Now in its thirteenth year, the newly extended 3m 1f 125y Betfair Chase is the first Grade One Chase of the season and the starting point for some of the top staying chasers in training.

The race now has the added incentive of being the first leg of the Jockey Club’s ‘Chase Triple Crown’ £1-million bonus.

The Betfair Chase has produced some superb finishes over the years. Few will forget the thrilling climax to the 2009 race, when a nose separated Kauto Star and Imperial Commander. Some people still cannot believe that latter did not get the verdict to this day.

Infused in many memories is the reception given to Kauto Star when he recorded a fourth Betfair Chase victory in 2011 with scenes of Paul Nicholls pumping the air in the paddock...

Here are some trends and statistics based on the last ten renewals of the race followed by a runner-by-runner summary and conclusion.

Age (winners-placed-run)

6-y-o: 1-1-3                     

7-y-o: 2-4-15

8-y-o: 1-3-22

9-y-o: 3-3-17

10-y-o: 2-1-5

11-y-o+: 1-0-4

As you can see there has been a fair spread of wins across the age groups so it is very difficult to rule something out for being too young/too old.

Breeding

Irish Bred: 2-4-22

British Bred: 2-0-17

French Bred: 6-8-27

It appears being a French bred gives you a distinct advantage in recent years. Bristol De Mai and Traffic Fluide are both French breds this year.

Trainer record

Colin Tizzard has saddled Cue Card to win this in 2013, 2015 & 2016.

The Paul Nicholls yard has won the prize in 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2012 & 2014. He unfortunately has no representative this year.

Starting Price

Nine of the last ten winners have been priced 9/1 or under. Only the slightly fortuitous Snoopy Loopy has bucked that trend.

Other key pointers

• Seven winners finished in the first three on their preceding start.
• Six winners had contested the race before.
• Eight winners had won a Grade One Chase.
• Four winners had won the Gold Cup.
• Seven winners had had a prep run.

Our guide to the runners:

Bristol De Mai

The conditions will be ideal for Nigel Twiston-Davies’ grey on Saturday afternoon after the Merseyside track saw some rainfall almost every single day this week.

The six-year-old put up the best performance of his career when he won the Charlie Hall Chase from stable companion Blaklion at Wetherby last month on his seasonal return.

As expected, Sizing John was the sole absentee from the final field when six were confirmed at Thursday's declaration stage, which made his prospects of landing the first prize even stronger.

Bristol De Mai has never finished out of the frame on going described as heavy or soft in nine starts and has won five times on that type of ground.

The 22-length winner of last season’s Peter Marsh Chase will be a tough nut to crack on a course he clearly thrives at.

Cue Card

Colin Tizzard’s veteran chaser is already a three-time winner of this race and he will be hoping to emulate the great Kauto Star by winning it for a fourth time.

Cue Card unseated Paddy Brennan in the Charlie Hall, so Colin Tizzard’s eleven-year-old will be partnered by Harry Cobden for the first time.

Connections are hoping that Cobden can reignite Cue Card’s fortunes following his second fall in his last three starts and some people see it as quite a gamble to take.

Brennan’s mixed record on Cue Card has been five Grade One wins and amongst those a total of three falls.

Cue Card clearly has plenty of stamina and on paper the race looks like being a heavyweight battle between himself and Bristol De Mai, slogging it out up the home straight. But races aren’t won on paper are they?

Outlander

In the absence of the Gold Cup winner Sizing John, the only Irish entry is Gordon Elliott’s Outlander, who bounced back to form last time out by scooping the JNwine.com Champion Chase at Down Royal.

The Gigginstown House Stud-owned nine-year-old had disappointed on his previous three starts, including in last season's Cheltenham Gold Cup, but Gordon Elliot is likely to have him primed for this task, especially with the lure of a £1million bonus being up for grabs.

The teenage sensation Jack Kennedy gets the leg up and you can expect him to be sitting just off the pace ,hoping to pick up the pieces late on in the day.

Shantou Flyer

Shantou Flyer made his first start for trainer Richard Hobson in the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby where he came last of the five finishers.

A Grade Three handicap chase at Cheltenham on New Year's Day and a runner-up spot to Cue Card in the Ascot Chase in February are some possible glimmers of hope connections can cling onto in this contest.

It would take a leap of faith to back this one but that’s what they said about Snoopy Loopy back in 2008.

