Expert Steve Mullington gives his daily racing tips, including a NAP, NB and a Longshot. Scroll down now to find out horse racing tips Wednesday 15th June at Royal Ascot...
Today's NAP (Best Bet)
3.40 Ascot – Grand Glory
Just five runners go to post in this year’s renewal of the Prince of Wales's Stakes and top honours can go the way of the French raider – Grand Glory.
Trained by Gianluca Bietolini, the hat-trick hunting mare will be looking to build on a solid fifth in the Japan Cup.
The six-year-old has been put back into training and supplemented for this Royal Ascot feature to the tune of £70,000 which shows how highly regarded she is.
Two recent wins at ParisLongchamp show Grand Glory is clearly in great heart and she can cash in on her weight allowance under the very able hands of Mickael Barzalona.
Danger: Bay Bridge
Today's NB (Next Best)
4.20 Ascot – Sibila Spain
Today’s tips have somewhat of a French theme to them as I have sided for another Gallic runner, this time Sibila Spain in the Duke Of Cambridge Stakes.
Fourth in the Prix Saint-Alary and the Prix de Diane, this daughter of Frankel won her next Listed race, before disappointing in the Prix de l'Opéra.
This season she ran a reasonable cobweb shifter behind The Revenant before returning to Saint-Cloud to take the Group 2 Prix du Muguet.
Trading at around the 7/1 mark, she looks to be one of the more interesting horse racing online bets at Royal Ascot on Wednesday.
Today's Longshot
5.00 Ascot – Bless Him
For those of you that aren’t familiar with Bless Him, he’s somewhat of an enigma and generally switches himself off in the early part of most of his races.
However, when he finally does consent to race, he takes off like a rocket in the closing stages and I can see him doing just that from his side of the draw in this monster cavalry charge.
Bless Him has scored here before over this distance, taking the esteemed scalp of Lord North back in 2019 and he should set off at a very generous each-way price.
Others to consider are Symbolize for Andrew Balding and Desert Peace for the formidable pairing of Appleby and Buick.
*Credit for all of the photos in this article belongs to AP Photo*
Steven is a sports and horse racing enthusiast and is a member of the Horseracing Writers and Photographers Association (HWPA) in the United Kingdom.
He is a regular visitor to Paris Longchamp for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and a lifelong fan of the Aintree Grand National, a subject he writes about 52 weeks of the year. Last year he reached the impressive milestone of attending the last 30 renewals of the Grand National.
Steven graduated from the University Of Lancaster in 1996 with a B.A (Hons) in Urban Policy & Race Relations (major) with Contemporary Religions & Belief Systems (minor) and still wonders if any of these help him find the winners?
He writes for a number of websites and online publications and you can sometimes hear him at the weekend discussing racing on a number of local radio stations.
Expert Steve Mullington gives his daily racing tips, including a NAP, NB and a Longshot. Scroll down now to find out horse racing tips Tuesday 14th June at Royal Ascot and Thirsk...
Today's NAP (Best Bet)
2.30 Ascot – Baaeed
Baaeed puts his unbeaten record on the line in opening race at Royal Ascot on Tuesday in the Queen Anne Stakes, and not only is he the NAP of the day for Tuesday, but the NAP for the entire Royal Ascot week.
Admittedly you’re not going to get rich quickly backing horses at odds of around 1/3, but Baaeed really does look like a good thing.
William Haggas' champion miler has swept away all before him so far, winning on all starts last season before returning in May with a victory in the Group One Lockinge Stakes at Newbury.
Those punters looking for a horse to fill the runner-up spot should perhaps side with Aidan O’Brien’s Order Of Australia who wasn’t a million miles behind Baaeed at ParisLongchamp last September.
Today's NB (Next Best)
2.20 Thirsk – Danni California
Danni California has gone up an extra 5lbs for winning at Wetherby last Tuesday evening but she won that race with something in hand and the extra weight shouldn’t anchor her down here.
Richard Spencer’s four-year-old is up against several in this field who are suffering from seconditus and are probably a little suspect in the heat of a battle, therefore it makes her a confident pick for your horse racing online bets.
The main danger on paper to our selection appears to be from Let Her Loose who was a course and distance winner at this venue last time out.
Today's Longshot
5.00 Ascot – Proschema
Staying is the name of the game in this 2m 4f Ascot Stakes and quite often a National Hunt trainer/horse does well in the contest.
One such runner is the Dan Skelton-trained Proschema who I feel is the ideal type to come from behind and to run them all down late.
The seven-year-old ran well on Swinton Hurdle Day at Haydock and will be overlooked by many punters in this race due to his Flat absence of 1046 days.
Of course there is more to him than meets the eye and he is an interesting each-way longshot.
Dangers: Reshoun and Pied Piper.
*Credit for all of the photos in this article belongs to AP Photo*
Steven is a sports and horse racing enthusiast and is a member of the Horseracing Writers and Photographers Association (HWPA) in the United Kingdom.
He is a regular visitor to Paris Longchamp for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and a lifelong fan of the Aintree Grand National, a subject he writes about 52 weeks of the year. Last year he reached the impressive milestone of attending the last 30 renewals of the Grand National.
