The Melbourne Cup is the biggest day in the Australian racing calendar and never disappoints for action on the track.

Thousands of spectators descend upon Flemington Racecourse for the event every year in November to watch the action unfold and, occasionally, for racing history to be made.

Rekindling is the current champion, having triumphed at the race in 2017 with a confident performance to take the crown for trainer Joseph O’Brien and owner Lloyd Williams.

Williams and other members of the ownership team won the cup for the second year on the bounce after Almandin triumphed in 2016 under the tutelage of Aidan O’Brien.

Rekindling will not get the opportunity to join an elite group of horses to have won the race twice in its history due to concerns over his weight handicap, despite being the youngest competitor to have claimed victory at the meet.

British horse racing may be the envy of the world, but there have been some incredible stories to emerge from Flemington and we’ll now break down five of the most memorable moments.

Makybe Diva

No horse in the history of the event had won the race three times. Makybe Diva became only the fifth competitor to win two races when she backed up her triumph from 2003 to claim the crown in 2004.

Owner Tony Santic and trainer Lee Freedman put the bay mare forward for the Cup once again in the 2005 season.

Form was on the side of Makybe Diva as she displayed no signs of slowing down during the campaign, winning three of her four races before the prestigious meet, including one at Flemington.Due to her history at the Melbourne Cup, she was the overwhelming favourite to win the event. Freedman’s charge made a steady start to proceedings in the two-mile race with Glen Boss in the saddle.

The jockey was able to gradually shift the horse through the gears to come through the field before making a charge for the line one furlong out.

Makybe Diva had the pace and the stamina required to see out the victory, finishing ahead of her nearest rival On A Jeune, who was a 70/1 outsider, by one-and-a-quarter lengths.

The bay mare is a legend of the race – the finest competitor to grace the Melbourne Cup in its 157-year history.

 

Prince Of Penzance

Makybe Diva’s success was not a surprise considering the quality of the horse. Freedman’s charge was a top quality competitor with numerous wins under her belt before triumphing at Flemington.

However, Prince of Penzance was almost the complete opposite. The horse was responsible for the biggest surprise in the history of the Melbourne Cup, triumphing as a 100/1 outsider in the horse racing betting odds.

The bay gelding enjoyed a couple of victories in the early stages of his career but struggled to kick on in the 2015 campaign.

Darren Weir’s charge endured a miserable run of form from late August to the beginning of October when he failed to finish inside the top three at meets at Caulfield, Ballarat and Moonee Valley.

He found a semblance of rhythm just before the Melbourne Cup with a second-place finish at the Moonee Valley Gold Cup, although his status as a rank outsider was still justified.

Michelle Payne looked to become the first female jockey to win the cup, although her hopes and the chances of her charge looked to be over as the horse dropped into 10th place.

However, Payne was able to find a surge of speed out of Prince of Penzance to charge through the field to claim the crown, beating out Max Dynamite by half-a-length, while race favourite Fame Game placed in 13th.

The result yielded the biggest upset in the history of the Cup and the first female jockey to triumph.

 

Media Puzzle

Media Puzzle’s triumph is perhaps the most emotional of all the horses that have achieved success at the Melbourne Cup. Damien Oliver had already won the race in 1995 with Doriemus and was established as one of the finest jockeys in Australia.

A week before he was due to compete with Media Puzzle at the Melbourne Cup, his brother Jason – also a jockey – died in a racing accident at Belmont Park, Western Australia.

Despite the tragedy, Oliver managed to return to the track for the event riding the chestnut gelding, who had been up and down over the course of the 2002 season.

Media Puzzle had found his form entering the race with Oliver in the saddle with a triumph at the Holden Geelong Cup two weeks prior.

As a result, he was a strong contender for the crown, although Vinnie Roe was the pre-meet favourite. Oliver was able to put his emotions to one side for the race, delivering an outstanding ride on the back of the five-year-old.

He timed Media Puzzle’s race to perfection, ensuring he had enough left in the tank to pull away down the straight.

The American horse closed out the victory by two lengths ahead of Mr Prudent, recording the second-fastest time in the history of the event. Oliver dedicated the race to his brother declaring: “This one's for you, Jase."

 

Almandin

Williams is the most successful owner in the history of the Melbourne Cup, with six triumphs to his name. Almandin was the competitor to take him clear of the rest of the pack on four wins as the German horse prevailed at the 2016 race.

It proved to be one of the most exciting in the history of the Cup as Hickmott’s charge claimed the victory by the narrowest of margins.

He did have form on his side entering the race, delivering wins at the Bart Cummings at Flemington and the Harry White Classic at Caulfield in the weeks before the meet.

Almandin was a 10/1 contender for the crown in the antepost horse racing betting and he had to endure a tough battle with Heartbreak City for the crown.

Kerrin McEvoy got a surge out of his charge towards the end of the race. However, his rival managed to keep pace down the stretch to set up a tense finale.

Almandin found the extra gear just at the right time to edge away from Heartbreak City to secure the win by a head – one of the closest margins of victory in the history of the race.

 

Kingston Rule

Bart Cummings’ charge delivered one of the most memorable performances in the history of the event in 1990.

Kingston Rule was an equal favourite heading into the contest with pedigree behind him, notching wins at the Tommy Woodcock Handicap, H A Currie Handicap and the Moone Valley Cup.