Tea for Two

The Nick Williams-trained eight-year-old rounded off last season with a Grade One triumph at Aintree, seeing off Cue Card by a neck in the Betway Bowl under Lizzie Kelly.

He made his seasonal reappearance back at Aintree in the Old Roan Chase earlier in the month, but trailed home a well-beaten ninth, leaving his connections scratching their heads.

Tea For Two does have good form on soft to heavy going but that last run does not exactly inspire confidence going into this.

Traffic Fluide

Traffic Fluide is set to step up trip to three miles and back up to Grade One level on Saturday but his trainer Gary Moore believes the going will make the race somewhat of a leveller.

He shaped well on his first run of this season, finishing fourth behind Smad Place in the Old Roan Chase at Aintree and takes up his engagement in this race rather than going to Ascot.

Is that a tip in itself?

Conclusion

It is very hard to get away from the top two in the market and Cue Card and Bristol De Mai are pretty much expected to finish one-two on the day, but in which order it is difficult to say.

It may be worth chancing putting Traffic Fluide into a combination forecast just in case one of the principles fails to make their mark.

The 2017-18 Premier League season is starting to take shape, painting a clearer picture for fans and pundits alike to form their opinions, with key battles at both ends of the table giving an early indication of who could lift the title next May, or who could be tumbling towards relegation.

Looking beyond the league table and team performances, there are plenty of individual players catching the eye already this season, proving they are vital components in the hopes and aspirations of their teams, who could be in the running for prestigious individual honours.

As we head towards November and with the level of competition as fierce as ever, every goal, every killer pass, every Man of the Match performance; all can make the difference towards success or failure, as we look at the key movers and shakers so far this season in the outright markets.

The Title Race

Manchester City might be leading the Premier League race in thrilling fashion and are already clear 2/5 favourites in mid-October, but just like their famous fans Noel and Liam Gallagher once sang with Oasis, ‘Some Might Say’ that with less than a quarter of the campaign played, it’s still far too early to draw any foregone conclusions.

Pep Guardiola’s side are playing phenomenally, dominating opponents with both style and substance, creatively tearing apart defences and scoring lots of goals, whilst also remaining solid at the back.

However, across town and still within touching distance at the Premier League summit, Jose Mourinho and Manchester United at appetising 4/1 odds for the title cannot be ignored, and although the Red Devils don’t perhaps have the same depth to their squad, their battle for supremacy against City will remain constant.

Although they are the reigning champions, Chelsea just haven’t reproduced their consistent form of last season. With odds lengthening to 16/1 and already nine points off the pace after the first eight games of the campaign, manager Antonio Conte is far from happy and there’s also speculation surrounding his future at Stamford Bridge.

The strongest contender to break the Manchester duopoly this season appears to be Tottenham Hotspur. Although their odds are lengthy at 14/1 for the title, there are still plenty of twists and turns to come this season and Mauricio Pochettino’s side are the best positioned of the chasing pack, should the leaders slip at any moment.

Perhaps the surprise package of the season so far is Watford FC. Fourth in the table after eight games, they might remain 750/1 rank outsiders for the title and 80/1 for a top-four finish, they’re certainly worth keeping an eye on as a longshot option for the latter, especially given the inconsistency of other sides in the top half of the table and their habit for last-minute wins.

Top Goalscorer

Having already won the Premier League Golden Boot for the last two seasons running, Harry Kane remains the tip of the lance for Tottenham Hotspur and at 8/5 odds, he is priceless for his team’s growing ambitions and the favourite to retain the award. Given his consistency both for club and country, in domestic competition or the Champions League, the 24-year-old is maturing into one of the best strikers in Europe.

Romelu Lukaku has taken to his summer move from Everton to Manchester United with aplomb. Up until the 0-0 bore draw against Liverpool at Anfield, the towering Belgian had scored in every game and leads the Premier League scoring charts. At 3/1 and as the main focal point for United attacks, he should get plenty more goals if he keeps getting the excellent service from the creative players around him.

With three strikers already having registered six Premier League goals amongst their ranks, Manchester City certainly aren’t short of firepower. Raheem Sterling is considered an outside bet at lengthy odds of 33/1 for the Golden Boot, with Sergio Agüero and Gabriel Jesus both at 6/1 odds considered the best challengers.