Steven graduated from the University Of Lancaster in 1996 with a B.A (Hons) in Urban Policy & Race Relations (major) with Contemporary Religions & Belief Systems (minor) and still wonders if any of these help him find the winners?
He writes for a number of websites and online publications and you can sometimes hear him at the weekend discussing racing on a number of local radio stations.
@SteTudor123 looks at the Kaka vs Neymar debate and gives his take on two of the best Brazilian footballers of the modern era...
Kaka and Neymar have lit up the world stage across the 21st century
Between them, these Brazilian megastars have won 33 major honours
Both are magicians with the ball at their feet, but who comes out on top?
The rollcall of majestic Brazilian footballers down the years is long and esteemed, a coterie of legends that is inevitably headed by Pele, the GOAT of GOATs.
A couple of decades later came Zico, a player who was silkier than silk itself, and then later still, Ronaldo exploded onto the scene. There are many who insist ‘O Fenemeno’ was the best of all the Ronaldos, and they’re absolutely right.
Only then injuries took their toll on the former Real Madrid legend’s superpowers and ever since we have turned to two very special players for our Samba magic: Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite, otherwise known as Kaka.
And Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior, a street footballer blessed with outrageous ability, better known as Neymar.
Between them, this exceptional duo excelled across the 21st century for some of the richest clubs in the world, amazing one and all with their flicks, tricks and stupefying goals. Between them, they have made the beautiful game even easier on the eye.
With a combined 27 years spent at the very top of their sport it feels almost impossible to separate them, to pick one above the other. But hell, let’s try anyway.
Achievements
When comparing these two colossal talents we cannot overlook a pair of elephants in the room, namely Kaka’s Ballon d’Or merit in 2007 and his involvement in Brazil’s World Cup success five years earlier.
Put bluntly, Kaka has been voted in as the greatest player on the planet and has won a World Cup, whereas Neymar has not.
In terms of achievements therefore, the God-fearing prodigy from Gama outranks his gifted contemporary although a couple of big caveats come attached, the first being Kaka’s lack of minutes when A Selecao lifted the trophy in Korea/Japan. At the time he was an emerging superstar-in-the-making at Sao Paulo.
As for his Ballon d’Or, though it was richly deserved – for a couple of seasons at AC Milan in the late-2000s, no-one could touch him – it’s pertinent that he was the last winner before Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi essentially took it in turns to share the award for nigh-on a generation. Neymar has twice finished third behind the supernatural pair.
For their respective clubs, the brilliant Brazilians have won eight league titles across the top 5 European leagues plus Naymar secured three Campeonato championships in his native country before moving continents and all told, between them, they have won 33 major trophies, including one Champions League apiece
It is Neymar who has lifted the bulk of them but still, we keep going back to those elephants.
Styles Of Play
Genius comes in many forms and though each player was tasked with conjuring up alchemy in advanced positions for Brazil and for their clubs, their means to do this differed.
FIFA’s website sums up Kaka’s attributes perfectly, eulogising his ‘capacity to glide almost effortlessly past opponents, provide defence-splitting passes and score consistently from distance’ and the main takeaway from the above is the word ‘glide’, a verb that aptly describes Kaka’s elegant movement across a pitch that was little short of poetry in motion.
At 6ft 1, he was unusually tall for a playmaker, but this afforded him a lengthy stride that saw him so often beat a player by utilising pace and power as much as trickery.
Neymar, by comparison, is a far more explosive kind of creative; all feints and step-overs and elaborate tricks.
Indeed, so flamboyant has been his repertoire at times – particularly during his early days at Santos – that some critics accused him of showboating. As if this was ever a bad trait from a Brazilian!
One negative that must be raised however, is Neymar’s regular habit of exaggerating contact made with opponents. If diving was included in our betting markets the odds on Naymar doing so would be extremely short ahead of any big PSG game.
Memorable Moments
Kaka has twice assisted in a Champions League final, the first of which has been called the greatest throughball of all time.
With AC Milan in the ascendency over Liverpool in 2005, a player then in his absolute prime allowed a strongly struck pass to flick off his heel before he spun into space.
Releasing the ball early confused the Reds back-line but it was the immaculate execution that made the neat finish by Hernan Crespo possible. It arced around the last defender, cruelly giving him hope it could be intercepted.
The Champions League betting for Milan next season has them pitched as outsiders. That would not be the case if Kaka was still around, carving out the chances.
As for Neymar, there are a multitude of reasons why he is the world’s most expensive player, signing for PSG in 2017 for an eye-watering 222m euros.
His sublime performances for Barcelona of course stand out but we’re going with a goal scored for Santos against Flamengo in 2011, a one-man exhibition of dribbling and trickery that won him the FIFA Puskas Award that year.
Neymar received the ball on the touchline, near to the halfway line. Ten seconds later, four players trailed in his wake and the world realised that here was an uncommon talent indeed.
Testimonials
Who better to judge this extraordinary pair than the man whose greatness they each bow to, whose achievements they aspired to match?
In 2007, Pele called Kaka the ‘complete player’, later deeming him a ‘magician’ on his retirement in 2017. The finest footballer to ever lace up a pair of boots hugely rated the Milan and Real Madrid ace.
