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!

 

 

It’s matchday three in the 2018/19 Champions League campaign and 16 teams will be in action on Wednesday evening.

Tottenham Hotspur will be hoping to claim a first European win of the season when they go up against SSV Eindhoven in one of the two early kick-offs.

Spurs rode their luck against West Ham at the weekend but picked up a vital win and confidence will be high.

Meanwhile, Liverpool will be looking to take advantage when they host Red Star Belgrade.

Jurgen Klopp’s side could score any number of goals in that encounter and the Anfield crowd will be hoping for a one-sided demolition job.

Without further ado, let’s get down to the action. Scroll down for our top tips on this week’s fixtures; we’ve compiled a tasty 16/1 accumulator ahead of Wednesday’s European fixtures.

 

PSV EINDHOVEN vs TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR

PSV’s form in the Eredivisie has been well documented; the defending champions have won nine out of nine, scoring 36 goals whilst conceding just three.

The hosts are valued at 13/5 to prevail and plenty of punters will fancy the Dutch outfit at that price. After all, Spurs are always at risk of going full Spurs and hitting the self-destruct button.

Tottenham got lucky against West Ham at the weekend but winning ugly is an excellent trait to possess. The north London side are dangerous and it would be foolish to write Spurs off despite two defeats in two Champions League games.

Punters may fancy the visitors to just about edge this one. 19/20 is a solid enough price if you fancy Tottenham’s class to shine through in Eindhoven.

For me, the best bet here is for both teams to score. Stick it in your accumulator at 11/25 and sit back, relax and watch what should be an entertaining game of football.

TIP: Both teams to score @ 11/25

PREDICTED SCORE: PSV 1-1 Tottenham (Priced at 6/1 with 888sport)

 

BORUSSIA DORTMUND vs Atletico Madrid

Watch this space, Borussia Dortmund could go deep into the competition this season. At 60/1, they are well worth a speculative bet to win Europe’s elite club tournament…

After two group stage games, Dortmund have a 100% winning record and the German giants have yet to concede a goal. 6/4 looks like a huge price for Dortmund to claim another important victory on home soil.

Atletico Madrid have been somewhat out of sorts in 2018/19 but Diego Simeone’s men have started to put a run together. In Europe, Madrid have also won both group fixtures so far this campaign and we could be set for a thriller on Wednesday night.

The visitors will want to keep things tight during the early exchanges and writing Atletico off completely would be foolish. Punters backing the visitors could take the 11/20 in the double chance market.

For me, Dortmund’s class should tell. They are a different beast altogether at home and it wouldn’t be a huge surprise to see the German side prevail.

TIP: Borussia Dortmund to win @ 6/4

PREDICTED SCORE: Dortmund 2-0 Atletico (Priced at 8/1 with 888sport)

 

FC BARCELONA vs Inter Milan

Barcelona are one of the favourites to win this year’s competition but Lionel Messi’s latest injury may hinder their chances here. The Argentina star could be out for a prolonged spell and it may affect the Spanish side in the coming months.

The hosts will take some stopping in their pursuit of glory in this contest though and you won’t find too many punters opting for a Barcelona defeat. 12/25 is quite short for a home win but Barca rarely fall short at Camp Nou.

Meanwhile, Inter are coming into this game on the back of a 1-0 injury time victory over arch rivals AC Milan. Confidence is high in the visiting camp and it wouldn’t be a huge shock to see the Italian outfit snatch a positive result.

Mauro Icardi has been in scintillating form so far in 2018/19 and punters will fancy Messi’s compatriot to shine on Wednesday night. 11/5 for Icardi to score anytime is some price…

However, it could be a case of no Messi, no problems for Barca in this one. The hosts have enough quality in the final third to put Inter to the sword – take the 7/4 for Barca to win and both teams to score.

TIP: Barcelona to win and both teams to score @ 7/4

PREDICTED SCORE: Barcelona 3-1 Inter (Priced at 10/1 with 888sport)

 

LIVERPOOL vs Red Star Belgrade

Liverpool have struggled to inspire confidence in the final third in recent weeks but the Reds are primed to end that run at Anfield on Wednesday night.

Klopp’s side are in an excellent position in the race to reach the knockout stages and plenty of punters will fancy Liverpool to run riot in this encounter. 43/20 for over 4.5 home goals is worth a second look…

Red Star were thrashed by Paris Saint-Germain in their last European away encounter and it doesn’t look great for the Serbian side ahead of this trip.

Yes, Liverpool are no longer scoring goals for fun but the Reds are a class above on paper and an early goal could see the floodgates open. The visitors are 16/5 to get to half-time on level terms but that looks like a stretch.

My top tip ahead of this contest is for Liverpool to win by three or more goals at 11/20. The Reds are due a strong performance after an attacking lull and this one could get ugly for the visitors.