Either of the two would be a good bet for the award at these odds, given the flood of goals from Guardiola’s side.

Top Assists

For strikers to demonstrate their firepower often enough, they need a consistent supply of ammunition, and Manchester City are blessed with an abundance of creativity to keep feeding the forward line.

David Silva currently leads the Premier League charts for assists after eight games and at 3/1 odds he’s fancied to stay there. However, his teammate Kevin De Bruyne with five assists already, is by far the outright favourite at 5/4 and his killer passing has been a joy to behold.

In the battle for the Premier League title and if Manchester United are to keep in the race, the early season form of Henrikh Mkhitaryan will be priceless. The Armenian international has contributed five assists in his first eight league games of the season and at 5/2 odds, he is expected to carry on cracking open stubborn rival defences for his team.

For an assist to count, of course, the recipient also has to hit the back of the net. This leads to the tempting outside option of Newcastle United midfielder Matt Ritchie at 40/1, who has already notched up an impressive four assists in eight games by mid-October.

He will continue to feed his forward line well throughout the season, but how high he ranks will ultimately depend on those ahead of him taking those chances he provides.

PFA Player of the Year

De Bruyne has been in stellar form for City so far, so it’s hardly surprising to see the supremely talented Belgian as the 7/4 888sport favourite and top tip for this season’s award, but with plenty of the season yet to be played, there’s plenty of times for others to win the votes of their peers.

Harry Kane fancied at 5/1 odds and Romelu Lukaku at 10/1 are the next favourites, and both are good value options, but there are some interesting outside tips well worth considering, such as Nemanja Matic at 33/1 or David Silva at 20/1 and both performing admirably. N’Golo Kante was last year’s winner, although at 40/1 odds, he isn’t considered to be in the running this time around.

PFA Young Player of the Year

Based on his exceptional form so far, Gabriel Jesus at Manchester City is the clear favourite at 6/5 for the 2017-18 award, but he will face stiff competition for the end of season award. His teammate Raheem Sterling is fancied to his impressive start to the campaign as a 5/1 option, whilst Manchester United rival Marcus Rashford continues to shine when given his opportunities by Jose Mourinho.

Dele Alli has won the award for the last two seasons running, so he certainly can’t be ruled out of completing a hat-trick this season. At 7/1 he’s a good option to consider and winning the award yet again would be a particularly impressive achievement. Why? Since the award began in the 1973-74 season, nobody has won it more than twice.

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

Chris Hughton’s Brighton have quietly worked their way to 15 points from 11 matches. It might only be on goal difference, but the newly promoted side are up to eighth in the table before this weekend’s matches.

Stoke sit just three points behind thanks to a surprise win at Watford and draw with Leicester. The Potters have become synonymous with the Premier League mid-table, but endured a rough start to the season and still sit just three points above the drop zone. Mark Hughes will be pleased that the pressure has eased.

At this point, though, the two teams are locked on to the same aim: avoid relegation. Brighton’s start has been solid, but, as fixtures get trickier, they must keep their points ticking over. Stoke, meanwhile, had an unenviable run of matches to start the campaign. The visitors this Monday need to keep on track after recent improvement.

Davy Propper is in line to return to the hosts’ midfield after featuring for the Netherlands during the international break. The summer signing had been struggling with a niggling injury prior to the fortnight Premier League hiatus, but he is expected to line-up in the middle two of Brighton’s 4-4-1-1.

Stoke will again be without Jack Butland after the impressive ‘keeper suffered another injury on international duty. Lee Grant will step in – and he did well last season – but there’s no doubt that it is a blow for the Potters. Peter Crouch will be optimistic of a starting berth after being effective from the bench again, while Geoff Cameron could return.

The Seagulls are a well-organised unit out of possession. With the ball, though, there is a dependence on Pascal Gross to create. Jose Izquierdo against Mame Diouf and Anthony Knockaert against Erik Pieters could provide some joy for Hughton’s men, but neither have produced on a regular basis this term.

Gross has been one of the stars of this Premier League season, and has to be picked up by Darren Fletcher or Joe Allen when he drops into midfield to link play. Gross is at 21/5 to find the net for the third time this season.

Stoke have a similar reliance. The team is short of individual magic without Xherdan Shaqiri, and really suffered without him against Bournemouth. In their 3-4-3, the Swiss international has a relatively free reign, and makes them a real threat on the break.

