The 2018/19 Premier League fixtures are out and new Arsenal manager Unai Emery has been thrown straight into the deep end.

An opening weekend clash with Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City is tasty for neutrals but hardly ideal for the Gunners. Facing the defending champions in Emery’s first home game at the Emirates Stadium could be… interesting.

I give it 45 minutes before Arsenal are two-nil down and fans are calling for Arsene Wenger to be reinstated as manager. In all seriousness, City may be slightly rusty at the beginning of the campaign and that could actually play into Arsenal’s hands.

888sport’s traders opened up with Emery’s side at 14/5 to pick up three points in their opening fixture; not a bad price considering Arsenal are the home side.

Looking away from that fixture, Tottenham Hotspur’s trip to Newcastle United also carries plenty of appeal. Mauricio Pochettino’s men are as short as 4/5 to emerge victorious in that contest and Spurs striker Harry Kane will be looking to break his August goal scoring jinx.

He will lead England in this summer’s World Cup and could go into the 2018/19 campaign full of confidence after lifting the Jules Rimet Trophy. We can dream, right?

The Magpies were excellent in the second half of last season and Rafa Benitez’s side will be looking to challenge for a top half finish in the upcoming campaign.

The foundations for a successful campaign are there for Newcastle but owner Mike Ashley cannot afford to be stingy in the transfer window. Give Benitez money to spend and the Magpies will flourish; whether he will have that luxury or not is another question.

Championship winners Wolverhampton Wanderers will host Everton at Molineux in their first fixture back in England’s top flight since suffering relegation in 2012.

Now blessed with lots of financial support, Wolves will be looking to sign a couple of big names before the start of the campaign and punters may be tempted by the 7/5 available for a home win in that clash.

Cardiff City will open up with an away trip to AFC Bournemouth whilst Fulham host Crystal Palace at Craven Cottage. The Welsh outfit are as short at 7/10 to go straight back down to the Championship next season but Fulham are out at 7/4 for relegation.

An opening day win for the Cottagers will certainly help to bolster confidence ahead of what could be a tricky campaign.

Liverpool, currently 5/1 to win a maiden Premier League title, will host West Ham United on the opening weekend and Jurgen Klopp’s men could run riot.

The Reds have bagged 12 goals in their previous three fixtures against the Hammers and another four-goal haul could be on the cards. Mohamed Salah and co have opened up at 3/10 to pick up three points in front of an expectant Anfield crowd.

But the pick of the matches is of course that contest at the Emirates Stadium. City are priced at 13/20 to defend their Premier League crown – unsurprisingly short given their dominance in 2017/18.

Emery has two months to come up with the perfect plan to derail Pep’s side; the Gunners will be raring to go but are they gifted enough to stop this City juggernaut? Only time will tell…

 

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

The Prix de Diane is a Group One race run at Chantilly exclusively for fillies, often referred to in the UK as the “French Oaks”. It is the fourth flat leg of the EpiqE series, a championship made up of the 14 most important races in France.

Thirteen fillies go to post on Sunday afternoon, among them one British and one Irish challenger. Here is a runner-by-runner form guide to a race steeped in history.

 

Shahnaza

The Aga Khan’s Shahnaza is the general 3-1 favourite for this French Classic.

The filly, out of Azamour, was most impressive when winning the Listed De La Seine Stakes on the 6^th May at Longchamp and has been at the head of the market ever since.

As an owner, the Aga Khan has won the Prix de Diane a record seven times with his last victory coming in 2012.

Happily

Happily started favourite for both the English and Irish 1,000 Guineas but could only manage third place on both occasions.

Stepping up now from a mile, the Aidan O’Brien filly probably boasts the strongest form line in the field having beaten two classic winning colts, Olmedo and the Derby winner, Masar, in last year’s Prix Jean Luc Lagadere.

Laurens

Prix Saint-Alary scorer Laurens is the sole flag-bearer for the UK but she arrives in Chantilly with a fighting chance of taking the top prize.

The high-class three-year-old won the Fillies’ Mile last season and made her seasonal reappearance in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket, losing nothing in defeat to the shock 66/1 winner, Billesdon Brook.

She battled on well in the Alary, inflicting a first defeat upon Freddy Head’s With You.

Castellar

Castellar put herself right in the Prix de Diane picture when by winning the Prix Cléopâtre (Gr3) by a neck from Luminate.

Winner of her maiden at Fontainebleau in March, she stayed for second place in her next outing in the Prix du Louvre.

Her trainer Carlos Laffon-Parias indicated that had she won that race she would have run next in the Poule, which in hindsight would have been too short for her.

Luminate

Frankie Dettori receives the leg-up aboard Luminate at Chantilly on Sunday. She won both her starts as a two-year-old and made a winning start to this season, only to lose her unbeaten record in a dramatic Prix Cleopatre at Saint-Cloud.

Sent off the 2/5 favourite that day, she was deemed to have interfered with a rival by the strict French stewards, on her way to grabbing second place, which was just a short neck behind Castellar.