However, he was struggling in the contest in a fast-paced race, hanging near the back of the field in eighth place with 800m remaining.

Savage Toss and Our Magic Man were battling for the lead before Kingston Rule finally made his charge through, finding the speed to surge through the crowd.

His pace allowed him to surpass the duo at the front of the pack, but The Phantom emerged to provide pressure in the latter stages of the meet.

However, Kingston Rule’s pace was enough to secure the win, which proved to be the quickest time in the history of the Melbourne Cup. The time has not been broken, standing alone at the top of 3:16.30.

The NFL is the most popular sport in the United States with viewing figures rising on a yearly basis. Its notoriety is spreading across the globe, especially towards the United Kingdom, where three games per season are played.

As a result, it’s a perfect time to learn about the betting markets involved in the sport if you’re not already familiar with a breakdown.

If you’re a fan that will be tuning in every Sunday or perhaps just a spectator for the Super Bowl showdown it’s always worth knowing where the value lies. The popularity of the sport has seen the emergence of NCAAF's rise abroad.

College teams play the day before the professionals and provide just as much entertainment. The rules are more or less the same with few obvious differences, especially when it comes to punting.

We’ll now break down the forms of betting that are available to American football bettors.

 

What Are The Types Of Betting In American Football?

Outright Betting

This is the simplest form of punt for the sport. It’s merely picking the winner of the event just as you would in a football, cricket, tennis or boxing match. The favourite for the contest will have the shortest odds which are represented by a fraction.

To place the bet online, select the odds of the team you wish to back and enter your stake. You will not get great value for an outright bet in the NFL unless you’re taking the underdog.

There are few matches where the odds are in the balance for both teams. Therefore you may have to take a slight risk to yield a larger reward on the outright.

 

Handicap Betting

This is where value can be generated for bettors. Knowledge of the teams involved comes to the fore in this system. The bookmaker will decide a number known as the spread based on the two teams involved in the contest.

The favourite or stronger team will have a minus number given that they are expected to win the game. For example, if the New England Patriots have a -6.5 handicap, then they are expected to win the game by a touchdown – seven points.

A bet on the Patriots would win if they were able to defeat their opponent by seven points or more. On the other side of the coin, their opponent would have the value of +6.5.

They are expected to lose by a touchdown, therefore a bet on the Miami Dolphins at +6.5 would win if they were to be defeated by six points or fewer, and alternatively if the Dolphins were to triumph.

A 21-17 defeat for the Dolphins would pay out if the bettor backed the Dolphins on the spread. However, a 31-17 defeat would see the bettor lose if they opted for the Dolphins rather than the Patriots.

The points are a very important aspect of handicap betting, which makes late field goals or touchdowns crucial.

Learning teams’ records with and against the spread is vital in the success of punting using the handicap. There’s greater value for bettors given the unpredictable nature of how and when points can be scored.

If utilised correctly it can be a lucrative market, especially if used on an accumulator as you would for a round of football matches.

There's a range of numbers on the handicap market allowing the bettor to select their own values. Having a hunch about a particular game can reap dividends if you’re willing to go against the grain.

 

Total Points

The final major betting market is the total points to be scored in the contest. Points are being scored at a record rate in the NFL in the 2018 season as opposing defences have had no answer for the quality displayed by the quarterbacks this term.

Rules are being swayed in the favour of offences, which has enabled teams to put up the staggering numbers. Bookmakers will set the line on the number of points that the two teams combined in a match will be expected to score.

Bettors can punt on whether the two sides will combine for over or under the points expected.

If two strong offences are playing, it’s always worth taking the over as there have been a number of shootouts over the years in the NFL, especially when the elite quarterbacks are facing off.

If two elite defences are playing and the quarterbacks are not from the top tier of players at the position, the bettor would be more inclined to take the under.

It is more of a specialised punt and requires knowledge of the teams and players involved before delving into a punt.

 

How To Place Outright Bets With 888sport

Placing the bets with 888sport is routine by going onto the website and selecting the American football section on the left-hand side of the page. All the fixtures are available in the selection for both college football and the NFL.

Simply click the odds that wish to back and enter your stake and then select the place bet button once you’re satisfied with your selection. To add more games to the bet, simply click the odds to make your single bet into an accumulator.

 

Advanced Betting Odds And Strategies

For experts of the NFL and college game, there are specialised odds for individual games based around the players involved in the contest.

We’ll now break down some of these markets, which provide greater value for punters if they’re willing to put their knowledge to the test.

 

Touchdown Scorer

888sport offer markets on who will score the first and last touchdown for both teams along with an anytime option. Therefore if you have knowledge of a teams’ strategy it could be worth betting on a market.

For example, a team with a good running back such as the New York Giants, may be more inclined to run the ball early in the game. Saquon Barkley would be a solid punt to score the first touchdown.

However, if it’s a team that throws the ball more such as the Patriots, backing a player such as Rob Gronkowski to score the first would make more sense.

Certain players find the endzone more than others, Gronkowski is a fine example of that, therefore, his odds will be a narrower to score a touchdown anytime.

If there’s a particular match-up that favours a team, who may have a deep receiving corps, while the other side has poor cornerbacks, it could be worth backing the fourth player on the list to win his matchup for better value.

