Leroy Sane won the Young Player of the Year award last season, ending a streak of three straight Spurs winners. The north London club have still won it in five of the last seven years, however, starting with Kyle Walker in 2011/12.

It’s wide open this season. Top clubs have invested heavily in players on the up in recent years – like Sane – meaning several big names are still eligible for Young Player of the Year. Whether they should still be able to win it is a discussion for another time.

Here are a few of the main contenders for the award…

Naby Keita

After last summer’s saga, Naby Keita has finally arrived in the Premier League. Keita slots into Liverpool’s midfield alongside fellow new signing Fabinho. The Guinean lit up the Bundesliga with Leipzig for two seasons with his ability to create from deep.

Big things are expected from the 23-year-old. His sharp through balls to Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane are a mouthwatering prospect, his ability on the ball – both to shoot and pass – forces opponents to press him. That’s a dangerous game, though, as he can glide past opponents at will.

Jurgen Klopp will give Keita the freedom to be a success in the Premier League. Liverpool’s fearsome attack of last season will only improve with his arrival. He’s well deserving of his 6/1 second favourite price.

 

Raheem Sterling

Raheem Sterling took another step towards his lofty potential last season. Quick one-twos and intelligent runs in behind saw the Manchester City winger rank in the top seven in the league for expected goals per 90 (players over 1000 league minutes).

He lost out on this award to Leroy Sane, but is a strong contender again this season. Manchester City are going to be much the same as last term, Sterling is a huge part of how they play and could well pass the 20-goal mark after netting 18 last season.

Sterling is at 8/1. Given that teammate Gabriel Jesus is 13/2, that’s a great price. The arrival of Riyad Mahrez might impact his playing time, but Pep Guardiola isn’t going to be benching the England international much if he replicates his 2017/18 form.

 

Ryan Sessegnon

Ryan Sessegnon, in case you haven’t heard every time plays, is just 18-years-old. The left-back turned left-winger was the first Championship player to be nominated for this award last season, as he carried Fulham to playoff glory with 15 goals.

Fulham have made significant reinforcements this season, but all eyes will still be on Sessegnon. He is one of the most exciting young players around, how he adapts to the Premier League will be fascinating. Premier League right-backs will not be looking forward to dealing with him.

Sessegnon is a longshot for Young Player of the Year at 14/1. Fulham will need to overachieve significantly, and others underachieve, for the teenager to stand a realistic chance.

 

Leroy Sane

Last season’s winner is unsurprisingly in the running again. Leroy Sane is unstoppable at times and is only going to improve under Pep Guardiola. His 10 goals and 15 assists last season only tell half the story.

He’s devastatingly quick, strong enough to hold off any defender that dares get near him and has the technical ability to deliver a killer pass or driven shot.

Unlike several others in contention, Sane had the benefit of a summer to rest. He might have been left out of Jogi Loew’s Germany squad, but he will be starting for Pep Guardiola on opening day.

Last season felt like just a taster of what Sane can become. He has World Player of the Year potential. His 5/1 to become the fifth player to win Young Player of the Year back-to-back is good value.

 

Dele Alli

Tottenham, through necessity, changed Dele Alli’s role last season. Mauricio Pochettino took Alli away from playing as a second striker that shot him to stardom, instead using the England international as a more conventional midfielder.

Alli’s creativity flew up as a result, his 10 assists were only bettered by Manchester City players.

Criticism followed as Alli scored half as many league goals (9) as he did in the season prior. His importance to Tottenham barely waned, however. Spurs’ weakness in midfield has required something different from Alli, and he adapted to that well.

Unfortunately, the two-time Young Player of the Year is unlikely to contend for the award again unless he produces more in the final third. More final third production is unlikely unless Spurs add a midfielder or two before the window shuts. Alli is not good value at 13/2.

 

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

Newly promoted teams are expected to be tussling to dodge a relegation spot in their first season.

The wave of cash they receive for promotion has changed this slightly, though, with teams able to attract players previously unattainable for a side just a few months removed from the Championship.

Wolves, Cardiff and Fulham were the three best teams in the second tier last season. Despite very different approaches to recruitment, they will be compared this year, it is always mentioned when they face each other, and their success will be relative to one another.