Having reviewed the evidence Luminate was demoted into fifth place.

Assonance

The grey filly was beaten just over three lengths by Lady Athena at Chantilly last time out but really looks out of her depth here in this company.

Five career starts have heralded three placed efforts but she appears to be more of an All-weather type if anything.

Homerique

Homerique was the only filly to be supplemented on Wednesday meaning that connections quite fancy her chances on Sunday.

Trained by Francis-Henri Graffard, Homerique was second to Luminate in the Prix Penelope last time out and will clash again with that Freddy Head-trained rival.

Homerique will be ridden by last year’s French champion jockey, P.C Boudot.

Amazing Lips

Bred out of Camelot, the Nicolas Clément- trained Amazing Lips is still a maiden after suffering from a bout of “seconditus” on all of her three runs.

Promoted to second after the demotion of Luminate in the Prix Cléopâtre, she could quite easily outrun her odds, but will more than likely find one of these too good for her again.

Lady Athena

The daughter of a Listed winner in Italy, Lady Athena was bought for 170.000 € at the Arqana August yearlings sale in 2016.

Lady Athena was the easy winner of the Prix de la Chapelle-en-Serval (Class 1) at Chantilly last time out, accounting for a good field which included Zarkamiya, a well fancied daughter of Frankel.

Her trainer, Yan Durepaire, is 2/2 in the last fortnight and she looks well over-priced in the betting.

Musis Amica

A winner on her only start at two at Saint-Cloud, she made a winning seasonal debut at Longchamp when landing the G3 Prix de la Grotte by over a length, despite showing signs of greenness.

Trained by Andre Fabre, the Godolphin homebred was by no means disgraced when finishing sixth in a bunched finish in the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches (French 1000 Guineas) last time out.

With You

Freddy Head is doubly represented in the race this year and he his bullish about the chances of both his charges.

With You was narrowly beaten by Laurens on her seasonal comeback in the Gurkha Coolmore Prix Saint-Alary at Longchamp last month and she will be looking to avenge that defeat.

The combination of George Strawbridge, Freddy Head and Aurelien Lemaitre were on the score sheet just last weekend when their Dallas Affair won the Morocco Cup - La Coupe (Group 3).

Barkka

Barkaa was an easy winner of the Prix Vanteaux for three-year-old fillies, a trial for the Prix de Diane back in April, but she failed to get competitive in the French 1000 Guineas.

Barkaa, who previously raced in the colours of Gerard Augustin-Normand but has subsequently been purchased by American owners Peter Brant of White Birch Farm and Joseph Allen, has won three of her four starts.

Soustraction

Soustraction, trained by Carlos Laffon-Parias , won on her debut at Chantilly as a two-year-old but then failed to hit the frame in the seven runner Prix Marcel Boussac at the Arc meeting.

She was second on her reappearance to Barkka in the Prix Vanteaux Fillies Stakes but was probably inconvenienced by the going that day.

Her most recent run saw her in the mix, running just behind Laurens and With You in the Prix Saint-Alary.

888sport suggests: Homerique (e/w).

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

Player versus team markets are one of the highlights of the pre-World Cup betting. Comparing an individual with an entire nation is entertaining on a childish level, but equally intriguing ahead of a competition.

The odds are good, and it provokes debate. That’s exactly what we’re here to do with the World Cup beginning tomorrow (yes, it’s finally here!).

Harry Kane vs Germany

A lot of people have tipped Germany to win back-to-back World Cups. The experience of success in 2014 and another clutch of gifted youngsters including Timo Werner and Julian Brandt helps their cause. Group F has no real threat, but this is about who scores more goals.

Germany face Mexico, Sweden and South Korea. The chances they roll over one or more of these sides are remote and could easily finish the group stage with five or six goals total.

After that, it’s admittedly a bit of a lottery, but this team is far from invincible, and could exit the tournament prematurely.

Jogi Low’s side had their worst run in 30 years during tournament build-up. It probably means nothing, of course, but this isn’t the well-oiled winning machine of 2014.

Their opponent in this unorthodox duel, Harry Kane, plays for a less fancied team. England’s chances of winning the World Cup may be remote, but a run to the latter stages is far from impossible.

Having fewer matches doesn’t rule Kane out of this one. He also has the benefit of group stage matches with Panama and Tunisia, and a tendency to hit purple patches.

If Kane finds the sort of form that helped him snatch the golden boot at the end of the 2016/17 season, outscoring Germany for the tournament is definitely possible. Maybe the 18/1 price isn’t so bad…

 

Romelu Lukaku vs Sweden

Sweden don’t have Zlatan Ibrahimovic anymore. Okay, that’s hardly breaking news, but it’s certainly relevant in this one. Sweden are not expected to make it out of Group F, and if they do, it won’t be from a barrage of goal scoring.