 

Player Props

You have to know the players and teams involved once again to delve into this market. 888sport provides the lines for yardage for passing, receiving and rushing, setting the markets for individual players.

It weighs the quality of the competitor in question against the team and players they are facing off against. For example, Patriots quarterback Tom Brady averages around 280 passing yards per game.

A line might be set at 280.5 passing yards and the punter has to decide like points whether he will be over or under the mark.

The bettor must take into the account the player and the opposition. Against a weak team, Brady will likely pass the mark with ease, although that will be reflected in the value.

Whereas, against a strong team, he may struggle to pass the ball downfield, which will also be reflected in the value. To get the best value sometimes it’s to better go against the grain.

It’s a similar story for the receiving and rushing yards where the value and the outcome will be affected by the opposition. If you’re feeling confident it can be a lucrative option.

 

Further Reading For American Football Fans

If you now fancy dipping into some American football betting but could use some extra help, be sure to check out the helpful articles below:

NFL: Players To Watch And Best Bets Ahead Of The 2018 Season

A Guide to the Super Bowl

The Ultimate Sport Betting Guide

 

*Odds subject to change - correct at time of writing*

When footballers make ridiculous attempts at simulation or try to argue with goal-line technology, it makes you wonder if they forget that they’re being watched by huge crowds and television cameras.

Similarly, when managers confront referees or team-mates start wrestling, you ponder what they think they might gain from such an endeavour.

Footballers and managers are a passionate bunch, so we looked at a few moments where that passion was channelled inappropriately into bust-ups and fallouts.

Dyer vs Bowyer

Kieron Dyer vs Lee Bowyer is the classic example of players failing to get along. The two players decided the best way to deal with their mutual dislike was to duke it out in front of a stunned St James Park.

With Newcastle already 3-0 down at home to Aston Villa, it probably wasn't the best way to get the crowd back on side. Dyer recently revealed what caused him and fellow England international Bowyer to merge wrestling with football.

Dyer told Bowyer that he was choosing other passing options because Bowyer was a bit rubbish, or words to that effect. This initiated the fight, prompting the confused referee to send them both off.

Dyer later claimed that he didn't realise fighting one's team-mate on the pitch was an offence worthy of a red card, so if nothing else it was a useful bit of market research for similarly hot-headed footballers.

The problem with hot-headed footballers is that they rarely learn; Blackpool recently saw two of their players sent off for fighting each other, although one of those red cards was rescinded in some good news for the Tangerines as they bid to return to the second tier.

 

Roy Keane

Keane was a masterful central midfielder who could dominate everywhere between the two boxes, a dynamic and dominant player who defined the Premier League glory years of Manchester United.

Roy was certainly keen on the pitch, with his prodigious stamina enabling him to annoy opponents from start to finish.

Keane's commitment to belligerence is the footballing equivalent of Daniel Day-Lewis' method acting; what better way to ensure that you can play on the edge than to live your whole life there?

This was no more evident than the Saipan incident, a spat so seismic that it has its own Wikipedia page.

Bubbling tensions between Keane and Ireland manager Mick McCarthy, no shrinking violet himself, came to boil just before the 2002 World Cup.

McCarthy questioned Keane's commitment, suggesting he had undermined the side in the press, in addition to faking injury. Keane took this exactly as you'd expect Keane to take it: by unleashing a sweary rant towards McCarthy.

Keane was sent home from the squad and missed the World Cup, a blow for a side heavily reliant on their midfield general. Keane brought the same fiery disposition to his post-playing career.

Jon Walters has felt the brunt of that a few times. Forced to take a picture of his vomit to satisfy the then-Ipswich manager that he was indeed sick, Walters claimed that players were terrified of Keane.

Walters then provoked a classic Keane rant by having the temerity to be injured while in the Ireland setup. Keane remains assistant manager of Ireland, presumably not for his man-management skills.

 

Failing To Manage Emotions

The general concept of managers operates under the assumption that they know better than the players. However, managers are only human, and there's nothing more human than the basic urge to kick a rival on the backside.

In 2007, Catania coach Silvio Baldini grew displeased with his Parma counterpart, Domenico Di Carlo, and took action by unleashing a kick where the sun doesn't shine.

It's worth clarifying that this was during a match and took place on the touchline, although Baldini may well have kicked Di Carlo irrespective of time and place.

Baldini refused to apologise after the match in stubborn belief that Di Carlo deserved it. As first league matches in charge go, that's a particularly cheeky way to make an impression. 

While fighting an opposing manager is never advisable, it at least reinforces an us-vs-them mentality. Fighting one of your own players has more negative consequences on team morale, and indeed your job prospects.

Delio Rossi learnt this the hard way. It's never nice to be substituted in the first half, with Fiorentina's Adem Ljajic being hauled off by Rossi just 32 minutes in a 2012 match against Novara.

Ljajic showed his discontent, which provoked Rossi to hit him. Unsurprisingly, Fiorentina sacked Rossi after the match. 

Rossi lacked the subtlety of Alex Ferguson, with the legendary Scotsman ensuring that he never kicked a boot at David Beckham in public.

In the dressing room, however, Ferguson used a conveniently-placed boot to make a point to Beckham about work-rate.