On Neymar, however he has previously been critical, highlighting the forward’s ‘negative image’ though it’s been comments that have come from a good place.
💬 What Neymar said about playing for Brazil after the 2022 World Cup
“A father educates his son,” he clarified, insisting they have had long talks about Neymar ‘simulating fouls’.
Neymark incidentally is currently just three off breaking Pele’s all-time goal-scoring record for Brazil and might do so later this year with a string of internationals planned.
Check out our Today Prediction page closer to the time for the odds on this happening.
Kaka vs Neymar - Verdict:
At their peak and in any given game, it is Neymar we lean towards, for his is an incendiary talent that can torment a defence single-handedly and determine a contest’s outcome.
Across the long-term though it is his fellow countryman Kaka who wins out, ironically for the same reasons as above.
Because whereas Neymar shows his brilliance in flashes, Kaka measured out his genius over a career, managing to better balance his outstanding individuality with team commitments.
*Credit for all of the photos in this article belongs to AP Photo*
Stephen Tudor is a freelance football writer and sports enthusiast who only knows slightly less about the beautiful game than you do.
A contributor to FourFourTwo and Forbes, he is a Manchester City fan who was taken to Maine Road as a child because his grandad predicted they would one day be good.
888sport ambassador Neil Callan (@neilcallan78) chats about last week's racing, plus looks ahead to four rides at Bath this weekend...
Epsom Review
Fireworks before a race like the Derby is just a no-no. It’s a publicity stunt to please someone, but the whole reason people are there is for the Derby, for the horses. Racehorses must be the priority.
When I was in Hong Kong and there were fireworks, they were always after the final race when there were no horses around. I don’t know who made the decision to have them, but it comes down to the racecourse and it simply shouldn’t have happened.
On the track, the fireworks were very good. Desert Crown was a very impressive winner of the Derby.
It was an amazing training performance considering the horse had only won a maiden at the end of last year and rocked up in the Dante, when all the hype was around Aidan O’Brien’s horses.
He put up a good performance at York, albeit it probably wasn’t the strongest renewal, but it was the subsequent gallop a week before the race that really got them excited.
We should pay tribute to the experience, patience and knowledge of Sir Michael Stoute. To be able to bring a horse to the boil on Derby day as he did. He’s produced that horse on only his third career run to win an Epsom Derby.
You’ve got to take your hat off to something like that. Desert Crown was a very worthy winner and if that’s anything to go by on his third start, then there’s a lot more to come from him.
It was very unfortunate for Emily Upjohn in the Oaks. Her race was compromised at the start when she stumbled. It’s tough for connections because even when I had seen her at Sandown, I thought she would be the Oaks winner.
It just goes to show how many things are out of the control of horse and jockey in any race. I think you’ve got to give a lot of respect to the filly, it’s very difficult at the start of the Oaks because you climb uphill for half-a-mile after coming from the stalls.
John Gosden summed it up when he said she’s got herself back into contention due to the ability she has.
Frankie [Dettori] showed his experience by going to plan B and giving her time to get back into the race, but she had to take the scenic route around the rest of the field, while Tuesday slipped down the inside and reserved that energy kick for the end.
That was probably the difference between them in the end. Take nothing away from Tuesday, though, she had to be gritty to win.
Going forward, I’m sure Emily Upjohn will leave it all behind and show us all how good she is.
Earlier This Week
Marco’s [Botti] Out Of Shadows won on debut at Brighton on Tuesday and he could be an all right type. I think he’ll progress.
RACE 2 RESULT – At The Races App Market Movers Restricted Maiden Stakes
— Brighton Racecourse (@BrightonRace) June 7, 2022
He’s a home-bred – Marco’s wife bred him – which is a little bit more special, and he’s owned by a longstanding owner of the yard.
He’s going to be better when he goes seven furlongs maybe later in the season. He’s not a world-beater but he’ll pay his way for sure.
Looking Ahead To Bath
I was actually planning to go to Sandown on Saturday, but I’m at Bath for four rides. James Tate runs Royal Aclaim (2.25pm), and she’s the reason I’m going.
James rang me four or five days ago to make sure I was available to ride. She was entered in the Listed race at Sandown, but after a long time off he didn’t really want to throw her in the deep end so quickly.
Check out Bath and Saturday's other meetings via our horse racing betting odds...
The form of her maiden win at Newcastle last year has turned out to be seriously strong. She beat Perfect Power, and he’s now one of the highest rated three-year-olds in the country. If that maiden form is anything to go by then she could be quite exciting.
She’s obviously had a set-back, as she’s been off for 12-months, but it’s positive that she’s back and James seems happy with her.
It’ll be interesting to see how she does when she gets her feet on the turf. I’m sure her entries in the Commonwealth Cup next week and July Cup after that were from earlier, but that’s the type of regard the stable hold her in.
As she’s had such a long time off, those races now obviously have come round too quickly for her. I think it’s a sensible option to start her off in a novice race.
Hopefully she can go there and win and show something like she did on her debut and then we can make a plan for her.
I also wanted to stick with Marco’s filly Shalfa (3.36pm). She’s not a world-beater but she ran okay first time out for Marco on the all-weather at Wolverhampton and I think going back on turf is going to improve her.