TIP: Liverpool to win by three or more goals @ 11/20

PREDICTED SCORE: Liverpool 4-0 Red Star (Priced at 6/1 with 888sport)

 

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

It’s matchday three in the 2018/19 Champions League campaign and we have a real treat in store for football fans this week.

Cristiano Ronaldo will return to Old Trafford for his first homecoming as a Juventus player; the Portuguese has enjoyed plenty of success against his former side in recent years and the five-time Ballon d’Or winner could flourish on Tuesday evening.

Meanwhile, Manchester City will look to build on their 2-1 victory over Hoffenheim last time out when they travel to Shakhtar Donetsk. Three points for Pep Guardiola’s side will put the Blues in a strong position ahead of the return clash.

Without further ado, let’s get down to the action. Scroll down for our top tips on this week’s fixtures; we’ve compiled a tasty 11/1 accumulator ahead of Tuesday’s European fixtures.

 

AEK Athens vs BAYERN MUNICH

AEK Athens will be quietly confident of springing a shock – their passionate home fans will be looking to create a daunting, hostile atmosphere on Tuesday night.

The visitors are in poor form whilst AEK Athens have an excellent home record. 10/3 on the double chance market for the hosts to win or draw is worth considering.

Bayern snapped a run of four games without a win this weekend and the Bavarians will be looking to build momentum after a tricky start to the campaign.

The hosts have lost both Champions League fixtures this season and Bayern will be sniffing blood ahead of their trip to Greece.

There isn’t much value on an away victory so taking the 7/25 for over 1.5 Bayern goals may be the way to go.

On paper, there is a clear gulf in class and the German giants could run away with it if they go for the jugular.

TIP: Over 1.5 Bayern goals @ 7/25

PREDICTED SCORE: AEK Athens 1-3 Bayern Munich (Priced at 10/1 with 888sport)

 

Manchester United vs JUVENTUS

Jose Mourinho’s side were seconds away from a confidence-boosting victory over Chelsea on Saturday afternoon but the Red Devils were pegged back in the 96^th minute.

The Red Devils will hope that a return to the Champions League is enough to spark another impressive performance; the hosts are out at 23/10 to claim three points in this clash.

Juventus are on another level right now though, having won eight of their nine Serie A games in 2018/19. This one could get ugly for United…

Cristiano Ronaldo is doing Cristiano Ronaldo things and the Portuguese star is 11/8 to score on Tuesday night. Watch this space, he usually raises his game for the Old Trafford crowd.

Backing the outcome of this contest is tricky – especially with so much at stake; both in terms of Champions League qualification and avoiding the sack for Mourinho.

In years gone by, Juventus would have taken a point but the Serie A champions may push for three against an inconsistent United side.

TIP: Ronaldo to score @ 11/8

PREDICTED SCORE: Man United 1-1 Juventus (Priced at 5/1 with 888sport)

 

REAL MADRID vs VIKTORIA PLZEN

Real Madrid are in a spot of bother. Currently languishing down in seventh spot ahead of the first El Clasico of the season, a huge win is needed here.

Those fancying a convincing Madrid display should take the 4/6 on offer for the hosts to win by three goals or more – that has a solid chance looking at both clubs.

Viktoria Plzen were expected to be the whipping boys in Group G but they snatched a point against CSKA Moscow; something that Real Madrid failed to do last time out.

Securing a positive result in the Bernabeu looks unlikely but this is NOT the Real Madrid of two years ago. The visitors are priced at 9/1 to avoid defeat.

It would be foolish to look past Madrid though despite their recent struggles. This is one of those ‘David vs Goliath’ clashes that the Champions League tends to throw up…

However, the under 4.5 goals mark at a very appealing 8/15 is my pick. Real will dominate but they may have one eye on El Clasico.

TIP: Under 4.5 goals @ 8/15

PREDICTED SCORE: Real Madrid 3-0 Plzen (Priced at 6/1 with 888sport)

 

Shakhtar Donetsk vs MANCHESTER CITY

Shakhtar have picked up two points from their European encounters in 2018/19 and some punters will fancy the hosts to notch another draw on Tuesday night.

The Ukrainian outfit have faced City on numerous occasions in recent times; Shakhtar ran out 2-1 winners against Pep Guardiola’s men in this exact fixture less than 12 months ago.

However, the 29/20 for a Man City win with both teams scoring is arguably the best bet in terms of value.

It wouldn’t be a huge surprise to see the visitors score a hatful of goals but backing the Premier League champions to keep a clean sheet would be unwise.

Underdog backers may take the 6/1 for a Shakhtar triumph, especially thinking back to last year’s fixture, but this is City’s to lose.

We could see Kevin de Bruyne make a full return to the side and that is an ominous sign for City’s rivals – both domestically and in the Champions League too.