Beckham sported a cut above his eye that was pounced upon by an intrigued media, with Ferguson eventually confirming the much-speculated story in his autobiography.

 

When The Stars Didn't Align For France

Such is France’s pool of talent that the nation should always be considered among the favourites for a major tournament. Yet a penchant for drama in the past couple of decades saw France go from World and European champions to a waste of ability.

The pinnacle of disappointment came at the 2010 World Cup. Coach Raymond Domenech’s tendency to rely on star signs to inform team selection did not make him the best candidate to negotiate growing dissent in the French ranks.

Nicolas Anelka vocalised the squad’s discontent in a rant at Domenech during a defeat to Mexico. Domenech channelled the spirit of Mick McCarthy to send home the angry player, but this only served to inspire anger in the rest of the squad.

Captain Patrice Evra was instrumental in organising a boycott of training, raising questions over if he does indeed love this game.

It’s easy to forget that all of this was happening during the World Cup. This makes England’s crushing defeat to Germany at the same tournament look like a respectable way to exit a World Cup.

Domenech went out in style, refusing to shake Carlos Alberto Parreira’s hand after France lost to South Africa. Fans believed Domenech and his squad to be arrogant and disconnected from the French public.

World Cup holders France are now 5/1 favourites to win Euro 2020, so those days of discontent are fortunately behind them.

 

Reffing And Blinding

Officials are supposed to be a mediating presence on the football pitch, but all too often they become an undeserving focus of a player or manager’s ire. This disrespect of officials is among the game's ugliest features.

Alan Pardew shoved an assistant referee to complain about something as trivial as a throw-in, while Paolo Di Canio famously pushed over referee Paul Alcock and received an 11-match ban as retribution.

The somewhat good news for officials is that these are among the more extreme expressions of disgruntlement towards decisions.

Pep Guardiola was recently responsible for maltreatment of officials. Guardiola confronted the referee at half-time in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final with Liverpool last season.

You’d be forgiven for expecting that one of the most meticulous and rational managers in the game would be above futile rants at officials during the match, yet Guardiola's displeasure with Manchester City's inevitable exit from the competition heightened his anger.

Guardiola received a touchline ban, denying him the chance to influence fortunes in City's defeat to Lyon this season. With City 5/1 favourites to win the Champions League this year, Guardiola's spirits should remain higher for now.

Steve Harmison can sympathise with Guardiola when it comes to touchline bans. Yes, that is former England fast bowler Steve Harmison.

Harmison took charge of Northern League side Ashington, declaring that it would be unlikely for him to “blow his top” as a football manager. It took just over a year in charge to bring him to the dark side, with Harmison banned for 12 matches for confronting a referee.

In a sport where the stakes are always high and the scrutiny is always intense, it is unsurprising that bust-ups and fallouts occur.

With players now having the ability to take to social media in the immediate aftermath of a match to express their thoughts to a global audience, it is going to get increasingly harder for everyone to get along.

 

*Odds subject to change - correct at time of writing*

The £100,000 Charlie Hall Steeplechase at Wetherby is widely acknowledged as one of the most important and influential early season trials for top-quality chasers as they set out on the season long road to the Cheltenham Festival with the very live possibility of running in the Gold Cup itself.

Some of the best chasers of recent times have kicked off their campaigns with a run in this three miler, with the likes of One Man, See More Business and Cue Card, just some of the stand out names on an illustrious roll of honour.

The Contenders

Last year Cue Card and Coneygree were receiving top-billing, but neither of them managed to complete the course and Bristol De Mai picked up the pieces.

Nigel Twiston-Davies' grey gelding followed up that victory with a 57 length success in the Grade One Betfair Chase.

Bristol De Mai failed to run up to that level of form in the King George or the Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham, but he did register a decent post wind-op showing at Aintree when finishing second behind the impressive Might Bite in the Betway Bowl.

One of the star novices of last season was Paul Nicholls’ Black Corton, who enjoyed a wonderful first season over fences.

Partnered by Bryony Frost, Nicholls’ seven-year-old took a Grade One at Kempton, scored a victory at Cheltenham’s International Meeting and captured the Reynoldstown at Ascot.

This will be Black Corton’s stiffest test to date but the ground conditions should be to his liking and he gets on like a house on fire with Frost, who will be hoping to make it an early season big race double after securing victory in Sunday’s Old Roan Chase at Aintree.

Paul Nicholls has also indicated that Clan Des Obeaux, part-owned by Sir Alex Ferguson, is on course for the Charlie Hall Chase as long as the ground is suitable.

His best run of last season came when stepped up to 3m1f on his final start when third to Might Bite at Aintree and on that score, he remains unexposed at the trip too.

There is the chance however that he may yet get rerouted to Down Royal for the JNwine Chase if the ground is deemed not soft enough for him at Wetherby.

Trainer Tom George is looking forward to seeing Double Shuffle make his seasonal bow on Saturday and will be hoping for no transport hiccups this year.

An intended runner for this race last season, the horsebox broke down on the way to the track and the horse unfortunately had to be scratched.

Although winless for two years, the eight-year-old reignited his season last term, most notably pushing Might Bite all the way in the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day.