His inconsistency can be infuriating, but he has to receive the ball regularly in space if Stoke are to take anything from the Amex Stadium.

Although the key attackers have taken the focus so far, it may well be the back lines that determine this one. Brighton have done well to stifle opponents for much of this season, yet Stoke have suffered defensively, largely through individual error and injury.

Neither team are potent in attack, either, making a low scoring match probable. The 4/5 price on both teams to score – no – is longer than I expected. I fear that this match will have everyone bemoaning Sky’s TV selections again.

Brighton to win 1-0 could be a decent correct score punt at 11/2...

TIP: Brighton to win 1-0 @ 11/2 

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

It is a matter of days until the Ashes begins. One of the most hotly anticipated sporting contests has already seen jibes and ‘predictions’ fired across from each trench. England have been met with mockery for some of the names in their squad, while Australia’s options are not exactly Shane Warne and Steve Waugh reincarnate.

The absence of Ben Stokes looms over a series distinctly lacking superstars. Stokes’ England future remains unknown, but he leaves a gaping hole in an England side with weaknesses that are traditionally exposed down under.

Australia are far from invincible right now, though. So, before a red – or pink – ball is bowled, we are going to take a look at each of the venues…

The Gabba, Brisbane

The Gabba is a stunning venue. Home to England’s improbable fightback in 2010-11, and some far less enjoyable memories in the whitewashes that sandwich that series, Brisbane has hosted the opening Ashes Test since 1936.

The aforementioned Warne was particularly menacing at the Gabba. The surface tended to aid his wrist spin, and the spitting bounce made him an even tougher prospect. Nathan Lyon and Moeen Ali are not exactly the same calibre, but that bounce could come in handy for the Australians who have tormented England with the short ball in the recent past.

Batsman do have a fair chance of this track, however. It is perhaps the most balanced pitch of this series, and will give England’s frail looking line-up a chance. If they cannot cash in here, it could be a very long tour.

England have not won at the Gabba since 1986 - the Aussies are 3/4 to win the first Test. Australia have only lost nine times in 58 matches at the once-charming Brisbane arena. It does not bode well for Joe Root and his men, but it does show that avoiding defeat in this test could the springboard to a magical tour.

Adelaide Oval, Adelaide

Drop-in pitches have changed things dramatically at Adelaide. The wickets can vary pretty significantly as a result, which makes this a pretty tricky one to predict.

There is the added lottery of a day/night Test match. That means pink balls, hooping twilight swing, and a large leap into the unknown for everyone involved.

This Test will make history as the first Ashes Test to be played, in part, under the lights, and England will be hoping they can make their own nugget of history by recording a tenth victory in their 32^nd match at this iconic venue.

The Aussies do not boast the same dominance at Adelaide as at the Gabba, though they have won 39 of their 75 Tests at the Oval. England will see this Test as one of their best chances.  

WACA Ground, Perth

The WACA was renowned as the quickest pitch in world cricket for decades. Spells like Curtly Ambrose and Mitchell Johnson produced in the past were indicative of this venue as a dream for hostile fast bowling, so long as they did not get lured into the whizzing the ball past the batsman’s ears.

It is not the rapid track it once was. The Fremantle Doctor – a breeze that sweeps along the nearby river – eases the blistering Perth heat, and can aid some swing bowling. The Kookaburra ball does little to help those hoping to hoop it in the air, though. Sorry, Jimmy.

The hosts have won 24 of 43 tests at the ground. England, meanwhile, have an appalling record, having won just once in 13 visits. Defeat here could signal the end of a successful series for the tourists and our current markets show a home Ashes victory is currently 2/5.

Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne

Many Australians – and plenty of English supporters – would tell you the series will be all over by the time we reach the Boxing Day Test at Melbourne Cricket Ground.

A hostile crowd of 90,000 creates an atmosphere unrivalled in Test match cricket, as it bellows around the spectacular bowl. After some lifeless decks during the latter part of the last century, the pitches have been relatively even of late.

Neither bat nor ball will have a notable advantage during the first couple of days particularly, it could boil down to which team can nurture the ball to generate reverse swing.

England will be optimistic if they are level coming to ‘The G’. With 20 victories in 55 Tests, Root’s side can draw on happy memories of this ground, including bowling Australia out for 98 on the first morning two tours ago.

Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney

Sydney is the least welcoming Ashes ground for fast bowlers. Spinners have thrived there, though Graeme Swann struggled to make much of an impact in the 2010-11 tour.

A slower pitch tones down the volume of the chin music, which could be a pretty sweet relief for the England batsmen by the time we get to the Fifth Test.

Australia have played 105 Tests at the SCG, winning 58 of them. England are the only team to beat them there since 1995, but the tourists have done relatively well there over the years. In 55 Tests, they have won 22, and will be in with a decent chance if Sydney is to host a decider.

There have been two Tests at the ground since the start of 2016. The Aussies scored over 500 against Pakistan earlier this year, and split the wickets pretty evenly. Lyon and Ali will again have a massive part to play, and we could see both teams play two spinners.

TIP: Even with all the turmoil, the 2/1 price on England to retain the Ashes is a good one.

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

Although British betting culture still places horse racing and football at the forefront of any shop or website, tennis is one of the most underrated sports when it comes to betting and potential payouts.

The more prolific a match, the greater the range of prices generally available from bookmakers, and with tennis matches being played for a vast majority of the calendar year, the rewards for shrewd gambling can come thick and fast.

Where tennis is concerned, the period between May and September is particularly busy, and unlike football, tennis also has a much simpler range of markets from which to choose. The most popular ones are identified in the next section.

Market types

Identifying the most lucrative market is important, and an in-depth read of a preview from a tennis expert is always a wise move before placing a bet or compiling an accumulator. Bookmakers will typically offer the following basic markets for tennis matches:

• 1X2: The overall winner of the match
• O/U: In tennis, this market can refer to whether a match will last over or under a certain number of sets. For instance, if one player wins a best-of-three-sets match in straight sets (2-0), a bet predicting under 2.5 sets would win.
• Handicap: Like 1X2, but the player in question must now win by two clear sets, or more, depending on how much of a handicap they are backed with. Odds are longer for each player, so this market is best delved into when the players are evenly matched, and more likely to share sets.
• Correct Score: As a general rule, the more sets involved in a correct score, the longer the odds. For instance, backing a player to win a best-of-five match by 3-2 would offer a far better price than 3-0 (straight sets). However, the price difference between a straight-sets win and a non-straight-sets win is less drastic if the players are evenly matched.
• Outright: Not found in individual matches, this is a single price for a player to win the tournament.

Players to back

Generally, in tournaments where a ‘seeding’ system is used, seeded players are considered more likely to progress. With is of more significance during the four ‘Grand Slam’ tournaments that take place. In chronological order, they are:

• Australian Open (hard court)
• French Open (clay court)
• Wimbledon (grass court)
• US Open (hard court)

The ranking system used by the ATP and WTA is based on the form of ranked players over a twelve-month period. Under normal conditions, the rankings are a solid enough guideline, but extenuating circumstances such as injury or suspension can result in a highly ranked player nose-diving down the rankings.

That is, of course, unless the player in question is granted license to keep their ranking by the relevant authorities. Research into a player’s strengths and weaknesses, along with his/her recent form is by far a more important element for a bettor to consider if they are to have any chance of success.

Certain players also thrive much better on certain surfaces. Rafael Nadal, for instance, is known as the ‘King of Clay’ – and for good reason. This year, he won the French Open for a tenth time in thirteen years.

Meanwhile, two-time Wimbledon champion Andy Murray has been the man to beat on grass, and many believe that he would have won a third title if he had been free of injury in this year’s event.

ITF challenger events also offer a rich tapestry for bettors, with the tours for both gender divisions holding over 500 events each across the world.

'In play' betting and value for money

In the era of online betting, with betting apps providing an instant fix, many bookmakers compete to offer bettors the best deal. While some bookmakers choose to play the long game, by capitalising on events which will certainly be popular, tennis - by its very nature - demands a quick offer.

Games can change dynamically, and though the seeding system can offer people projecions as to who will face who in the next round, there is still very little time to promote special odds ahead of any match. As such, the best value prices for tennis can often be found during the match, as bookmakers compete with one another to reel new customers in.

When it comes to in-play tennis betting, one potentially rewarding option for the bettor is to look at matches in which the outsider is one or two sets down and back the favourite to win. Yet again, however, studying form is a vital part of doing so with vindication.