She ran a good third in Abu Dhabi in February when trained by Fawzi Nass and I think she’s well-handicapped.
Early Glance At Royal Ascot
Silver Samurai has an entry in the Wokingham on Saturday. I suggested that he came back to sprinting after I rode him at Haydock and I think that’s really turned him around. Obviously, this is a step up but he goes there in peak form.
Otherwise, I’m still hunting for rides next week.
*Credit for all of the photos in this article belongs to AP Photo*
Football expert @SamRCox_ looks at the Camp Nou vs Santiago Bernabeu debate. Which stadium ranks as the best in Spanish football?
The Camp Nou and Santiago Bernabeu are two of the 19 biggest football stadiums in the world
Home to Barcelona and Real Madrid, these stadia are iconic to football fans worldwide
Which comes out on top in Camp Nou vs Santiago Bernabeu?
Barcelona and Real Madrid are the two great forces in La Liga odds. They have combined for 61 league titles, and the Clasico rivalry is among the fiercest on the planet.
Both clubs have stadiums befitting of their stature. Just as it has been Pep Guardiola vs Jose Mourinho and Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo, one can’t help but wonder about Camp Nou vs Bernabeu.
Each fixture between Real Madrid and Barcelona is a massive betting occasion. These are two of the most valuable and recognisable sports franchises in the world.
Their home venues are just as famous as the players which pull on the white of Real or the blue and garnet of Barca.
Capacity Through the Years
As of June 2022, the Camp Nou has the fourth-largest capacity of any football stadium in the world at 99,354. The Bernabeu ranks 19th with 81,044, just behind the Stade de France and ahead of Moscow’s Luzhniki Staidum.
The Camp Nou’s record attendance, however, is a whopping 120,000. In the early years of the stadium’s existence, it had a seated capacity a shade under 50,000, but almost 50% was added ahead of the 1982 World Cup.
The standing capacity was also boosted by around 16,000, taking the stadium’s total capacity to over 120,000.
There has been considerable variation in Camp Nou’s capacity since it was first used in 1957.
Plans for the stadium’s 50th anniversary in 2007 were set to increase capacity to 105,000, which would have made it the third-biggest football stadium in the world.
Turmoil at the club and various delays mean that expansion is yet to be completed, but the hope is that the Camp Nou will be up at that 105,000 figure by 2024.
Remarkably, the Santiago Bernabeu has an even larger record attendance. Real Madrid’s home welcomed almost 130,000 fans for a clash with Milan in 1959.
When the Bernabeu first opened a couple of years after the Second World War, the capacity was 75,145, though under 28,000 of those attending had seats.
Less than a decade later, the capacity was increased significantly to reach 125,000. Little changed at the Bernabeu until the 1982 World Cup, when major improvements were required. The capacity reduced to 98,000.
Work in the 1990s boosted the capacity to 106,000, but this dropped to below 75,000 when UEFA demanded an all-seated layout.
Further expansion took the stadium a touch over 80,000 in the 2000s, and an additional 1,000 seats were added in 2011.
Renovations
The Camp Nou and Santiago Bernabeu are undergoing considerable renovations. These historic sporting arenas are being brought into the 2020s with vast amounts of money being spent on improving every area of the stadium.
These changes won’t necessarily alter what you see when following on SPBO live, yet it will massively improve the spectator experience at the Camp Nou and Santiago Bernabeu.
We’ve already touched on the capacity increase that the Camp Nou is getting, but there’s also a green touch to the changes being made.
The entire third tier of the stadium is being reconstructed, and 30,000 square metres of solar panels will be added to a mammoth retractable roof.
Rainwater will also be collected and recycled on site. These alterations will change the entire look of the Camp Nou.
While this modernisation will not be to everyone’s taste, there’s no question this is an improvement to a stadium which has become a bit rough round the edges.
The rest of the site will be changed, too, with the addition of a hotel and ice rink. Barcelona will play one season at the Olympic Stadium, which is no more than a couple of miles away, while these renovations take place.
Real are being every bit as ambitious with their Bernabeu makeover. A silver, steel wraparound façade will completely alter the look of the stadium.
Like the Camp Nou, the Bernabeu will have a retractable roof to ensure all seats can be covered. There is an extension to the museum, and a cutting-edge 360-degree scoreboard. A dedicated eSports area will be created, too.
The rivalry between Real and Barca spreads beyond La Liga predictions. There’s a degree of one-upmanship even in their stadium investment.
Major Matches Held
It’s no surprise that the Camp Nou and Santiago Bernabeu have been picked to host various significant fixtures over the years.
Beyond Champions League knockout clashes and La Liga Clasico showdowns, the two stadia have been used for international tournaments and continental finals alike.
The Bernabeu hosted three matches in the European Nations’ Cup in 1964, including Spain’s win over the Soviet Union in the final. The Camp Nou had the other semi-final and the third-place playoff between Denmark and Hungary.
More recently, they were the two main venues for the 1982 World Cup. The Camp Nou hosted four matches through the first two rounds, and saw Italy beat Poland in the last four.
The Bernabeu witnessed Spain lose to Germany and draw with England in the second round before welcoming Italy and Germany for the final, which the Azzurri won 3-1.