Romelu Lukaku, meanwhile, has the same advantage as Kane; he faces Panama and Tunisia in his first two matches. There’s the small matter of Eden Hazard and Kevin de Bruyne creating for Lukaku, too, which is a decent supporting cast.

via GIPHY

The Manchester United man netted 21 goals across the Premier League and Champions League last season, while carrying the burden of expectation in Jose Mourinho’s frontline.

Belgium are – partly down to reputation – still dark horses, despite the array of talent at Roberto Martinez’s disposal. A run to the last four or beyond would hardly be a surprise.

So, Lukaku will likely have more matches than Sweden to score goals and has more favourable group stage opponents.

The former Everton forward is the nailed on starting centre forward for the Belgians in Russia and could bag two or three in the first two matches alone. The 6/4 on Lukaku to outscore Sweden is great value.

 

Lionel Messi vs Colombia

Colombia are favourites to win Group H. Japan, Senegal and Poland make for a competitive quartet, but the starpower of James Rodriguez and Radamel Falcao just nudges the South Americans ahead.

With that balance in the group, comes a lack of predictability. Judging how many Colombia will score is tricky.

Lionel Messi is easier to predict. He will be great and might just carry Argentina all the way to the World Cup. Messi has a challenging group, just like Colombia, but that doesn’t mean any of Nigeria, Croatia or Iceland will be able to stop him.

Arguably the greatest player ever is a good bet for the Golden Boot at 11/1. We know he is good enough to find the net three or four times against any opponent.

Whether it’s in the group phase or later in the tournament, a match like that combined with his inevitable scoring throughout the rest of the competition could easily see the Argentinian superstar score 10 or more.

Messi is at 2/1 to outscore Colombia for the tournament. That is a bargain, particularly given that Colombia will probably have to negotiate either Belgium or England in the last 16.

 

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

Another day down, another day closer to the 2018 World Cup. Fans from all over the world will be getting ready to travel to Russia for this summer’s competition and it could be one of the greatest World Cup tournaments in recent times.

The world’s most gifted goalkeepers will be confident of claiming the Golden Glove award this summer. Awarded to the best shot stopper throughout the competition, Manuel Neuer was the recipient of the accolade in 2014 – and punters will fancy the Germany star to claim the award for the second tournament in a row.

As of June 6^th, Neuer is the joint-favourite at 4/1 to secure the title. Germany have struggled in recent months but Joachim Low’s side tend to find their best form at major tournaments and it would be foolish to write Neuer off just yet.

Without further ado, let’s look at five of the leading Golden Glove contenders ahead of the competition.

 

Allison Becker (Brazil)

The Roma goalkeeper was simply sublime in 2017/18, helping his side advance to the semi-finals of the Champions League. Allison will be Brazil’s main shot stopper this summer and he is a viable pick at 4/1.

Brazil are expected to challenge for a sixth Jules Rimet Trophy this year and Allison’s form will be pivotal to their chances of success. He conceded 11 goals in 18 qualifying matches and he looks primed to enjoy a fruitful tournament.

Only Pepe Reina (18) kept more clean sheets than Allison (17) in Serie A last season. That statistic alone may tempt punters into backing the Brazilian to claim the Golden Glove in his first World Cup competition.

Odds: 4/1

 

Manuel Neuer (Germany)

Neuer has been side-lined through injury for most of the campaign but the Bayern Munich man is back to full fitness. Prior to the DFB-Pokal final, Neuer had been ruled out for around six months and his lack of match practice is of some concern.

Winner of this award in 2014, the Germany star is one of the best in the business. A worthy favourite on his best form, Neuer can silence the doubters this summer as Low’s men bid to defend their World Cup crown.

Neuer is now on the wrong side of 30 years old but remains a competent shot stopper. He will be popular with bettors in the build-up to the tournament and it wouldn’t be a huge surprise to see him become the outright market principle.

Odds: 4/1

 

David De Gea (Spain)

Arguably Manchester United’s only world class talent, De Gea is the best goalkeeper on the planet. The Spaniard racked up 18 clean sheets last season – two more than Manchester City shot stopper Ederson.

Spain were very disappointing at the 2014 World Cup and most fans are expecting a major improvement here. With Julen Lopetegui at the helm, the 2010 World Cup winners could be set for a real push for glory.

De Gea’s individual exploits may decide whether Spain fall short or prevail; he will be key to their aspirations. 9/2 is a decent price considering his talent but an early exit will scupper his chances of snagging individual honours.

Odds: 9/2

 

Hugo Lloris (France)

Lloris is captain of the French national team and that could play into his hands if Les Bleus enjoy a successful campaign. As a shot stopper, Lloris isn’t the most reliable but his decision-making is top drawer.

A regular for Tottenham Hotspur throughout the campaign, Lloris heads into this summer’s competition in fine form. 7/1 is exceptional value given his importance to the team and he could be the one to back.

With a relatively straightforward group, Lloris shouldn’t have too much to do in the group stages. France are one of the favourites for World Cup glory this summer and Golden Glove contender Lloris could be the key to their chances.