Each team has the opportunity to make others look bad with a great season or look good if they replicate Derby’s 2007/08 campaign.

The Premier League is hard to predict as it is. Promoted teams, without last season’s record to go on, are even tougher. This is what makes the ‘best promoted team’ betting market so fascinating.

Let’s take a quick look at the credentials for each team…

Cardiff City

Neil Warnock’s side are the underdogs in this one at 9/1. Hardly surprising, really, given their summer dealings compared to Wolves and Fulham and how they got here.

Cardiff are a functional unit, they overachieved last season. Finishing above their fellow promoted teams would be a remarkable achievement.

As with most bottom-half teams, Cardiff’s season will swing on their home form. They won 16 of 23 at home last season, conceding just 16 along the way.

The defence has to be rock solid for Warnock’s team to stand a chance at survival, let alone outperforming Wolves and Fulham. A lot depends on how new signing Josh Murphy performs.

Cardiff are the favourites to go down. Their 9/1 price is a little short if anything. Even guiding this squad to safety would be a surprise, finishing above their fellow promoted sides is certainly a step too far.

 

Wolverhampton Wanderers

It’s no surprise Wolves are favourites at 2/5 having run away with the Championship last term. A helping hand from Jorge Mendes has seen the Midlands club completely revamp their playing staff over the last 18 months.

This summer has been another wild one at Molineux. Raul Jimenez, Rui Patricio, Jonny Castro and Joao Moutinho have all arrived, while Barry Douglas was surprisingly sold to Leeds.

On paper, Wolves have a squad capable of a top half finish. We’ve seen this before, though. Translating all that quality into a comfortable season in the Premier League is not simple.

The uncertainty that comes with promotion means Wolves aren’t great value here. There’s a chance they cruise straight into upper-mid-table, but there’s still that risk things go wrong and Molineux is home to another Premier League relegation scrap.

 

Fulham

Fulham are going to be fun this season. The combination of talented youth and several big-name summer signings, including Andre Schurrle and Jean Seri, will make the west London club a good team to watch, even if results don’t match the talent at Slavisa Jokanovic’s disposal.

Fulham will score plenty of goals this season. Teams at the bottom are often expected to hold tight and try to scrape a win (Tony Pulis style) but clubs that have really struggled in recent seasons have been the ones short of final third quality.

Jokanovic’s side might lose heavily on occasion but have the firepower to win matches.

At 5/2 to finish above Wolves and Cardiff, Fulham are the best pick in this market. They have the quality to outplay fellow non-top-six teams, and have added to their squad intelligently, bringing in players that fit into the way they played last season.

 

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

The 2018/19 League Two season gets underway this weekend and fans of all 24 clubs will be full of optimism ahead of the opening round of games. At the time of writing, Milton Keynes Dons and Notts County are joint-favourites for the League Two crown at 6/1 but there are at least six or seven teams in the mix for success. We look at a few of the chief candidates…

Paul Tisdale made the tough decision to leave Exeter City for MK Dons after 12 years at St James Park. Prior to that move, he was the longest-serving manager in the Football League and Tisdale will be hoping that he has made the right call. He won’t have to wait too long to face his former side; MK Dons host Exeter City on August 25th.

On paper, MK Dons look well placed to challenge for the title. The Dons have signed former Exeter duo Ryan Harley and Robbie Simpson ahead of the new season and that familiarity with Tisdale could prove decisive. Both men could play key roles for MK Dons in the coming months and it wouldn’t be a huge surprise to see the League Two favourites prevail.

Notts County were motoring towards automatic promotion for most of 2017/18 but the Magpies struggled for momentum in 2018. Kevin Nolan’s men eventually finished fifth but fell short in the playoffs – another top six finish looks likely this season. With a bit of luck, County could go one better and finish in the top three in 2018/19.

888sport customers can back Notts at 2/1 to secure promotion via any means next season; not a bad price considering their efforts in the previous campaign. Summer signing Kristian Dennis will offer welcome support in the final third; there was a clear and obvious need to replace the departing Jorge Grant. Notts County will be there or thereabouts.