His season somewhat petered out at Aintree and Sandown, but George believes it is all systems go for his comeback on Saturday.

Dan Skelton, who recently broke Martin Pipe’s record for the fastest century of winners in a season, saddles Virgilio in the race with the nine-year-old looking like a slightly forgotten horse in the betting.

After falling at Bechers in last season’s Grand National, the nine-year-old showed no ill-effects and registered another win at Aintree (his fourth) and scored nicely in a highly competitive renewal of the Summer Cup at Uttoxeter.

Virgilio is scheduled to be ridden this Saturday by Bridget Andrews, rather than by his regular winning pilot Harry Skelton.

Andrews landed her first win at the Cheltenham Festival back in March, when driving Mohaayed home in a driving finish to the County Hurdle, and has a good strike rate at the West Yorkshire track.

Speed, agility and good ground are the three things that usually need to combine for Definitly Red to be seen to full effect and there is every chance he could get the latter at the weekend.

The nine-year-old, trained by Brian Ellison, beat Bristol De Mai to win the Cotswolds Chase at Cheltenham earlier this year and despite only finishing third in last season’s renewal of the Charlie Hall, he has improved considerably since and is in with a serious chance.

 

Conclusion

With so much uncertainty about the final line up of this race come Saturday, it may pay to side with a stable who are definitely using this race as a stepping stone for the rest of the season.

With the Irish contingent likely to stay at home for the Down Royal Festival, and plenty of these runners doubly entered a bet on the trainer of the moment, Dan Skelton, would be a smart choice.

888sport suggest: Virgilio (e/w).

 

*Odds subject to change - correct at time of writing*

Every sport has a definitive year-ending event to crown its champions.

In horse racing, the Breeders’ Cup World Championships is the culmination of the horse racing season worldwide and the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic is the defining event of the international racing season.

The Breeders’ Cup Classic, run over 1 1/4 miles, draws a star-studded list of international runners year upon year.  This year’s headline act is Accelerate, who enters the 1 ¼-mile Classic off the back of three consecutive Grade 1 wins in California.

Accelerate is set to face a strong group of challengers, including last year’s Breeders’ Cup Classic third West Coast, international raiders Roaring Lion and Thunder Snow, and a whole host of talented three-year-olds.

This year the Championships are being held at Churchill Downs over the course of the 2^nd and 3^rd of November. Let’s take a look at the market principles:

 

Accelerate

Accelerate enters the Breeders’ Cup Classic off three easy wins in the Grade 1’s this season. He has four career Grade 1 wins, and three wins at the Classic’s mile and a quarter distance.

His one loss, to City of Light in the Oaklawn Handicap back in April, came in his only career start outside of California, so questions do remain over whether he can put it all in elsewhere in the country?

 

McKinzie

This talented, well-bred colt has shown plenty of potential in his first two starts as a three-year-old, winning the Grade 3 Sham Stakes and then taking the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes, only to be disqualified for bumping.

McKinzie was Bob Baffert’s leading Kentucky Derby contender at the start of 2018 but that plan was shelved after a hind leg injury occurred.

A patient Baffert brought McKinzie back in the Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby in September where he defeated Axelrod by 1 ¾ lengths and showed no signs of being off the track.

 

Catholic Boy

The three-year-old has won three races in a row heading into the Breeders’ Cup, the last two at the Classic’s mile-and-a-quarter distance.

In his most recent start, he returned to the dirt and scored a dominant four-length win over Mendelssohn in the Travers Stakes.

The Kentucky-bred son of More Than Ready has a haul of five wins and one second from eight lifetime starts, with all but one of those wins coming on the turf.

 

West Coast

West Coast is winless this year at the age of four, but has three straight runner-up finishes to his name, and impressive ones at that.

Second to Gun Runner in the Pegasus World Cup, to Thunder Snow in the Dubai World Cup, and to Accelerate in the Awesome Again Stakes.

Last season he put together a string of five consecutive victories with his streak only ending when he finished an admirable third in the 2017 Breeders' Cup Classic behind Gun Runner and Collected.

Gary and Mary West’s West Coast, a two-time Grade 1 winner and the reigning Eclipse Award-winning three-year-old male, will retire to stud at William S. Farish’s Lane’s End Farm for the 2019 season.

 

Roaring Lion

Trained by John Gosden, the star three-year-old ships to Louisville on a four-race Group 1 winning streak.

Gosden is naturally worried about the kickback which will be a totally alien experience to Roaring Lion.

"It's a massive challenge to race on the dirt," said Gosden. "We don't want a sloppy track. That's a real acquired taste – usually the jockeys with the cleanest silks win, which tells you something.

"But it's actually not so much the surface. I've found down the years the problem is the kickback. What they do is they immediately start climbing as they're not used to it – their breathing gets interrupted. They're not seasoned to it.

"It's unknown waters, and I think it's very brave and bold of the owners. Roaring Lion is probably not expecting to get on a plane – but he's tough enough for it."

If he can handle the surface switch, he has a class advantage over most of this field.

 

Mendelssohn

Aidan O’Brien believes that Mendelssohn’s previous experience on the dirt will stand him in good stead for a good crack at the Classic.

The three-year-old colt has come back to peak form after failing to act on a sloppy surface in the Kentucky Derby and has run three decent races since.