Real’s stadium has been used for four European Cup and Champions League finals, the most recent of which was in 2010 between Bayern Munich and Inter.
The Camp Nou was selected for two Champions League finals, seeing Milan beat Steaua Bucharest in 1989 and Manchester United famously comeback against Bayern 10 years later.
Away from fixtures involving teams from the top five leagues in Europe, both the Camp Nou and Bernabeu have been venues for numerous high-profile concerts and events.
The Bernabeu was even used for the 2018 Copa Libertadores final, and the Camp Nou set the record for attendance at a domestic rugby union match in 2016.
Sam is a sports tipster, specialising in the Premier League and Champions League.
He covers most sports, including cricket and Formula One. Sam particularly enjoys those on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean – notably MLB and NBA.
Watching, writing and talking about sports betting takes up most of his time, whether that is for a day out at T20 Finals Day or a long night of basketball.
Having been writing for several years, Sam has been working with 888Sport since 2016, contributing multiple articles per week to the blog.
Expert Steve Mullington gives his daily racing tips, including a NAP, NB and a Longshot. Scroll down now to find out horse racing tips Monday 13th June at Carlisle, Nottingham & Windsor...
Today's NAP (Best Bet)
2.15 Carlisle – Public Opinion
The Clipper Logistics-owned Public Opinion looks like being one of the most fancied runners on the entire Carlisle card on Monday afternoon.
Trained by William Haggas, the three-year-old ran into a decent type when third on her debut at Newmarket in May and then followed a month later with a victory on the all-weather at Kempton.
888sport punters placing their horse race bets online should consider taking an early price on the grey filly as she looks sure to shorten in price.
Take Michael Dods’ Calm Skies to fill the runner-up spot.
Today's NB (Next Best)
6.20 Nottingham – Thornaby Pearl
I can’t ever recall watching a race that is exclusively for horses that haven’t won in the calendar year this far, but one of them has to do it today and with any luck that will be Thornaby Pearl.
The Adrian Nicholls-trained four-year-old showed some decent form last time out when he finished second at Ripon to Latin Five and can build upon that run.
A reproduction of the efforts he put in at both Haydock and Pontefract last summer would make him a live each-way contender here.
Others to note are John Quinn’s Melody King and Electric Love for Tom Clover.
Today's Longshot
6.40 Windsor – Spoof
Spoof hasn’t won now since scoring at Chester last June but he is showing all the signs that he is due another pick up.
The seven-year-old is no sprinting back number having been victorious on seven previous occasions from his 49 starts to date.
Jockey Kieran Shoemark is picking up his fair share of winners at present and he’s the ideal candidate to give Spoof another tactical ride. He’s the each-way longshot all Windsor punters will be trying to pinpoint on Monday evening.
Dangers: Indian Creak and Beyond Equal.
*Credit for all of the photos in this article belongs to AP Photo*
Steven is a sports and horse racing enthusiast and is a member of the Horseracing Writers and Photographers Association (HWPA) in the United Kingdom.
He is a regular visitor to Paris Longchamp for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and a lifelong fan of the Aintree Grand National, a subject he writes about 52 weeks of the year. Last year he reached the impressive milestone of attending the last 30 renewals of the Grand National.
Steven graduated from the University Of Lancaster in 1996 with a B.A (Hons) in Urban Policy & Race Relations (major) with Contemporary Religions & Belief Systems (minor) and still wonders if any of these help him find the winners?
He writes for a number of websites and online publications and you can sometimes hear him at the weekend discussing racing on a number of local radio stations.
Expert Steve Mullington gives his daily racing tips, including a NAP, NB and a Longshot. Scroll down now to find out horse racing tips Sunday 12th June at Downpatrick, Salisbury and Doncaster...
Today's NAP (Best Bet)
3.30 Downpatrick – Mr Moondance
Veteran performer Mr Moondance has a great chance of adding another victory to his career tally of five by taking this 2m 1½f handicap hurdle. The eleven-year-old faces just five other competitors with two of those looking highly unlikely to figure.
Mr Moondance has previously scored on his return from a long absence so do not let 282 days put you off backing him.
He has also won over this course and distance before, picking up this equivalent race twelve months ago at odds of 18/1.
He won’t be those kind of odds on Sunday afternoon but he certainly won’t be the favourite as the online horse racing betting will side with the Gordon Elliott runner – Britzka.
Today's NB (Next Best)
3.50 Salisbury – Nahaarr
Prolific in 2019, winning his first four starts, Nahaarr took his form to a new level in 2020, landing a massive gamble when winning the Ayr Gold Cup.
Last season saw him beaten a neck by Starman in the Duke of York Stakes and then he wasn’t beaten too far in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot.
He’s clearly not heading to that venue next week, but looks the ideal candidate to take this Salisbury feature – the Listed Cathedral Stakes.
Forecast players may want to add Cheveley Park’s Benefit to their betting slips.
Today's Longshot
5.07 Doncaster – Hello Power
The Richard Fahey Ebor Racing Club have already tasted victory this week with My Little Queens at Wetherby and another filly can possibly oblige for them at Doncaster on Sunday.
Hello Power is the only winning horse in the entire field, having landed a 7f handicap at Southwell in April.