Mansfield Town are next up at 7/1 and they might just be the pick of the bunch. The Stags slipped down the League Two ladder in the closing stages of last season but Mansfield will have learned a lot from that disappointment. Write David Flitcroft’s side off at your peril; Mansfield could be set to secure promotion to the third flight of English football.

A favourable run of fixtures to start the campaign could help Mansfield to build momentum in the early stages of the season – the Stags will take some stopping if they get their noses in front at the top of the table. This could be a memorable campaign for Mansfield and their supporters if everything goes to plan.

Lincoln City and Northampton Town both showed glimpses of challenging for promotion in 2017/18 and both teams are available at 2/1 to move up to League One at the end of the campaign. The Imps missed out on a playoff spot on goal difference last season and there will be plenty of punters backing Lincoln to improve on those excursions.

Northampton finished four points from safety last season and the Cobblers will expect to go close in their pursuit of automatic promotion back to League One. Dean Austin’s men have been well backed to go up at the first time of asking and Northampton will be right in the mix barring any major setbacks in the opening stages of the campaign.

The League Two title race looks set to be wide open and most clubs will be quietly confident of challenging for silverware this term. Only one team can emerge victorious though and Mansfield Town might just be the team to beat. The Stags are primed for another serious shot at automatic promotion; watch this space.

 

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

The Shergar Cup is held at Ascot in August and is a team competition featuring riders from all around the world.

British racing’s only event of its kind, the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup attracts top riders from across the globe to compete in four teams representing Great Britain and Ireland, Europe, Rest of the World and the Girls, each vying for valuable points in six competitive handicaps and the chance to lift the coveted Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Trophy.

The four competing teams feature three riders each and the teams are as follows:

Great Britain & Ireland
Fran Berry (Capt)
Adam Kirby
Pat Cosgrave

The Rest Of The World
Yutaka Take (Capt)
Corey Brown
Joao Moreira

Europe
Adrasch Starke (Capt)
Per-Anders Graberg
Gerald Mosse

Girls
Josephine Gordon (Capt)
Hollie Doyle
Hayley Turner

 

Format & Scoring

Six races make up the meeting, all with ten runners in each. Every rider will compete in five of the six races on the afternoon.

Points are awarded for positions 1 to 5. i.e 1st (15) 2nd (10) 3rd (7) 4th (5) 5th (3).

After all six races the team that has amassed the most points overall wins the Shergar Cup and the “Silver Saddle” award is given to the jockey who scores the most points of all.

 

1.05 Ascot – Dash (5f)

The Clive Cox-trained Kick On Kick On won on his seasonal return at Windsor and looks a sprinter to follow.  The three-year-old has only raced five times and has already registered three successes. He still looks to be improving and can get favourite backers off to a flying start in the opening race.

The former Ebor Festival winner El Astronaute is in a rich vein of form at the moment and ran another solid race at Goodwood last time out. He is sure to be in the points for one of the teams.

 

1.40 Ascot – Stayers (2m)

Seven-year-old Byron Flyer has run creditably in some competitive, long-distance handicaps since he finished a close second in this race last year.

He was narrowly beaten into second in the Mallard Handicap at Doncaster at the St Leger meeting and was agonisingly just picked off in the final strides at Haydock earlier in the season.

His stablemate Speedo Boy, who won over course and distance on his last start, is the favourite in the betting and looks sure to be involved in the finish.

 

2.15 Ascot – Challenge (1m 4f)

Course and distance winner Machine Learner is sure to attract plenty of support based on his victory here almost a month ago.

The Sir Percy gelding, trained by Joseph Tuite, has an excellent strike rate and has won or placed 17 times out of his 24 starts. There is every reason to believe that he will be a points scorer once again on Saturday.

 

2.50 Ascot- Mile (1m)

Having captured the Shergar Cup Mile on the round course last August, Raising Sand returns to the Ascot heath with another live chance.

The Jamie Osborne-trained six-year-old has been somewhat disappointing so far this season but you get the impression he is just bubbling under before exploding back to form on this stage.

Examiner won a big field handicap at Newmarket before being pulled up on his return visit to the course. Last year’s Cambridgeshire sixth looks a very dangerous horse to leave out of your calculations in this one mile contest.