In his latest run at Belmont a month ago, he was only beaten two lengths into third place indicating he could make his presence felt in the Classic.

"Everything is good with him so far. We have to be very happy with him. He has had the experience," said O'Brien.

"You try different things but it is a bit different for us from people training in America. We are training over here and going over so we do have to try and learn what does and doesn't work."

 

Mind Your Biscuits

The five-year-old colt, who has been more known as a sprinter throughout his career, will go after the biggest prize when he runs in the $6 million Breeders' Cup Classic on Saturday.

Mind Your Biscuits, who has won eight of 24 career starts with ten seconds and three third-place finishes. This year, he has two wins and three seconds in five starts.

He won the Grade 1 Golden Shaheen in Dubai for the second straight year at six furlongs and just missed winning the Grade I Met Mile at Belmont by a nose. He then placed second in the 1 1/8-mile Grade 1 Whitney Handicap at Saratoga.

Trainer Chad Summers was always convinced Mind Your Biscuits could handle that distance and the horse proved him right when he won the Lukas Classic by 4 3/4 lengths at Churchill Downs at the end of September.

 

Conclusion:

Aidan O’Brien’s Mendelssohn is showing all the signs of being a Breeders’ Cup winner in the making and should give his supporters a good run for their money.

Mind Your Biscuits is showing his versatility this season and must be a great each-way player.

888sport suggests: Mendelssohn and Mind Your Biscuits (e/w).

 

*Odds subject to change - correct at time of writing*

Tottenham Hotspur take on Manchester City in what could be an exciting contest under the Wembley Stadium floodlights on Monday night.

Mauricio Pochettino’s side are fifth in the Premier League table and a win for the hosts will see Spurs move level on points with their opponents.

City are in excellent form though, having lost just once in their last 19 competitive fixtures.

The defending Premier League champions will be desperate to claim three points here as they look to keep pace with Liverpool at the top of the table. Avoiding defeat is essential for Pep Guardiola’s side.

On paper, this has all the makings on an exciting and open encounter. City have the best defensive record in the league, conceding just three goals in nine games in 2018/19, but Spurs have scored at least once in all nine of their appearances.

Something has to give; and that makes for a fascinating clash.

Wembley Pitch Looking Worse For Wear

After three successive weekends of NFL action, the Wembley pitch is looking battered and bruised. Both sides are known for their fluent styles and this may turn out to be more of a battle of attrition than anything else.

Goals are usually a staple of this fixture but opting for under 2.5 goals at 11/8 might be the best option.

Expect the visitors to enjoy the lion’s share of possession here. Guardiola’s side have been boosted by the return of midfield maestro Kevin de Bruyne and the Belgium star should help to control proceedings.

City have won the last three meetings between the two teams and 7/10 is a decent price for another victory.

 

Hard To Split Teams On Form Alone

Spurs have won four Premier League games in a row since falling short against Liverpool in September and plenty of punters will be siding with the hosts on Monday night.

Dele Alli’s return will help the north London outfit in their pursuit of glory – the England man is a 17/4 chance to get his name on the scoresheet.

Meanwhile, City have dropped just four points so far this season and Pep’s men will take some stopping as they look to retain the title.

With 26 goals in their nine top flight matches, City’s offensive juggernaut keeps on rolling and bettors will fancy the away side to score a few goals here. 2/1 for over 2.5 City goals is worth considering.

 

Pep To Oust Poch In Managerial Battle?

Guardiola and Pochettino are both fantastic managers but the former has an edge over his opposite number.

City have been dominant against Spurs over the last few years, winning all three of their most recent meetings by two or more goals. At 17/10, City are worth backing to make it a fourth successive comfortable win in this fixture.

Tottenham have been building momentum in the Premier League but their form against the best teams in the business will be of some concern for fans.

Spurs won away at Manchester United but fell short at home to Liverpool and also lost to Inter Milan and only managed to draw with PSV Eindhoven. The hosts might find themselves under the cosh…

 

TIP: Manchester City to win @ 7/10

LONGSHOT: Sergio Aguero to score and Man City to win (Priced at 17/1 with 888sport)

PREDICTED SCORE: Tottenham 0-2 Man City (Priced at 7/1 with 888sport)

 

*Odds subject to change - correct at time of writing*

FIRST things first, the progress.

A stronger team mentality, a litany of negative records ended, the improvement of a whole host of players and one of the best defensive records in the Premier League over the last three seasons.

Then, of course, there are those three successive top-four finishes after years of watching the Champions League on TV and an impending move into a new stadium. 

Yes, Spurs are making a mess of that particular phase of their development but overall the idea that they are either treading water or - worse still - going backwards just doesn’t hold water.

There can be few arguments about that fact that they’ve had a disappointing European campaign this season, underlined by that madcap climax to their trip to PSV this week.

A closer look at Tottenham’s games so far in Europe however, reveals there is no shame to losing to a Barcelona side inspired by one of the great Champions League performances from Lionel Messi this month.

Nor does the form of their last-gasp defeat at Inter Milan look too bad considering the Italian giants went on to win their subsequent six and have only had the stunning run ended by Barca on Wednesday.

Even PSV are no slouches this season, victorious in 12 of their 15 games so far. Despite all that, Spurs would have won had Hugo Lloris not had one of his rushes of blood with eleven minutes left.