Odds: 7/1

 

Thibaut Courtois (Belgium)

Last but not least, we have Courtois. His future at Chelsea is up in the air at this moment in time but Courtois will be focused firmly on Belgium. He will need to be at his formidable best if Roberto Martinez’s men are to reach the latter stages.

8/1 is short in my opinion – all of the aforementioned goalkeepers are better placed to win the award. Courtois is a decent shot stopper but his form at club level has been patchy and a mistake or two will hinder his chances of individual recognition.

Belgium will come under pressure against England in the group stages and a solid showing in that encounter may boost his standing. However, it is difficult to put too much faith in the Chelsea man on current form.

Odds: 8/1

 

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

Gareth Southgate made us wait for his World Cup squad on Wednesday. We were left twiddling our thumbs until 2pm, but finally we found out the 23 who will boarding the plane to Russia with the great weight of the country’s expectations.

Social media and Sky Sports News were sent into raptures of overreaction at the news. If truth be told, we didn’t learn all that much from Southgate’s squad. And not just because most of the big stories had already been leaked...

We already knew Southgate was keen to pick on form, and he did just that leaving Joe Hart and Jack Wilshere out. We already knew Southgate was happy to opt for less experienced players, and he did just that naming Trent Alexander-Arnold and Ruben Loftus-Cheek.

The inclusions of Paul Jones, Gary Cahill and Danny Welbeck were fortuitous, but all understandable in their own ways. Southgate has talent at his disposal, albeit in a slightly imbalanced 23-man squad.

 

Meeting With The Belgians

England head to Russia as second favourites to win their group at 6/5. The presence of the ostentatiously talented Belgium is the key thing to consider with those odds.

Southgate’s side face the Belgians in their third and final group game, when qualification should be confirmed after fixtures with Panama and Tunisia. The 6/5 price is a good one. Belgium are stupidly gifted, as we know, but this England squad has the talent to trouble them.

With both teams possibly guaranteed a last 16 berth by that point, too, the match could take a slightly more relaxed tone. Belgium underachieved at the Euros a couple of years and are one of the teams under the most pressure this summer.

Meek performances in the easier group matches have blighted England at past tournaments. I don’t see that being the case this summer, though, with the potent frontline that Southgate can field of Raheem Sterling, Harry Kane and Dele Alli.

The ability to bring Jamie Vardy or Marcus Rashford off the bench changes things drastically, too. For all the criticism of the England squad – and there has been a huge amount – they have forwards capable of changing games, and one of the best spearheads in world football.

 

Golden Boot Bet?

Kane is the face of this team. If he can hit one of those purple patches we see two or three times a club season, England can be a real contender. The Tottenham man is out at 16/1 to win the Golden Boot, a price I think is pretty reasonable given his scoring record.

England’s main problem will be creativity. Southgate has a vast collection of full-backs and central defenders to call upon, but his midfield is almost non-existent. If the Eric Dier and Jordan Henderson partnership is the way forward, a lot of creative responsibility falls to Alli and the wing-backs.

Alli has shown he can live up to that this season, though, registering a similar expected assists per 90 number to Cesc Fabregas, Eden Hazard and Roberto Firmino. Alli is at 2/1 to have the most assists of any England player.

Away from Dier and Henderson, Fabian Delph is the only other ‘orthodox’ central midfielder and even he’s largely been a left-back this term. Loftus-Cheek and Lingard could fulfil that role in a 3-4-3 if Southgate wants a more offensive option, however.

I don’t expect England to struggle against Panama or Tunisia, but chance creation could be an issue if Dier and Henderson are named as the midfield duo.

 

Depleted Midfield To Struggle?

The absences of Adam Lallana, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Harry Winks limit Southgate’s options drastically in the middle. Injuries have derailed the World Cup hopes of all three, who all look to be making claims to start the opening match.

Jonjo Shelvey could have filled one of those spots but concerns over his discipline saw the Newcastle man miss out despite a fine run of form to end the campaign. I fear England could regret not having this passing range, at least from the bench, at some point this summer.

This England squad is good. Southgate has been largely ruthless in his selection. Young players have got the opportunity on merit rather than for the sake of naming them, and form has – for the most part, at least – contributed to the selections.

 

Are England Actually Good?

The quibbling about the squad will continue until England are knocked out. It might continue even if England come home with the trophy. Southgate didn’t tear up trees, but he continued along the path he has set out.

For that, he deserves praise, and there are no unjustifiable decisions either way in his selection. England are out at 17/1 to win the tournament. Few will argue with their status as seventh-favourites.

I like their chances to make the quarter-finals, whether they finish first or second in their group. Meeting Germany or Brazil in the last eight, though, makes it very unlikely Southgate takes his side any further. 