Whether a bettor uses in-play services or not, it is in the value of the price that the first battle to beat the bookmaker can be won. Although some picks appear obvious, not one edition of any major tournament has been without at least one upset:

Form over function

In the case of tennis, it is the form of the player – and, by extension, their own record against a particular opponent – that usually matters. For example, anyone backing Kevin Anderson (ranked 32^nd) to beat Dominic Thiem (7^th) at ATP Washington on 3 August 2017, would have seen a payout that was excellent value for money.

In beating Thiem, Anderson took his own personal record against the Austrian to 7-0, and this is crucial to determining the true value of any payout.

Thiem had enjoyed a strong Wimbledon, making him favourite ahead of his ATP Washington match against Anderson. However, Anderson was also in excellent form, and had beaten Thiem on (all) six occasions they had previously met.

Despite this, bookmakers only saw a probability of around 44% that Anderson would win, with the disparity in two players’ rankings their justification for publishing such long odds against Anderson. However, the probability of an Anderson win was (in reality) closer to 60%, given his form and record against Thiem.

Had this been reflected in the bookmakers’ prices, the odds would have been significantly shorter.

South Africa's Kevin Anderson reflects on 'epic' with Dominic Thiem.

Tennis betting: a bastion of change

The ever-increasing frequency of tennis matches on the market, accompanied by an ever-expanding range of betting apps, has changed the nature of sports betting on a wider scale. By extension, the very way in which bookmakers operate has been forced to change.

Some bookmakers, in order to keep ahead of the vast competition that now exists, now actively identify the best value bets. Certain bookmakers may even provide the probability of an outcome along with the price.

With a vast quantity of tennis matches being played, most bookmakers are increasingly using the most prolific matches in their special offers. Less experienced bettors – or simply those that are more casual about betting – will typically remain loyal to one bookmaker. However, these bettors are still more easily taken in than those that are more experienced.

The more drastic special offers advertised are thus targeted at new (not existing) customers, causing them to ‘defect’ to another bookmaker. Ultimately then, it could be argued that tennis has been one of the most influential sports, as far as the process of tilting the betting experience in favour of the bettor is concerned.

 

Fancying Djokovic... or Nadal... or Thiem? https://www.888sport.com/ has your back

FORMER Birmingham City striker Clinton Morrison is urging Blues to go for the jugular in their vital encounter with Nottingham Forest on Saturday.

Blues find themselves in the dropzone after a horror run of four matches without a win or a goal. And Morrison, who scored 14 goals in 87 matches for the club, reckons boss Steve Cotterill needs to abandon his one-up-front system in favour of two strikers.

Speaking to Blues’ principle sponsor 888sport, Morrison said: “They’re obviously really struggling for goals right now. They’ve been unlucky with Isaac Vassell’s injury as I think he’s a proper striker but they’ve still got good forwards at the club in Che Adams, Sam Gallagher and Lukas Jutkiewicz and I’d like to see something different against Forest because there’s definitely goals in that team.”

The former striker is expecting a tight and nervy affair on Saturday but expects the St Andrew’s faithful to play a massive role.

“The Blues have got some of the most passionate fans in the country and they’ll need to be a good atmosphere on Saturday,” he added.

“At the moment, a lot of the problems are down to confidence and if the fans can get behind the lads, hopefully it can kick-start the season.”

Morrison has been left shellshocked by events at the club in the past 12 months. And although he is backing boss Cotterill to turn things around, he admits results have to improve – and fast.

 

He said: “I do think they have more than enough quality to stay up. In fact, they’ve got the players to be top ten. But unless they start picking up results soon, all of a sudden the games start running out.

“The danger is the players don’t believe they will go down and before you know it there’s five games left and you’re on the brink. The next three games are absolutely vital I think.”

With Blues having parted company with three managers in the last year, Morrison says Cotterill will be fully aware of the expectations on him.

“Clearly, the owners don’t want to be in League 1 and they’ve already shown they are prepared to be ruthless,” said Morrison.

“He’s a good manager and in Lee Carsley they have one of the best coaches around but things need to turn around.

“I went to his first game against Cardiff and I thought they were great – full of intensity and in their faces, but for whatever reason, things have gone wrong.”