Her only two runs on the turf have hardly been inspiring but she could easily improve to give the top three horses in the handicap something to think about given the amount of weight she receives from them.
Oisin Orr is a decent jockey booking and he is enjoying a fair degree of success at the moment.
Danger: Qwicken
*Credit for all of the photos in this article belongs to AP Photo*
Steven is a sports and horse racing enthusiast and is a member of the Horseracing Writers and Photographers Association (HWPA) in the United Kingdom.
He is a regular visitor to Paris Longchamp for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and a lifelong fan of the Aintree Grand National, a subject he writes about 52 weeks of the year. Last year he reached the impressive milestone of attending the last 30 renewals of the Grand National.
Steven graduated from the University Of Lancaster in 1996 with a B.A (Hons) in Urban Policy & Race Relations (major) with Contemporary Religions & Belief Systems (minor) and still wonders if any of these help him find the winners?
He writes for a number of websites and online publications and you can sometimes hear him at the weekend discussing racing on a number of local radio stations.
Is Darwin Nunez the best Liverpool striker since Luis Suarez? @SamRCox_ looks at the Uruguayan amid rumours of a blockbuster move to Anfield...
Liverpool are close to agreeing a big-money transfer for Darwin Núñez
Núñez is set to arrive from Benfica for almost £90 million
How will the Uruguayan impact Jurgen Klopp’s team?
Liverpool might be waving goodbye to Sadio Mane this summer, and Mo Salah’s contract situation is no clearer.
Investment in the forward line was necessary even with the recent addition with Luis Diaz. Darwin Núñez is the man Liverpool are turning to.
The club have reportedly agreed terms with Núñez, though they are yet to come to an agreement on a deal with Benfica. It seems like the eventual fee will be just shy of £90 million.
Having had a breakout campaign in Portugal, Núñez was always going to be at the forefront of transfer betting this summer. He was linked with Manchester United and Arsenal, but Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool are set to win the race for Uruguayan.
Núñez’s path to becoming one of the most prized players in the 2022 transfer window is slightly unusual. His performances were promising, but not stunning, during his days with Penarol.
Almeria took a chance on him in Spain’s second tier, and his 16 goals were enough to catch the eye of Benfica. Both Jorge Jesus and compatriot Luis Suarez have spoken highly of him, yet his first campaign in Portugal was unspectacular.
While his development has been enough to catch the eye, it wasn’t until 2021-22 that Europe’s wealthiest clubs started showing interest. West Ham and Newcastle reportedly had efforts to sign him rejected in January.
Ligue 1 football prediction favourites PSG and Premier League powerhouse Chelsea were both rumoured as destinations despite their loaded front lines.
Núñez primarily operated as a central striker for Benfica in 2021-22, but he is just as comfortable playing from the left flank. It’s convenient, then, that Liverpool are about to see their long-time left winger depart the club.
The circumstances of Núñez’s signing are very different to when they splashed on Suarez and Andy Carroll after selling Fernando Torres to Chelsea.
The club is in a far better position both on the field and from a player development perspective, but there are still similarities.
Like Núñez, Suarez was not an out-and-out centre forward upon his arrival, and it was a risk. During his time at Barcelona, Suarez urged the club to sign his Uruguay teammate.
Instead, Núñez, like Suarez, will arrive in Liverpool replacing a player who had provided the Kop with a catalogue of great moments.
What Are Liverpool Getting?
Turning 23 later this month and with only one really productive season at the top level, Núñez isn’t the finished product. This isn’t Liverpool’s direct answer to Manchester City signing Erling Haaland.
Then again, Suarez had work to do when he arrived at Anfield, and Liverpool have a sensational player development record under Klopp.
Mane, Salah, Diogo Jota and Roberto Firmino have all taken their games to new levels at the club (and that’s not to mention the success stories in other positions).
Standing at 6’2, Núñez has the frame of a traditional number nine. He’s far from a penalty box poacher, though, and one of the most eye-catching things when watching him is his pace.
He's not only got a high top speed; he accelerates far better than most players his size, able to burn defenders when given space to attack.
The decision-making can be poor. Núñez’s back to goal play is a work in progress – he’s a long way from Firmino as a link-up man if he’s used in the middle of Liverpool’s front three.
In addition, he is prone to giving the ball away, as illustrated by a 67.1% pass completion in Liga NOS last season. Jota’s 74.9% was the worst in Liverpool’s squad.
Liverpool’s sports betting backers are going to be frustrated by Núñez at times.
Smarter Scout, as shown in The Athletic, adjusted Núñez’s statistical output to Premier League standards, and it reflects a player capable of tormenting defences, albeit with clear flaws.
He was given a score of 11 out of 99 for ball retention, yet ranked 90 or higher in shot volume, receptions in the box, ball carry volume and expected goals from ball progression.
Liverpool are planning to prepare an opening, verbal bid for Darwin Núñez to test water with Benfica. Proposal could be around €80m with add-ons. Manchester United also in contact with Núñez’s agent. 🇺🇾 #LFC
Núñez can generate opportunities through his ball carrying, though his passing is a clear weakness at the moment.
Klopp may pick and choose his matchups for Núñez early on, and will likely experiment with him both from the left and through the middle.