 

3.25 Ascot – Classic (1m 4f)

John Gosden’s one time Derby hope, Corelli, will be the warm order of the day in the Shergar Classic if he is fit and raring to go after his three month absence.

The form of the three-year-old Gossip Column took a boost when Cross Counter won the Gordon Stakes at Ascot last Saturday and the day after the Ian Williams-trained gelding duly obliged by scoring at Chester.

Sergio Leone was a length and three-quarters second to Desert Path in the Maltsmiths Handicap at Goodwood last time out and he should come on for the run.

 

4.00 Ascot - Sprint (6f)

If the Shergar Cup all comes down to a nail biting finish on this final race then it will pay to have done your homework.

Roundhay Park can take a prominent role in this contest and register his third victory of the season.

Nigel Tinkler's sprinter put up a career-best display when third of twenty to Foxtrot Lady in a valuable handicap at the Newmarket July meeting.

Tim Easterby’s stable has been firing home the winners for fun over the past fortnight and it would come as no surprise to see his Excellent Times put in another solid effort here.

Out of the frame just once this season, the three-year-old filly may well be the horse that carries the winning team over the line on Saturday afternoon.

 

Overview

Although it is not everyone’s cup of tea, the Shergar Cup does hold a plethora of betting opportunities if you delve deep enough.

Given that the whole competition is based on team tactics and team instructions, it may pay to stick with your fancied team all afternoon and include their mounts in a range of bets, including singles, placepots and forecasts.

For the record, the 888sport fancy for the cup this year is Great Britain & Ireland, by the narrowest of margins.

 

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

werwerwe

Sunderland are clear favourites with 888sport ahead of the opening weekend of the League One season.

Valued at 11/4 to win the title and bounce straight back to the Championship at the first time of asking, the Black Cats will be quietly confident of a successful campaign with new manager Jack Ross at the helm.

The former St Mirren boss has arrived with a plan and that plan centres around promotion back to England’s second tier this campaign.

Sunderland have seen 13 players move on this summer but the Stadium of Light faithful have bought into Ross’ no-nonsense approach. No player is bigger than the club and most of Sunderland’s wantaway names have now gone.

Next up in the betting: Barnsley. The Tykes have yo-yoed between the Championship and League One in recent times and it wouldn’t be a huge surprise to see Daniel Stendel’s side finish in the automatic promotion places this season.

8/1 is a reasonable enough price given their pedigree and plenty of punters will fancy Barnsley to get the job done.

The key to Barnsley’s hopes of League One glory lies in recruitment. Kenny Dougall will bring confidence and reliability to the midfield but the Tykes need more.

In addition, keeping hold of Tom Bradshaw and Kieffer Moore is vital. Barnsley could head into the campaign knowing that the majority of their main men are definitely staying at Oakwell.

Shrewsbury Town will try to shake off last season’s playoff final defeat to Rotherham United and the Shrews are available at 16/1 to prevail this time around.

It has been all change at New Meadow since then; Paul Hurst left the club for Championship side Ipswich Town and former Macclesfield Town boss John Askey has arrived at the helm.

Askey’s exploits at Macclesfield will give Shrewsbury fans hope of another strong showing.

Prior to last season, the Shrews had finished 20^th and 18^th in respective campaigns though and it wouldn’t be a huge surprise to see Askey’s side struggle. 888sport’s traders are quite split on the Shrews too; offering 6/1 for promotion and 7/1 for relegation.

It would be fair to label Oxford United as ‘dark horses’ ahead of the 2018/19 season. Led by Karl Robinson, the U’s could spring a shock this campaign if everything goes to plan.

With Reading striker Sam Smith moving to the Kassam Stadium on a season-long loan, Oxford have acquired their main transfer target – much to Robinson’s delight.

There are doubts over Oxford’s ability to lay down a serious challenge; and understandably so. The U’s finished in the bottom half of the table last season, 15 points outside the playoff spots.

Oxford’s first port of call should be to aim for a top six berth – anything higher should be viewed as a bonus. 4/1 for the U’s to finish in the top six should be considered; ignoring the recent defeat to Milton Keynes Dons may be best...