Clearly they’ll be back. In the meantime they are having to field questions about the lack of spending they were being praised for after their 3-0 win at Manchester United back in August. The critics can’t seem to make up their minds.

Spurs can take heart from Liverpool in the transfer market. Last November, after the Reds threw away wins against Sevilla and Chelsea, they were criticized for waiting for Virgil van Dijk to become available instead of throwing money at another defensive solution a few months earlier.

The Anfield giants held their nerve and enjoyed the last laugh after landing Van Dijk, surging to the Champions League Final and showing themselves to be the biggest threat to Manchester City’s title this season - despite not even starting that well.

Like Liverpool, Spurs are at a stage where only top quality will improve them. They’ve dabbled, since Pochettino’s arrival, with the Georges-Kevin N’koudous and Clinton N’jies of this world. Now they need to hold their nerve for players that will make it into their first team and stay there.

The likes of Vincent Janssen and Fernando Llorente, for example, have not shown enough quality to challenge or even support Harry Kane.

City have Sergio Aguero and Gabriel Jesus. Liverpool have Daniel Sturridge supporting Roberto Firmino. Arsenal have Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang while Manchester United have Marcus Rashford and Alexis Sanchez to back up Romelu Lukaku.

Spurs need that calibre of player to take them to the next level.

First, though, they need to move on the stars ready for new challenges. Players like Toby Alderweireld, Mousa Dembele and Toby Alderweireld. Both of whom were expected to be sold for big money at the start of this year’s summer transfer window. 

Both ended up staying as rival clubs decided they didn’t want to spend big for them. In that regard you have to sympathize with Spurs chairman Daniel Levy.

Why would he want to have A-listers earning big money sitting in the reserves as their contracts run down, just so that he can appease critics by splashing the cash?

Levy and the club have had to accept the brickbats for a shambolic start to a campaign which should have been landmark period in the club’s history.

What is slightly unfair is the claim that Spurs are going backwards. They remain a club punching above their weight in the Premier League. City are well aware that they will have their work cut out at Wembley on Monday.

The first El Clasico of the 2018/19 season is here and plenty of punters will be expecting Barcelona to prevail on home soil.

Currently sitting pretty at the top of La Liga, and already four points clear of their arch rivals, Barca will have to cope without Lionel Messi after the Argentina man was ruled out for around a month with an arm injury.

Real Madrid have failed to inspire confidence during the early stages of the campaign and they will also have to cope without Cristiano Ronaldo, a former star of this fixture.

The five-time Ballon d’Or winner is now plying his trade with Juventus over in Serie A and it would be fair to suggest that Real haven’t been the same attacking force since his departure.

The 10/11 available for Barcelona to win represents excellent value given the contrast in fortunes at the beginning of the campaign. Julen Lopetegui is looking a little out of his depth and a heavy defeat here could signal the end of his brief tenure at Santiago Bernabeu.

On the other hand you have Ernesto Valverde, who has captured the Barcelona philosophy completely. Winning trophies whilst abiding by Barcelona’s “total football” style of play is an absolute must in order to succeed at Camp Nou.

Incredibly, this will be the first El Clasico without both Messi and Ronaldo since 2007. Will that have an adverse effect on the game as a spectacle? In a word, no. Barcelona vs Real Betis was fun to watch but El Clasico will be on another level.

El Clasico a special occasion and fans from all over the world will be tuning in to see who comes out on top on Sunday afternoon. There will be millions of football supporters on both sides of the coin but only one team can emerge victorious.

Reading too much into previous results would be foolish given the absences of Messi and Ronaldo but Barcelona will take confidence from their results in this fixture last season.

La Blaugrana picked up four points from their two league games with Real in 2017/18 and most punters will expect Barcelona to secure a positive result here. Madrid backers may be tempted by the 22/25 on offer for the visitors to draw or win.

On paper, these two teams are quite evenly matched but Barca’s attacking record is much better than Real’s. The final third is where this game will be won or lost and it is easier to put faith in Barcelona’s 23 goals in nine matches than Real’s 13 goals in the same period.

With that in mind, taking the 4/6 for over 1.5 Barcelona goals could be the way to go. There is always a chance of a red card in this fixture and a sending off for Madrid could prove fatal – 9/5 for a sending off isn’t much of a price though.

I like Barcelona’s chances this weekend and the hosts could send out a statement of intent with a dominant performance. Even without Messi, Barca are blessed with quality in the final third and Valverde’s men could run riot.

With that in mind, the 5/2 for Barcelona to win by two or more goals comes into play. There is so much uncertainty surrounding Real at this moment in time and this could get ugly for the visitors if Barca get into their rhythm in the early exchanges.

TIP: Barcelona to win by two or more goals @ 5/2

PREDICTED SCORE: Barcelona 2-0 Real Madrid (Priced at 10/1 with 888sport)

 

*Odds subject to change - correct at time of writing*

The “Monet’s Garden” Old Roan Chase is a Grade 2 National Hunt steeplechase run on the Mildmay course at Aintree and takes place on Sunday 28^th October.

This race traditionally attracts the top two and a half milers and has been won by the likes of Kauto Star, Monet’s Garden (2007, 2009, 2010), Alberta’s Run, Wishfull Thinking and last year, by Smad Place.

