying before Seve offered him the chance to caddy for him – He did so for 5 years.
These videos show a few of Seve’s classic shots.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5JfA1D1pkc – Different Class
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpcBFvZlyDk – What a birdie- from the Car Park!