Joey Barton’s Fleetwood Town are out at 11/10 to finish in the top half of the table. Their rise to prominence over the last decade or so has been impressive and most punters are expecting the Cod Army to shine in 2018/19.

Promotion may be out of reach at this moment in time but Fleetwood could be a team to watch in the coming years.

Sunderland have been busy in the transfer market this summer and most neutrals will fancy the Black Cats to push their League One rivals close in the coming months. However, 11/4 isn’t much of a price when you consider how competitive England’s third tier is.

Instead, it may prove prudent to look at 888sport’s general League One markets ahead of what could be an open 2018/19 campaign.

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

The Europa League qualification rounds have already been going on for weeks. This week sees a complete feast of Europa action, starting on Tuesday and ending late on Thursday night.

There are minnows, giants and a few teams under severe pressure after disappointing results last week. Here are a few thoughts and tips on the headline fixtures…  

UJPEST vs SEVILLA

Ujpest weren’t expected to get a result in Seville. They caused no surprises with their 4-0 defeat, but they hardly helped themselves with Branko Pauljevic getting sent off after just half-an-hour.

Jesus Navas had given the Spanish side the lead with a rare goal, from there the tie was as good as over.

We may well see a rested side from Sevilla in the second leg. The other option is to view this as an extended preseason match, of course, which might see a cricket score.

Mismatches like this don’t do anyone any favours. Sevilla will be concerned about injury, but even a weakened side will probably run out easy winners.

TIP: Over 2.5 goals @ 4/9

PREDICTED SCORE: Ujpest 0-3 Sevilla (Priced at 8/1 with 888sport)

RANGERS vs OSIJEK

Steven Gerrard’s reign at Rangers has got off to a great start, which continued with a 1-0 win away to Osijek in the first leg.

The Croatian side are still in this tie, but Rangers are understandably strong favourites to finish the job off in front of an expectant Glaswegian crowd.

Osijek managed to get a draw away to CS Petrocub in the last round but face a much tougher test in this one. They need to score at least twice to make it through without penalties and showed little attacking threat in the first leg.

Rangers are a decent price at 9/10 to get the win. Osijek at 11/4 to get a shock victory will surely tempt some, though.

TIP: Rangers to win @ 9/10

PREDICTED SCORE: Rangers 2-0 Osijek (Priced at 15/2 with 888sport)

BURNLEY vs ABERDEEN

This fixture got the most attention of any Europa League qualifier. The all-British affair was not a great watch – ending 1-1 – but a massive night for Burnley as they returned to the European stage for the first time in half a century.

Turf Moor will be bouncing on Thursday night. The Clarets are without Nick Pope, who injured his shoulder in the first leg, but are pretty much at full strength.

Sean Dyche’s side are the strong favourites on home soil. Few will bet against the Lancashire club given their record at Turf Moor.

Aberdeen played well in the first leg, but they will need something really special to upset the odds in this one. Burnley’s European adventure is set to continue.

TIP: Burnley to win @ 2/5

PREDICTED SCORE: Burnley 2-0 Aberdeen (Priced at 5/1 with 888sport)

FK SARAJEVO vs ATALANTA

This tie looked to be done and dusted when Atalanta led 2-0 at half-time in the first leg. FK Sarajevo flipped it on its head with two goals in five second half minutes, however, to set up an intriguing second leg clash in Bosnia.

Atalanta were heavy favourites at home but have slipped to 4/9 to win this one.

It would be a huge shock for the Serie A club to fall from the competition at this hurdle, particularly after their impressive displays in the Europa League last season.

The first leg was a warning for Atalanta, but – just as it did in the first half – their superior quality should see them through even in a hostile atmosphere.

TIP: Atalanta to win @ 4/9

PREDICTED SCORE: FK Sarajevo 1-3 Atalanta (Priced at 21/2 with 888sport)

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

Champions League qualification continues this week. Some dreams were shattered in the first leg matches, others were just left to continue fantasising about an evening at the Santiago Bernabeu or Camp Nou in the group stages.