Predicted XI for opening match: Pickford, Trippier, Walker, Stones, Maguire, Rose, Dier, Henderson, Alli, Sterling, Kane

TIP: England to be eliminated in the quarter-finals @ 5/2

 

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

With less than one week until the 2018 World Cup gets underway, 888sport have created this easy World Cup chart for punters to keep track of every result throughout the tournament. Maintaining your World Cup schedule is essential during the competition – there is a link below the image for our printable World Cup chart.

You can find the latest 2018 World Cup odds on our website. Without further ado, take a look at the printable World Cup schedule below and remember the link to download your chart can be found beneath the preview!

Download and print our 888sport World Cup chart here!

 

BBC sports broadcaster Barry Davies commentated on ten World Cups. The 80-year-old sat down with 888sport to talk about his favourite tournament memories, playing second fiddle to John Motson, the current breed of commentators and England’s chances in Russia.

1966 has to be my favourite World Cup. ITV sent me to the north east to cover the North Koreans so I didn’t actually do any England matches but it was my first tournament and, of course, we won it. It was wonderful to be a part of.

Italia ’90 was a brilliant experience. It didn’t necessarily produce the best football but what a great atmosphere. The whole strata of society in Italy are mad about the game. It was a pity they didn’t make the final and an even greater pity they didn’t face England in it. I’m convinced we would have gone all the way had we beaten Germany in the semis – we were the better side.

Maradona scored the greatest goal I commentated on. The atmosphere that day in Mexico City (1986 quarter final, England v Argentina) was sizzling. Maradona produced a goal of total deception and then one of total pure genius. It spawned probably my most famous line, ‘you have to say that’s magnificent’.

 

USA ’94 was a strange one. It was the only World Cup final I covered but the game itself was a huge disappointment (0-0 between Italy and Brazil and then penalties), through no fault of the players because of the unbearable heat. And then Roberto Baggio, without whom the Italians wouldn’t have got anywhere near the final, goes and misses the last penalty.

Russia isn’t the best place for a World Cup. I’m fearful of political unrest and racist interruption. I hope the football does the talking.

John Motson and I were never close friends. We were friends but there was always a rivalry and I’d be lying through my teeth if I said I was satisfied with the amount of big games I covered. I was lucky enough to cover other major events like Wimbledon and the Olympics, which I think helped make me a better commentator, but that perhaps counted against me with the football. Motty, more often than not, got the finals, but I’m proud of the career I had.

Silence can be golden in the commentary box. One of the reasons I stopped doing football was because of the need for constant conversation during matches. Viewers can’t form their own opinions and everyone seems to speak at 100mph. Maybe it’s because I’m an old fogey.

Too many ex-players are in the media now. I’ve never been against ex-players offering their expertise. I loved working with Brooking and Lawrenson, and Hoddle is also very insightful at times, but nowadays they seem to come straight from the field and into the studio– they were trained for their first career, so why not for their second?

The most skillful players are the most vulnerable. The media definitely play a part in England’s failures but players do invite problems and it always seems to be the most naturally gifted. Sterling and Alli in this squad, Gascoigne before. It’s the same with Cipriani in the rugby.

England might surprise in Russia. We’ve got an exciting attack – Alli and Sterling among them - that could cover some deficiencies in defence. If Southgate plays to our strength, I think we’ll do well.

Barry Davies was speaking at the launch of Rapper to Reporter, 888sport’s seven-part World Cup series starring Big Narstie. Davies features in episode one.

England face Costa Rica in the second of their two warmup fixtures before flying to Russia for the 2018 World Cup this summer. It was a case of Jekyll and Hyde for England against Nigeria last time out; thrilling in the first half but dull in the second.

The Three Lions were on the right side of the 2-1 scoreline though and Gareth Southgate will hopefully now have a firm idea on his starting line-up for England’s opening fixture against Tunisia.

Most supporters aren’t expecting much from England this summer but that could work in Southgate’s favour. Expectation and hype is usually huge ahead of a major tournament and the English media have often been criticised for putting too much pressure on the national side.

There has been none of that this summer; Southgate’s side will head to Russia knowing that advancing past the group stages will satisfy most fans whilst a quarter-final spot would constitute a successful tournament.

 

Southgate May Wring The Changes

Jordan Pickford was solid against Nigeria and that performance should be enough to secure a spot in the starting line-up against Tunisia. On the whole, the Everton man will have been impressed with his night's work.

However, the England manager is likely to hand Jack Butland a start on Thursday night – the Stoke City man will head into the World Cup as England’s substitute goalkeeper.

Harry Maguire and Phil Jones were absent for Saturday’s contest and it wouldn’t be a huge surprise to see both men start here. A slight tweak in formation may be required but this is the time to try new systems out...

The Leicester City man is a real threat at set-pieces and the 10/1 available for Maguire to score is well worth taking if he starts. Until the pre-match press conference, Southgate will be keeping his cards relatively close to his chest.