“If there was an option of going for Gareth Bale - who is available and can have an effect long-term – then Arsenal will pay the wages. That would put the cat among the pigeons. There are a few rumours and it wouldn’t surprise me if he was available and £86m would be a snip. Bale can do everything and is one of the best players I’ve ever seen. He’s also commercially good. If they can get him for £86m they can more than manage the £300,000 a week or whatever he’s on. That would be the player I’d target.”

"Arsene has loyalty to his players"

It would certainly go down as one of the most sensational transfers in British history but Bentley insists only a superstar will suffice considering the calibre of player he would be replacing. As for Sanchez, whose clear agitation to leave the Emirates has proven to be a major disruption for Arsenal in recent months, the 7-cap England international suggests the blame should be shared around.

“Arsene has loyalty to his players. He’s had that through the years. That ruthless nature of Mourinho or Conte would mean they wouldn’t have Sanchez in the team. He’d be training with the reserves. I’ve been in changing rooms and it can be poisonous and have a negative impact on the team. By just being there. Arsene Wenger is probably the best manager I’ve been with but he’s a football purist and sometimes personalities come into play and that has an effect on what happens on the pitch. Sometimes you just can’t have those people involved.”

“Maybe it’s the dressing room. Tony Adams, Ray Parlour and Martin Keown would have managed the dressing room. They wouldn’t have accepted this kind of behaviour. I don’t think that strength of character is there now.”

 

"Ozil? He’s a luxury player that operates in that lazy manner"

The talented Chilean is not the only player presently unsettled in North London of course. His fellow contract rebel Mesut Ozil is also eyeing up the exit door having failed to commit to a new deal. Despite the German schemer’s lofty reputation Bentley believes it would be no big loss.

“He’s a luxury player that operates in that lazy manner. When things are not going well and the team is under pressure that is exposed. At Real Madrid he had the perfect set-up because he didn’t have to do the yards. The mentality at that football club was designed for him not to have to do that. Whereas in England you have to grind it out and run a bit and it doesn’t suit him to be honest.”

If the 33 year old has concerns over Ozil’s ability to influence games on English soil there is no doubting his outright admiration for Alexandre Lacazette, the Gunners’ record summer purchase who has surprisingly spent more time on the Arsenal bench this term than out on the pitch making defenders’ lives a misery.

“Lacazette has come in and hit the ground running. He’s answered the questions and he’s a goal-scorer – he should be playing. I don’t know why he’s not to be honest. You purchase a player and you want him to get confident so it doesn’t make sense to unsettle a player who has just come into a football club. I’d be playing him every minute of every game and there is no better period for him to play because he can be seen as the saviour of Arsenal. It’s bizarre. Maybe he is testing him?”

Speaking ahead of this weekend’s 184^th North London derby the former midfielder – who once scored a famous and stunning thirty yarder in this very fixture – still has a foot in each camp having played for both sides. Yet he has no hesitation in picking the favourite to emerge with all three points on Saturday afternoon.

“Tottenham have the upper hand at the minute on quality. They are probably the better team. They’ve beaten Real Madrid in recent weeks and the confidence is high within each individual player. They’re probably the favourites and they’ve earned their right to be favourites. Arsenal are in a stale period and are having problems with their players. Their top stars are unhappy. So Tottenham are probably the favourites and are expected to win.”

 

"I don’t think moving into this new stadium without Kane or Dele Alli makes sense"

Should they do so we can assume their outstanding duo of Harry Kane and Dele Alli will each play a significant role and by doing so add a further nought to their respective values. Does Bentley believe both players will still be in the capital next season even if Spurs once again fall short in their title aspirations? 

“Daniel Levy makes the decisions, not the players, and with the manager, the training facilities, and the new stadium in place it is a great place to play your football. There will come a point but I don’t think next summer will be that point. From Spurs’ perspective I don’t think moving into this new stadium without Kane or Dele Alli makes sense”

What also makes little sense is the persistent claim that Spurs are a ‘one man team’, overly reliant on their prolific striker. Bentley however approaches this hoary old jibe from another angle altogether, insisting it isn’t even an insult at all.

“Barcelona is a Messi team and Real Madrid are a Ronaldo team. Your best players are the focal point of the team and you build your team around your best players. That’s just the way it is and it’s not an insult. Harry Kane has emerged as the driving point of that team. You accept that and you encourage it and I think Kane is the type of player to respond to that responsibility. He’s not going to shirk from it. As long as the other players accept that and Harry delivers then you’re fine. If he’s banging in goals then he’s earning you money.”