He has been at his most dangerous when given space to run in to on the break, a luxury Liverpool are seldom afforded.
The Uruguayan is unlikely to be a candidate to be the club captain during his debut Premier League season. This is a signing for the long-term, for a future without Firmino, Mane and Salah.
That’s not to downplay Núñez’s potential in 2022-23 – he’s going to play considerable minutes, and could take another leap if his current steep development curve is anything to go by.
Exercise Caution
This is a signing for Liverpool fans to be excited about. Núñez might not reach the heights of Suarez, but history would suggest he’s unlikely to go the way of other high-profile forward signings in the Premier League.
The history of transfers of this ilk is patchy at best. Romelu Lukaku has disappointed to varying degrees at Manchester United and Chelsea.
Alvaro Morata, Alexandre Lacazette, Roberto Soldado, Sebastien Haller, Nicolas Pepe, Timo Werner and Anthony Martial are just a few others to have underwhelmed.
Liverpool have earned trust when it comes to their recruitment and their ability to nurture players.
Premier League predictions are unlikely to tab Núñez as a Golden Boot candidate in his first campaign, but the stability at the club, and their unwavering identity under Klopp makes the process of adaptation far smoother than many others have gone through in much less functional situations.
By the usual standards when splashing transfer fees of this size, Núñez is relatively unproven. The total outlay might not be as outlandish as some deals, however, with Núñez’s wages unlikely to shatter Liverpool’s wage structure.
Liga NOS has been a proving ground for some of the world’s best, from Ederson and Bernardo Silva to Cristiano Ronaldo and Bruno Fernandes.
Transfers from Portugal have been hit and miss overall, though. Stepping up to the Premier League can unearth and exaggerate flaws in a player’s game, but Núñez is moving to the right club to succeed.
A transfer for a player with a limited track record deserves a degree of caution. On the other hand, what we know of Núñez’s game, his personality and Liverpool’s history with similar deals, suggests this will be a success.
Reaching Suarez’s level is another question altogether – if he’s 70% of the player Suarez was on Merseyside, this deal will be a triumph.
Sam is a sports tipster, specialising in the Premier League and Champions League.
He covers most sports, including cricket and Formula One. Sam particularly enjoys those on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean – notably MLB and NBA.
Watching, writing and talking about sports betting takes up most of his time, whether that is for a day out at T20 Finals Day or a long night of basketball.
Having been writing for several years, Sam has been working with 888Sport since 2016, contributing multiple articles per week to the blog.
The Kane vs Shearer debate has been raging on for many years but who comes out on top?
@AlMacca93 looks at both strikers and gives his thoughts on the greatest English forward debate...
More often than not, Alan Shearer and Thierry Henry are the two names that crop up when discussing the greatest strikers in Premier League history.
But is Harry Kane destined to rival those two goal-scoring geniuses in the coming years? Still just 28 years old, the England captain could have another decade in the sport.
The Shearer vs Kane debate was a non-starter until a year or so ago but there is now plenty of support for the Tottenham striker – and that support is growing by the goal.
Goals aren’t everything of course but you could even argue that Kane is a better footballer than Shearer, linking up play and offering a more rounded skill set.
Two Premier League legends, two England greats. However, only one can come out on top in this debate.
Strap yourselves in sports betting fans, it’s time for our take on Shearer vs Kane. And it’s sure to be a controversial view, no matter which side of the argument we end up on…
Why Harry Kane?
Already a fully-fledged member of the Premier League 100 Club and the fifth highest goal scorer in top flight history, Kane is one goal away from matching Sergio Aguero and a further three goals off Andy Cole’s tally.
For what it’s worth, he has already surpassed Henry’s total of 175 goals. He will break the England national team goal-scoring record sooner rather than later as well.
Arguably the most prolific centre forward in the division, Kane has scored at least 17 goals in each of the previous eight Premier League seasons.
For what it’s worth, Shearer never managed more than four seasons in a row with 17 or more goals. And it’s important to remember, two of those seasons were 42-game seasons.
Kane has so much more to his game than just goals, earning a reputation as one of the best in the Premier League at linking play.
His on-field relationship with Son Heung-Min is clear for all to see and Kane has shown he is happy enough to assist as well as score.
Kane’s impact and influence has been crucial to Tottenham’s success over the past couple of seasons, assisting 23 goals while notching 40 of his own.
Injuries have impacted his career on more than one occasion but the England captain has always managed to get back to his brilliant best.
Should the Tottenham striker average 20 goals a season over the next three campaigns, he will find himself on the verge of breaking Shearer’s record at just 32 years old.
Given his consistency over the years, it is easy to assume that Kane will continue to score at his current rate and we could have a non-debate in his favour in the not-so-distant future.
The haters will point to Kane’s goal-scoring record for England and say 15 of his 50 goals for the national side have come from the penalty spot.
While that is of course accurate, Kane’s tally of 35 non-penalty goals for England is still more than Shearer’s tally of 30 Three Lions goals.
It is important to remember that six of Shearer’s goals for the national team were penalties, leaving him on 24 England goals from open play.
He has his critics but Kane is a joy to watch when he’s on top form. He is the perfect centre forward in so many ways and his goal-scoring record speaks for itself.