We could yet see some big clubs fall at this hurdle. Here are a few thoughts and tips on this week’s biggest matches…

 

HAPOEL BEER SHEVA vs DINAMO ZAGREB

Dinamo Zagreb were favourites at home to Hapoel Beer Sheva last week. A victory was expected, but a 5-0 thumping was still a bit of a surprise. The Croatian side did well to put this tie to bed before the tricky away leg.

The hosts are left playing to piece together some of their pride. Two early second half goals from Arijan Ademi were a real gut punch having been just 2-0 down at the break. Hapoel should at least be able to avoid a drubbing on home soil.

Dinamo are likely to rest many of the players from the first leg. The tie being over as a contest just makes it harder to call, but a relaxed away side give the hosts a good chance.

TIP: Hapoel Beer Sheva to win or draw @ 2/5

PREDICTED SCORE: Hapoel Beer Sheva 1-0 Dinamo Zagreb (Priced at 7/1 with 888sport)

FC BASEL vs PAOK

This is one of the most well-matched ties on paper. That hypothesis converted to grass pretty well in the first leg, with PAOK winning 2-1 in Greece. The match was tight throughout, but Basel’s 82^nd minute goal to make it 2-1 could be the turning point.

Basel are favourites to get the win in this one at even money. Of course, that might not be enough to secure progression, but it’s a reflection of where these two stand. Home advantage is massive given the similarity in quality.

The home side are a good price to get the job done back in Switzerland. It’ll be touch and go whether they can overturn the deficit, this could see extra time.

TIP: Basel to win @ EVENS

PREDICTED SCORE: FC Basel 2-1 PAOK (Priced at 15/2 with 888sport)

 

STURM GRAZ vs AJAX

Sturm Graz were underdogs heading to Amsterdam for the first leg. They lost 2-0, but their hopes of an upset were as good as wiped out when Hakim Ziyech put the Dutch giants in front in the 16^th minute. The Austrian side still have a chance of progression, it’s just a very slim one.

Ajax got the job done. They will have been a little disappointed not to have completely finished the tie at home, but they were able to give Dusan Tadic his competitive home debut off the bench. Tadic may start the second leg to provide extra guile in the final third.

The value is unsurprisingly on Ajax. Out at evens for the win, their superior players should shine through again, and an early goal will end this as a contest.

TIP: Ajax to win @ EVENS

PREDICTED SCORE: Sturm Graz 0-3 Ajax (Priced at 16/1 with 888sport)

 

ROSENBORG vs CELTIC  

Rosenborg took the lead in Glasgow last week, and that away goal could prove massive in the second leg. Celtic went on to win 3-1, but a 2-0 defeat will knock them out of the Champions League, and it’s no secret how they struggle on the road in Europe.

Brendan Rodgers’ side should be fine here, though. A goal puts them in a great position, and if there’s one thing Rodgers’ teams can do, it’s score goals. That is, of course, if they can stop Nicklas Bendtner at the other end.

Celtic’s poor away form makes the hosts decent value here. The Scottish champions should still make it through, it just might not be as comfortable as they’d hoped.

TIP: Rosenborg to win or draw @ 4/7

PREDICTED SCORE: Rosenborg 2-2 Celtic (Priced at 23/2 with 888sport)

 

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

Glorious Goodwood gets underway this week and with the weather tipped to return to something like the previous high temperatures we were experiencing before the weekend’s rain, we can expect a truly “glorious” week of racing on perfect summer ground.

Flat racing’s high profile personality, Frankie Dettori, will be missing for the first couple of days but it will come as no surprise if he makes up for lost time later in the week.

Dettori would have been aboard the favourite Stradivarius in the Goodwood Cup on Tuesday, but connections should not be unduly worried as Andrea Atzeni is a more than able deputy and the colt should account for his six rivals to bring home the Cup again.

Wednesday afternoon sees Atzeni pick up another Dettori spare as he pairs up with Without Parole for a much anticipated clash with Expert Eye in the Sussex Stakes.

The John Gosden-trained three-year-old has known nothing other than victory in his career, winning all four of his starts and is likely to go off the marginal favourite over the Stoute runner.

Dettori will return to partner Veracious in Thursday’s Group One Nassau Stakes and she is likely to go off as one of the favourites.