 

Captain Fantastic Kane To Extend Scoring Run

Since receiving the captain’s armband, Harry Kane has scored six goals in five games. Mere coincidence? Possibly. Three Lions fans will be glad to see their star striker scoring goals on a regular basis though – the captain’s armband can be something of a hindrance at times.

via GIPHY

At the time of writing, Kane is 4/6 to get his name on the scoresheet on Thursday night and plenty of punters will be snapping that up. Southgate praised the Spurs man for his unselfish nature on Sunday and he looks destined to shine for England at the World Cup this summer.

Without a doubt, he is right in the mix to compete for the Golden Boot if the Three Lions are able to take full advantage of fixtures against Tunisia and Panama.

 

Write Costa Rica Off At Your Peril

Cast your minds back to the 2014 World Cup. England were held to a goalless draw by Costa Rica and another tight contest looks likely here. A goalless first half is currently available at 47/20 and that carries plenty of appeal.

Interestingly, Oscar Ramirez’s men have faced both Panama and Tunisia – England’s Group G rivals – in recent months and fans will be keeping a close eye on how the Three Lions fare in comparison.

 

ANOTHER Low-Scoring Affair?

England have scored just 25 goals in 17 matches under Southgate and 13/25 for under 2.5 home goals represents solid value. The Three Lions will be looking to keep things tight here and an England clean sheet may be the main priority.

Gary Cahill, scorer of England’s first goal on Saturday night, is the fifth highest scorer in this World Cup squad – that statistic tells its own story. Look no further than the under 2.5 match goals at 11/10.

 

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

Royal Ascot attracts the finest race horses in the world. From the traditional dress code, to the rich history behind the event, the experience is like no other.

With the meeting just two weeks away, we take a spin through the latest news on each of the daily scheduled races and put up a few useful pointers.

 

Tuesday 19^th June

Queen Anne Stakes

Ground conditions will dictate whether Addeybb takes his place in the race.

Trainer William Haggas said: “Addeybb is fine and came out of the race at Newbury fine. I think we will look for his ground now. I’ve got him in the Eclipse and I’ve put him in the Irish Champion Stakes, so he will have mile and a quarter entries, but I think he is fine with a mile as long as there is dig in the ground.

“He has the Ascot entry in the Queen Anne and if it was soft he may well take it up.”

Coventry Stakes

John Gosden's Legends Of War was introduced at 6-1 for the Coventry Stakes after scoring decisively at Yarmouth on debut under Oisin Murphy, crossing the line four lengths in front of his rivals.

 

King’s Stand Stakes

Connections of Kachy see no reason why their sprinter cannot do himself justice at Royal Ascot.

Kachy, who had previously won a sprint at Chester by nine lengths, is likely to renew rivalry with Temple Stakes winner Battaash.

 

St James’ Palace Stakes

Without Parole‘s performance in the Listed Heron Stakes helped secure his place in the St James’s Palace Stakes, with trainer John Gosden adamant the best is yet to come from the son of Frankel.

 

Ascot Stakes

The Grand Visir, a son of Frankel, relished the two-mile trip last time out at Haydock and now has the Ascot Stakes in his sights.

“He’s not up to the Gold Cup, but he might go for the Ascot Stakes if the owners want to go. If not, the Northumberland Plate is another option,” said his trainer, William Haggas.

 

Wolferton Stakes

Zetland Gold Cup winner Big Country looks all set to run in this race.

“He’s in the Hunt Cup at Royal Ascot and we’ll enter him in the Wolferton Stakes as well. I’d imagine we’ll probably go for the Wolferton now.” said his trainer, Mick Appleby, at Redcar after the victory.

 

Wednesday 20^th June

Queen Mary Stakes

The Mark Young-trained Luck Favours is set to go for the Queen Mary Stakes and will be the very first Australian-trained two-year-old to run at Royal Ascot.

 

Queen’s Vase

The Aidan O’Brien trained Southern France is likely to contest the Queen’s Vase, with connections feeling he could develop into a prime candidate for the St Leger at Doncaster in September.

 

Duke Of Cambridge Stakes

Martyn Meade’s Wilamina is now 11-2 from 8-1 for the Duke of Cambridge Stakes after scoring nicely at Epsom on Derby day under Frankie Dettori.

 

Prince Of Wales’s Stakes

After his Epsom run, Cracksman was eased to 2-1 from 4-5 by most bookmakers for the Prince of Wales's Stakes, a race that is set to be his next target.

Eminent is back on course for this race after being given a clean bill of health after suffering from a fibrillating heart when disappointing at the Chester May Festival.

 

Royal Hunt Cup

Gabrial earned himself a crack at running at Royal Ascot with his fine second behind Century Dream in the Diomed Stakes.

Trainer Richard Fahey said: "Gabrial is a brilliant horse. He is so tough and ultra-consistent. He is in the Royal Hunt Cup at Royal Ascot and we will go there. He would like some cut in the ground and we're looking forward to going."

 

Jersey Stakes

James Garfield will tackle the Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot according to his trainer. 

Having not quite got home over six furlongs on his most recent outing, trainer George Scott hopes a step back up in distance will provide the perfect trip for his Greenham Stakes winner.