TIP: Man City to win and both teams to score @ 29/20

PREDICTED SCORE: Shakhtar 1-3 Man City (Priced at 9/1 with 888sport)

 

 

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

It may be several months away but as the dust settles on another Flat season our attentions are drawn towards the new National Hunt season, and its pinnacle – the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Here at 888sport we take a look at some of the possible candidates for next March.

PRESENTING PERCY (Pat Kelly)

Presenting Percy was installed as the early favourite for the 2019 Cheltenham Gold Cup after running away with the RSA Novices’ Chase at The Festival.

The former Pertemps Final Handicap Hurdle winner, ridden by Davy Russell, was sent off the 5-2 favourite that day and sprinted up the hill to beat Monalee by seven lengths.

Trained in Galway by Pat Kelly, the seven-year-old has been taking a well-earned break over the summer at his owner’s farm in County Westmeath.

Presenting Percy has twice gone to the Cheltenham Festival and been successful on both occasions and looks to be Ireland’s best prospect of winning the Gold Cup next March at this stage.

He finished the 2017/18 season as the top-rated staying novice on a mark of 165.

 

FOOTPAD (Willie Mullins)

After winning the Arkle Novices’ Chase by an impressive 14 lengths, Mullins indicated Footpad "could be a future Gold Cup horse".

The brilliant six-year-old went through his novice season unbeaten in five races and will be challenging for top honours again this season.

In his debut over fences at Navan last November he put in a scintillating display of jumping to score by 11 lengths.

In the Arkle Trophy Footpad blundered at the sixth, which left him a fair way back, but under a patient ride from Ruby Walsh, he effortlessly made up the lost ground and went on to win by a wide margin.

Footpad then topped off a splendid season by making all to win the Grade One Ryanair Chase at Punchestown by 12 lengths.

Whether the Gold Cup is on the horizon this year remains to be seen but he is definitely worth a speculative punt.

 

MIGHT BITE (Nicky Henderson)

Nicky Henderson has said he will adopt a more attacking policy with Might Bite this season.

Last seen winning the Betway Bowl at Aintree, Might Bite had previously finished second to Native River in the Gold Cup.

Henderson recently said: "The Betfair Chase at Haydock is the likely starting point for Might Bite and we might as well have a go at the Jockey Club Triple Crown and the £1million bonus.

We were tempted with it last season but the King George was our main goal, however this year we might as well give it a shot and see where we end up."

 

ROAD TO RESPECT (Noel Meade)

Connections of the Cheltenham Gold Cup fourth Road To Respect are saying that he is a much stronger horse now as he prepares for a season focused on another tilt at the blue-riband event next March.

The Noel Meade-trained chaser finished 12 and a half lengths behind Native River in the Gold Cup Cheltenham before rounding off last season with a third place in the Punchestown Gold Cup.

Meade’s retained rider, Sean Flanagan said: "We're looking at going back to Leopardstown with Road To Respect and then I'd imagine the Gold Cup will be his target.

"I had one sit on him and he's a much stronger horse this season. He's in great form and everything is coming together with him now.

Last season soft ground played into the winner's hands, but the second horse wanted better ground too. 

Our horse ran a respectable race and it'll be great to go back again."

Road To Respect, who missed the Irish Daily Star Chase at Punchestown last Wednesday due to the fast ground, will now reappear in the JNwine.com Champion Chase at Down Royal on November 3^rd.

 

NATIVE RIVER (Colin Tizzard)

The Triple Crown will be the target for Native River this season, starting with the Betfair Chase at Haydock on November 24^th.

The King George VI and the Gold Cup make up the other two legs of the treble that carries a £1million bonus should any horse win all three events.

"Native River will go straight to Haydock. He's galloping away and looks an absolute picture," assistant trainer Joe Tizzard told At The Races last week.

"The Million is the sort of plan. Those horses, the routes get mapped out for them - Haydock, then the King George and the Gold Cup. That's three obvious targets, and they're spaced out lovely."

Native River emerged as a leading staying chaser from 2016-17 season winning the Hennessy Gold Cup, Denman Chase and Welsh National before finishing third in the Gold Cup.

He then went on to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup last season in a thrilling dual with Might Bite.

 

SIZING JOHN (Jessica Harrington)

Sizing John will have Cheltenham ambitions once again this season and we should be seeing him lead up to Christmas by all accounts.

The 2017 Cheltenham Gold Cup hero has not been seen since a poor run in the Leopardstown Christmas Chase last December and was unable to defend his Cheltenham crown because of a pelvic injury.

Jessica Harrington revealed the tote.com Fortria Chase at Navan on November 11^th could be his first port of call, before going to Leopardstown for the Christmas Chase on December 27^th.

Alternatively his seasonal debut may kick off in the John Durkan Memorial Chase at Punchestown, which he won last season.

“He’s very good and I’m very happy with him,” said Harrington.

“We could look at the Fortria or Christmas with him or maybe the Durkan and miss Christmas, I don’t know. We’ll see.”

 

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