The recent Pretty Polly winner Urban Fox will also be one of the aforementioned favourites. The four-year-old daughter of Foxwedge showed improved form on her first attempt at ten furlongs when she defeated the Oaks winner Forever Together.

Battaash is bidding to become be the first horse since Lochsong in 1993 and 1994 to win back-to-back renewals of the five-furlong King George Qatar Stakes on Friday.

Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum, who owns Battaash, also has Muhmir, who won this sprint prize in 2015 for his trainer William Haggas.

The evergreen veteran, Take Cover, took this race in 2014 and 2016 and at the age of eleven will be trying to notch up win number three.

Understandably, the ante-post favourite for the historic Stewards’ Cup Handicap on Saturday is Dreamfield trained by John Gosden.

The Godolphin-owned four-year-old lost his unbeaten record when going down by a neck to Bacchus in the six-furlong Wokingham Handicap at Royal Ascot and will be a tough nut to crack.

 

Where Can You Watch The Races?

ITV Racing’s team will be bringing Glorious Goodwood to your living rooms this week. The station will show four races live on each of the five days of the festival, plus a range of other features about the meeting.

They will be joined by former jockeys Johnny Murtagh (Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday) and Tony McCoy (Friday).

The coverage each day will start at 1.30pm and end at 4pm.

 

Tuesday 31^st July - Horse Racing Betting Tips:

13:50 - Matchbook Betting Exchange Handicap

14:25 - Qatar Vintage Stakes (Group 2)

15:00 - Qatar Lennox Stakes (Group 2)

15:35 - Qatar Goodwood Cup Stakes (Group 1)

16:10 - Nginous! Swiss Gin EBF Maiden Stakes

16:45 - Chelsea Barracks Handicap

17:15 - Matchbook Time To Move Over Fillies' Handicap

 

Wednesday 1^st August

13:50 - Matchbook Betting Podcast Handicap

14:25 - Move Over To Matchbook Handicap

15:00 - Markel Insurance Molecomb Stakes (Group 3)

15:35 - Qatar Sussex Stakes (Group 1)

16:10 - Victoria Racing Club Maiden Fillies' Stakes

16:45 - EBF Breeders' Series Fillies' Handicap

5:55 - Goodwood Racehorse Owners Group Handicap

 

Thursday 2^nd August

13:50 - Matchbook Best Value Exchange Handicap

14:25 - Qatar Lillie Langtry Stakes (Group 2)

15:00 - Qatar Richmond Stakes (Group 2)

15:35 - Qatar Nassau Stakes (Group 1)

16:10 - Telegraph Nursery

16:45 - Markel Insurance British EBF Maiden Fillies' Stakes

17:20 - Tatler Handicap

 

Friday 3^rd August

13:50 - Bombay Sapphire Glorious Stakes (Group 3)

14:25 - Bonhams Thoroughbred Stakes (Group 3)

15:00 - Unibet Golden Mile Handicap

15:35 - King George Qatar Stakes (Group 2)

16:10 - Unibet Nursery

16:40 - L'Ormarins Queens Plate Oak Tree Stakes (Group 3)

17:15 - Maltsmiths Handicap

 

Saturday 4^th August

15:40 - Stewards' Cup Handicap

 

More links to Glorious Goodwood betting markets will appear throughout the week.

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

This race was first held in 1951 and was won by Supreme Court. The 1975 renewal featured Grundy and Bustino. These two top-class thoroughbreds fought out such a titanic finish that the race is regarded by many as one of the best in the history of the sport.

The race is run over a distance of one and a half miles at Ascot in late July. Three year-olds carry eight stones and nine pounds, while older horses are allotted nine stones and seven pounds. Fillies and mares receive a three pound allowance, while four pounds is deducted from any four year-old runner who ventures here from the southern hemisphere.

Some incredibly famous horses have won this contest over the years, including Shergar, Galileo, Montjeu, King’s Theatre, Opera House, Generous, Nashwan and Reference Point. Brigadier Gerard is perhaps the most well know champion of all.

Here are some trends and statistics based on the last ten runnings of the race. Eight runners go to post this year in a hotly contested renewal.