 

Thursday 21^st June

Norfolk Stakes

It will be the Norfolk Stakes next for Vintage Brut after he maintained his unbeaten record in the National Stakes last time out at Sandown.

His jockey that day, David Allan said: “I’d definitely recommend five furlongs at the moment. It’s always a pretty strong gallop at Ascot and that would suit him, he’d finish his race strongly.”

 

Hampton Court Stakes

Henry Candy’s Thrave, a son of Sir Percy, who Candy felt had terrible luck on his first run of the season in finishing fourth to Knight To Behold could well run in this race on the Thursday of the Royal Ascot meeting.

 

Ribblesdale Stakes

The Prix de Diane and the Ribblesdale Stakes are two options under consideration for the Investec Oaks runner-up Wild Illusion.

Sun Maiden, a wide-margin winner at Salisbury last time out, skipped the Investec Oaks in favour of running in the Ribblesdale Stakes, so is one to watch.

 

Ascot Gold Cup

Stradivarius staked his Ascot Gold Cup claims with a powerful performance in the Yorkshire Cup and star stayer Order Of St George warmed up for the race by taking in another Saval Beg Stakes victory along the way.

 

Britannia Stakes

Crack On Crack On made it two wins from two starts with a fine win in the Silver Bowl at Haydock Park. The three-year-old looks all set for the Britannia Stakes now.

 

King George V Stakes

Mark Johnston has saddled the winner of the King George V Stakes at Royal Ascot on five occasions and he is all set to run Communique, the winner of the Al Zubarah London Gold Cup Handicap.

 

Friday 22^nd June

Albany Stakes

Exciting juvenile filly, Natalie’s Joy, looks a live contender in this race.

She is around the 10-1 mark for the Albany Stakes with most bookmakers behind the Aidan O’Brien-trained pair of Fairyland and Just Wonderful.

 

King Edward VII Stakes

Wells Farhh Go has been given the go ahead to contest the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot rather than than the Queen's Vase.

The three-year-old lost his unbeaten record in the Dante at York recently but was far from disgraced on that day.

 

Commonwealth Cup

Trainer James Tate is relishing the chance of letting his Invincible Army have another crack at Sands Of Mali in the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot.

Tate's three-year-old went down by a flared nostril to Richard Fahey's sprinter in the Sandy Lane Stakes at Haydock.

 

Coronation Stakes

David Simcock will send Teppal to the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot after the filly gave him a first Classic triumph in the French 1000 Guineas.

The 66-1 shock winner of the English 1000 Guineas, Billesdon Brook, is likely to run here rather than the Prix Diane, according to her trainer, Richard Hannon.

 

Sandringham Stakes

Richard Fahey said after Clubbable’s win at York: "I'm delighted. She was busy last year and she was only small but she's done well over the winter.

"She (Clubbable) is tough and genuine and could be a filly for the Sandringham if she can prove she stays."

 

Duke Of Edinburgh Stakes

David Menuisier's Thundering Blue should make his preference felt in this trappy race.

After his impressive York scalp, Menuisier said "He's a massive turn of foot, but it takes him a while to use it. He's wintered very well and is a stronger horse this year. I'm thinking of the Duke of Edinburgh as he's craving to go further."

 

Saturday 23^rd June

Chesham Stakes

Aidan O’Brien trained the first three home in the Marble Hill Stakes at the Curragh and that trio of Fairyland, Van Beethoven and Land Force could well hold entries in this race.

 

Hardwicke Stakes

The Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot is the next target for Defoe following his defeat behind the Aidan O’Brien-trained pair of Lancaster Bomber and Cliffs Of Moher.

 

Windsor Castle Stakes

Kapono is in line for the Windsor Castle Stakes following his victory in the Novice Auction Stakes at Goodwood.

Trainer Amy Murphy said after the win: “Everyone's dream is Royal Ascot. It was not the best of races, but the style in which he did it makes it worth entering him at Ascot."

 

Diamond Jubilee Stakes

The Tin Man was installed as a leading contender for the Diamond Jubilee Stakes, which he won last year, when he defeated D'bai and Projection at Windsor in the Listed Weatherbys Hamilton Leisure Stakes.

 

Wokingham Stakes

Robert Cowell is looking forward to running his sprinter Sir Robert Cheval in this contest.

The seven-year-old has not been seen since finishing a close second to Just Glamorous in the Listed Rous Stakes last October.

"He will go straight to the Wokingham. He is in great form," said Cowell.

"I think he is more a five-furlong horse than six, but he gets into the Wokingham and he will give the owners a good day out.

"I think I will line up an outing in the Shergar Cup afterwards with him.

 

Queen Alexandra Stakes

The final race of the meeting and the longest event of the week. National Hunt trainers often fair well in this race with their staying types so be on the lookout for one of those in the lucky last.