Here we take a look and the trends and statistics over the last 10 renewals of race plus a look at some of the interesting contenders:

 

Weight (wins-placed-runners)

11st +: 7-8-34

10st 13lb or less: 3-6-49

The last nine winners have carried 10st 7lb or more which is good news for those horses at the top of the handicap.

 

Age (wins-placed-runners)

5-y-o to 8-y-o: 3-9-41

9-y-o to 12-y-o: 7-6-36

Five out of the last ten winners have been aged ten or more so the older horses are not easy to dismiss.

 

Ratings

154+: 7-8-34

153- : 3-5-44

The last ten winners have been rated 150 or higher.

 

Trainer Form

Paul Nicholls has been responsible for sending out the favourite five times in the last ten years and has won the race twice overall.

He is represented by Frodon and Modus this year.

 

Starting Price

The S.P of the winner has ranged from 9/4 to 14/1.

 

Interesting Contenders

Cloudy Bay (Donald McCain)

Last year’s runner-up Cloudy Dream makes his course debut for new trainer Donald McCain on Sunday.

The Trevor Hemmings-owned eight-year-old has been the subject of sustained support all week long for the Grade Two feature and looks sure to go off the favourite.

Cloudy Dream, who was formerly trained by the Jefferson family, was second to Smad Place in this contest last season. His final race was also at Aintree when he was a disappointing fifth of six behind Politologue in the Melling Chase.

Whilst trained by the late Malcolm Jefferson he had a wonderful first season over fences, winning three of his seven starts and finishing runner-up on the four other occasions.

His efforts in defeat in that star-studded season included a six-length second to Altior in the Arkle Trophy at the Cheltenham Festival which put the grey gelding firmly on the map.

Last season bore no fruits whatsoever, with four runner-up spots being filled in his six races.

A switch to McCain’s stables in Cheshire may well perk him up a bit and McCain was very positive about his chances after a recent after-hours blowout at Haydock.

 

God's Own (Tom George)

God’s Own is a former Grade One course and distance winner and the Old Roan is a race he has contested several times before.

The ten-year-old is still a useful sort, as he showed when he was placed in last year’s Champion Chase, and he should get his favoured ground and will be suited by the trip. He could easily make the frame again but will probably just come up shy of winning it.

 

Javert (Emma Lavelle)

After an 869 day lay-off, the nine-year-old won a handicap chase by two lengths against a useful a field at Uttoxeter under Leighton Aspell.

Prior to his setback, Javert won three of his five starts over fences, the last of them being a valuable prize at Haydock Park where the world looked his oyster for his syndicate owners.

If he doesn’t “bounce” on this second run of the season then a lot more success can be expected in the future.

 

Value At Risk (Dan Skelton)

The nine-year-old has been flitting between hurdles and chases in his last few runs but it is in the chasing sphere where he tends to excel, as his season ending victory at Ayr in April clearly proved.

Skelton has been popping in the winners in the last fortnight and his brother Harry is sure to give his sibling’s runner a positive ride.

 

Flying Angel (Nigel Twiston-Davies)

Nigel Twiston Davies' Flying Angel was a game winner of the first race of the 2017 Grand National Festival, the Grade One Manifesto Novices' Chase and is no stranger to the Merseyside venue.

He was well fancied for the Topham Chase back in April but could only manage 10^th place, but this is a very different race altogether and he should be better suited by it.

He has some serious Grade One form at Aintree and he could rate as the best value each-way runner in the field.

 

Frodon (Paul Nicholls)

Paul Nicholls has saddled the winner of the Old Roan twice, once with Kauto Star in 2006 and also with Sound Investment in 2015.

Frodon, who won a Grade Three chase at Cheltenham in January under Bryony Frost, will have to shoulder the top weight of 11st 10lb in the Limited Handicap.

The six-year-old has won 8 of his 21 starts and has been somewhat of a punters friend. His Caspian Caviar Gold Cup victory at Cheltenham was by far his best result when he beat a decent field at a top winter fixture.

Frodon appears to go well fresh and Nicholls has a solid chance of making it three Old Roan trophies on his mantelpiece.

 

Beggar's Wishes (Peter Bowen)

Beggar’s Wishes has been a revelation in his last three runs under Sean Bowen and last time out he claimed the scalps of Dolos and Benatar to great adulation on social media.

The seven-year-old is very much in the same mould as Peter Bowen’s former stable star, Snoopy Loopy, and he looks every bit a progressive autumn horse. There could be plenty more to come and he should put up a good fist of it on Sunday.

888sport suggested bets: Flying Angel and Beggar’s Wishes (e/w).

 

*Odds subject to change - correct at time of writing*

Are you missing strong (but fair) tackle football like in the good old days? If so, Wes Brown has your back. The former Manchester United defender is the latest ex-footballer to join 888sport EXCLUSIVE "Against the Grain" video series as he rants about referees nowadays.

 

Watch Brown full rant here:

 

Check out Brown & Dennis Wise going head to head and argue who is a bigger club - Chelsea or Man United? on our 888sport "A Tenner Says" series:

 

 

Don't miss 888sport former "Against the Grain" rants with Jason McAteer & Tim Sherwood!