Age (wins-placed-runners)

3-y-o: 3-4-13

4-y-o: 7-6-43

5-y-o: 0-4-11

6-y-o+: 0-1-8

• Seven of the last ten winners were aged four which is good news for backers of: Cracksman, Crystal Ocean, Salouen, Coronet and Hydrangea.
• Being over four years of age could prove to be a negative statistic for Desert Encounter and Poet’s Word.
• Since the year 2000 there have been just five three-year old winners which is a trend Rostropovich will be trying to buck.

Form

• Nine of the last ten winners finished in the first three places last time out. That is a bad sign for Hydrangea.
• Ten out of ten winners had run two to four races that season.
• Seven out of ten winners had won at least one race that season.

Trainers

• Michael Stoute has trained the winner three times since the turn of the millennium and six times in total (1981, 1983, 2002, 2009 & 2010).
• John Gosden has had three winners of the race including last year with Enable.
• Aidan O’Brien also has a formidable record in this race having won most recently with Highland Reel in 2016 and four times in total (2001, 2007, 2008 & 2016).

Starting Price

Nothing over 9/1 has won for the last ten years. It is highly probable this trend will continue on Saturday.

Runner-By-Runner Guide

Cracksman

His participation is by no means certain at this stage, but his owner-breeder Anthony Oppenheimer felt it was worth declaring his four-year-old in the hope that the forecasted thunderstorms and rain arrives by the bucket load on Friday.

Cracksman was the runaway winner of the Champion Stakes here last autumn but after his scrambled Coronation Cup victory, he was brushed aside by Poet's Word in the Prince Of Wales's Stakes at the Royal Meeting.

Clearly his mind was on other things that day and the chances are that we will see him back on the track in autumn rather than on Saturday.

Crystal Ocean

With Ryan Moore required by Ballydoyle, the ride on ante-post favourite Crystal Ocean has gone the way of William Buick

Sir Michael Stoute has called on the services of the Derby winning jockey Buick to ride the Hardwicke Stakes victor, with the Godolphin operation being without a runner in the race.

Despite stepping up here from Group Two company into a Group One, he looks well equipped to make the transition. His only run at this level was a close second in the St Leger last season and he is clearly a better horse this season.

Desert Encounter

Ran just last weekend when chasing home Emotionless at Newbury.

Desert Encounter came sixth to Enable in this very race last season and a similar finishing position is envisaged this year.

The odds look stacked against this six-year-old on Saturday.

Poet’s Word

Poet’s Word, owned by Derby-winning Dubai businessman Saeed Suhail, bids for the biggest prize of his career when he lines up for the £1.25 million King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes.

The Prince Of Wales’s Stakes winner will be looking to give Sir Michael Stoute his sixth win in the race. If he can take this race then he would overtake Saeed Bin Suroor and Dick Hern as the most-winning trainer of this race.

Salouen

The Sylvester Kirk-trained Saloeun ran Cracksman to a head in the Coronation Cup at Epsom and backed that up when only beaten a length and a quarter in third place behind Waldgeist in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud.

The four-year-old is pitched in at the deep end again here but is one to include in forecasts and tricasts at a nice price.

Coronet

Coronet came within a whisker of claiming her first Group One success in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud but her trainer John Gosden knows she will have to step up another notch to topple the likes of Crystal Ocean and Poet's Word.

Coronet is a proven Group Two winner but is yet to win at the highest level from seven attempts. She is however a proven course and distance winner at the track on quick ground for Olivier Peslier, and he takes the mount again.

Hydrangea

The Aidan O’Brien-trained Hydrangea is another course and distance winner in the field. She landed the Group One Champions Fillies and Mares here on Champions Day last October on the back of a great run in the Prix De L’opera at Chantilly.

She has failed to sparkle so far this season and with the O’Brien stable having one or two horses with dirty scopes at the moment you have to worry about her chances.

Rostropovich

He has finished second on his last two starts in the King Edward VII and Irish Derby but the latter result probably flatters him as he was left out in front for a long way.

Rostropovich would be a surprise winner of this contest even if the Ballydoyle maestro trains him.

888sport Predicts...

1. Crystal Ocean
2. Poet’s Word
3. Salouen

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