 

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

The John Of Gaunt Stakes, also known until recently as the Timeform Jury Stakes is a Group Three flat race run at Haydock Park over seven furlongs.

The race was sponsored by the Timeform organisation from 2009 to 2016, but a new sponsor has come along in 2017 and the race has reverted back to its original name.

The name of the race refers to the very first Duke Of Lancaster (14^th century) who presided over the land that Haydock Park is now built on.

This Saturday’s renewal sees twelve runners going to post. They are a mixed bunch of seasoned campaigners and unexposed four-year-olds. Many of the leading contenders have already shown form good enough to land a race of this nature but a special performance may be needed to capture the first prize of £36,000.

Here is a runner-by-runner guide:

 

Muntadab

Roger Fell’s six-year-old is very likely to be up there making the running but whether he can make all is another thing.

The gelding is really consistent and boasts a 21% win strike rate plus a £38.00 profit to a £1 level stake. He has also won at Haydock before which is always a positive.

 

Mr Owen

Owned by Qatar Racing, Mr Owen has raced in both France and at Meydan, but a win on British soil as so far eluded him.

Since joining David Simcock the six-year-old has run creditably with his best result coming in the Hyde Stakes at Kempton.

 

So Beloved

David O'Meara's So Beloved was third to Absolutely So in last year's John Of Gaunt and takes his chance again.

He is the senior figure in this field as an eight-year-old, but he ran like a horse half his age to finish second in a valuable York handicap last time out. He is also another course and distance winner in this field.

 

Tabarrak

Tabarrak is another runner who brings course form to the table after taking a listed race over course and distance in good style last month.

Trained by Richard Hannon, Tabarrak is just one of the latest stars to emerge from Hamdan Al Maktoum’s Shadwell Racing operation and looks a live contender in this race.

 

Unforgetable Filly

Unforgetable Filly won last year's German 1,000 Guineas at Dusseldorf.

She finished a close third to Di Fede on Monday at Leicester, so it remains to be seen whether she runs in this race.

 

Larchmont Lad

Larchmont Lad lost last October’s Knocakire Stakes to Making Light on appeal and the cross-channel based horse last ran at York in the Hambleton Handicap where he finished third.

Owned by the Cheveley Park Stud and formerly trained by Richard Hannon, the four-year-old should give his current trainer, David O’Meara, another bold showing.

 

Lahore

He was a smart handicapper for Roger Varian in 2017, winning three times, including handicaps at Windsor and Doncaster.

He shaped better than the bare result on his first start for Clive Cox in a listed race at Leicester last month and was entered for the Lockinge Stakes but was declared a non-runner on the day. Connections clearly think a lot of him.

 

Donjuan Triumphant

Yet another course and distance winner, the Andrew Balding-trained Donjuan Triumphant, who was second at Leicester in April, is entered on Saturday as is his conqueror that day, the Roger Varian-trained Emmaus.

Balding's sprint ace landed the rearranged Ayr Gold Cup in heavy conditions on the final day of Haydock’s flat season last September, but the going this weekend will be a major concern on this occasion.

 

Dutch Connection

Dutch Connection was fourth, beaten just under four lengths, behind Rhododendron in the Group One Lockinge Stakes at Newbury on his seasonal return last month.

The Godolphin-owned six-year-old is taking a highly significant drop in class which has worked the oracle in the past. Dutch Connection has been campaigned at Group 1 and 2 level over the past three seasons and he has won on the two occasions that he has been dropped to this grade in the past.

 

Emmaus

Roger Varian's Emmaus has been vying for favouritism with the Richard Hannon-trained course and distance winner Tabarrak all week.

Emmaus returned from a year off to pip favourite Sir Dancealot in the Wreake Handicap at Leicester, form which was franked on Wednesday when Sir Dancelot went in at Hamilton.

The four-year-old has only made it to the track a total of four times, winning on all three of his trips to Leicester, with his only defeat coming in a Listed race at Deauville in 2016.

 

Khafoo Shememi

The four-year-old spent the winter racing at Meydan, racing three times and finishing in the places three times.

He is a natural front-runner and should be up there early doors contesting the lead with Muntadab.

The colt has scored four times in his eleven starts and Richard Hannon rates him highly.

 

D’bai

The Charlie Appleby-trained D’bai is another four-year-old to note. He also enjoyed a productive trip to Dubai and ran well on his first race back in the UK when finishing second to The Tin Man in the Weatherbys Hamilton Leisure Stakes at Windsor.

The Derby winning combination of Appleby and Buick team up once again here and who would bet against yet another high profile winner from the boys in blue?

 

Conclusion

With the Godolphin stable very much back in the headlines at the moment after their Investec Derby win last Saturday, they may be right on the verge of a resurgence of form.

Dutch Connection’s class drop and Charlie Appleby’s top training skills could quite easily fuse together to produce a Godolphin one-two in this Haydock feature.

In which order they finish, we will have to wait and see?

888sport suggests: Dutch Connection (nap), D’bai (nb).

 

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