Why Alan Shearer?
A Premier League legend, Shearer sets the benchmark for aspiring strikers – notching 260 top flight goals throughout a sensational professional career.
Leading Blackburn Rovers to the Premier League trophy was a career highlight for Shearer but he is perhaps best known for his goal-scoring exploits at Newcastle United.
A boyhood Magpies fan, it was a dream come true for Shearer when Newcastle moved to sign the forward for a world record £15 million in 1996.
Shearer instantly endeared himself to the St James’ Park faithful and he would go on to become one of the greatest players in the club’s illustrious history.
Having joined the Premier League Golden Boot winners list on three occasions, Shearer is a worthy contender to go down as the greatest striker in the modern era.
In addition, he has a league winner’s medal to his name – something that Kane may struggle to replicate – and a Player of the Season award for 1994/95.
Shearer was playing in a sensational Blackburn team but he was the key cog for Rovers at the time, notching an incredible 112 goals in 138 Premier League games in four seasons.
This was in the early 1990s, long before the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo were dominant forces in European football. In his own right, Shearer was the force of his era.
Shearer’s reputation as one of the sport’s leading forwards preceded him. Those looking at football betting odds knew in advance that he would be a very short price to score.
And most of the time, he did. Shearer’s record of 260 goals in 441 Premier League matches puts him right up there with the greatest to grace England’s top flight.
While others – namely Sergio Aguero, Thierry Henry and even Kane – have better goals per game ratios, Shearer’s longevity at the highest level is unrivalled.
Able to influence Premier League predictions on a weekly basis, Shearer defied the odds to record his seventh 20-goal season at 33 years old.
Was Shearer’s game limited? An exceptional goal scorer yes, but was he able to transform how a team played? Possibly not.
Limited scope shouldn’t define Shearer’s career – after all, he scored 260 Premier League goals. In this debate, however, his lack of influence outside the box cannot be ignored.
Kane vs Shearer – Who Wins?
On reputation alone, Shearer wins this debate every day of the week and twice on a Sunday but I’m not siding with reputation and history here.
Kane is going to break the record for most England goals and will surpass Shearer’s Premier League goals record as well.
Add to that his ability to link up with play and create opportunities for his teammates, Kane has to be the choice. I’m sure we’ll all be saying the same in four years time…
Alex is a sports betting tipster, specialising in Premier League football, the Champions League and horse racing.
He loves placing a weekly accumulator on the football at the weekend and dreams of landing the big winner that will take him back to Las Vegas.
As well as writing sports betting tips for 888sport since 2015, Alex has produced content for several international media companies, such as Goal.com and The SPORTBible.
Expert Steve Mullington gives his daily racing tips, including a NAP, NB and a Longshot. Scroll down now to find out horse racing tips Saturday 11th June at Chester and York...
Today's NAP (Best Bet)
2.45 Chester - Golden Melody
All roads lead to the Roodee again the four-year-old filly Golden Melody who attempts to win at the Roman amphitheatre for the second time in her career.
Her form figures at Chester read 2-1-3, so she has to be taken seriously off her mark of 75 in this 1m 2½f handicap.
Last time out at Hamilton she was just pipped on the post in a Sunday Series Fillies' Handicap, with several winners subsequently coming out of that race since, so the form is very strong.
Although out of form so far this season, Michael Attwater’s Lone Ranger has previously run two cracking races at this venue and must rank as a forecast contender.
Today's NB (Next Best)
2.00 York – Arctic Fox
Just over a week ago 16-year-old rider Fern O’Brien went through the heartbreak of riding a Hunter Chaser to “victory” at Cartmel, only to be cruelly disqualified for weighing in light.
Today she can turn that disappointment into joy in this 1m 4f handicap for female amateur jockeys.
Arctic Fox is a previous course and distance winner here after winning this very race in 2019, and there is every reason to believe the six-year-old can be on the premises once again.
Dangers: Casilli and Dash Of Spice
Today's Longshot
3.40 York – Vintage Clarets
Richard Fahey’s Vintage Clarets reached an official ratings high of 103 last season and was a two-year-old to be reckoned with.
Things haven’t quite clicked into place yet this term on the handicapping front but the colt has to be worth another shot in this Heritage feature.
Currently trading around the 33/1 mark, it’s pretty hard to ignore any Fahey runner at York given his exemplary record on the Knavesmire.
Fahey’s other runner – Admiral D is one to ponder over too under jockey Oisin Orr.
*Credit for all of the photos in this article belongs to AP Photo*
Steven is a sports and horse racing enthusiast and is a member of the Horseracing Writers and Photographers Association (HWPA) in the United Kingdom.
He is a regular visitor to Paris Longchamp for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and a lifelong fan of the Aintree Grand National, a subject he writes about 52 weeks of the year. Last year he reached the impressive milestone of attending the last 30 renewals of the Grand National.
Steven graduated from the University Of Lancaster in 1996 with a B.A (Hons) in Urban Policy & Race Relations (major) with Contemporary Religions & Belief Systems (minor) and still wonders if any of these help him find the winners?
He writes for a number of websites and online publications and you can sometimes hear him at the weekend discussing racing on a number of local radio stations.