Furthermore if he’s banging in the goals then Tottenham will remain in contention for their first title for several generations. With Manchester City currently looking so dominant however would defeat for either team this Saturday mean they can kiss their championship hopes goodbye?

 “To be honest I think each set of individuals should be concentrating on just winning the game because it’s so important for the fans.  All my mates are Tottenham and Arsenal and they dine out on it for the rest of the year. It’s a brilliant game to be involved in.”

 

***

David Bentley’s quickfire questions

Score prediction for Arsenal v Spurs:
3-1 to Spurs

First goal-scorer?
Harry Kane

Who will win the Premier League?
Man City

Who will win the Premier League Golden Boot?
Harry Kane

Who will win the Champions League?
Man City

And the favorites are... Bet now on Arsenal - Tottenham

The North London derby: More than a game

The BetVictor Gold Cup is the feature race on Saturday afternoon on a card that includes seven top quality races and is one of the most popular days at Cheltenham outside of The Festival.

The Gold Cup, still affectionately remembered as the Mackeson Gold Cup with some of the older N.H racing aficionados, is a Grade Three handicap chase run over two miles, four furlongs and 78 yards of the Old Course at National Hunt racing’s headquarters.

Here is your runner-by-runner guide to the 2017 renewal.

 

Kylemore Lough

Kylemore Lough won eight races from 16 runs when trained by Kerry Lee, which included the Grade One Ryanair Gold Cup at Fairyhouse in 2016.

The eight-year-old did not win in four starts last season and was moved to Harry Fry’s stable at the end of the season.

Le Prezien

Le Prezien only went down to Foxtail Hill by a neck at Cheltenham last time out and is well fancied to run well at the track again.

He is an improving game young horse (rated 150) that gets the trip so he must have a chance.

Double Treasure

A three-time winner already over the autumn and this race is another step up, but the gelding gets on well with Gavin Sheehan and they scored at Cheltenham together last time out.

Viconte Du Noyer

The familiar colours of the late Alan Potts will be carried by the eight-year-old this weekend after a decision by his family to let his racehorses take up their intended entries. This one will have to put a mediocre run last time out behind it.

Days Of Heaven

Nicky Henderson believes this runner to be too high in the handicap and says that he also needs fast ground which is not on the itinerary on Saturday.

Tully East

Irish-trained horses have won the Gold Cup five times, most recently thanks to Tranquil Sea in 2009. Alan Fleming’s horse is already a Cheltenham scorer and the signs are good for another big run.

Foxtail Hill

Foxtail Hill was an all-the-way winner over a slightly shorter distance at the Showcase Meeting recently and bids to follow up by taking this feature for his trainer, Nigel Twiston-Davies.

Theinval

Nicky Henderson said of Theinval: "Theinval was unlucky all last year. One day we will get it right. He ran very nicely at Ascot over two miles that day but this is his trip.”

Romain De Senam

Impressive in his two wins since coming back this season, he has run well at Cheltenham previously - second in the Fred Winter. The forecast ground will be right up his street too.

Paul Nicholls seeks to land this prize for a third time in six years.

Starchitect

David Pipe, who saddled Great Endeavour to victory six years ago, relies on Starchitect who won on his seasonal return at Stratford.

Rated 144, he has won on the flat, over hurdles and twice over fences. He could be an interesting each-way player.

Ballyalton

Ballyalton missed last season, but made an encouraging comeback in a two and a half mile handicap hurdle at Aintree three weeks ago.

He is a previous winner of the Close Brothers Novices' Handicap Chase at Cheltenham and could be a dark horse in this.

Aqua Dude

Evan Williams feels his seven-year-old is much more the finished article this season after flattering to deceive last season.

He reappeared with a stylish win at Uttoxeter last month.

Bentelimar

A consistent performer for Shay Barry in Ireland, he has only recently moved to Charlie Longsdon's stable.

He has run some very good races in Ireland in big handicaps and looks overpriced at around 33/1.

Plaisir D’amour

The five-year-old mare has won three of her eight chase starts in total, all of which have been during her time with Venetia Williams.

She appeared to enjoy Cheltenham on her first appearance here in a mares' event on the New Course back in April.

Guitar Pete

Guitar Pete gained a pair of Grade One victories over hurdles as a juvenile in 2014, as well as finishing third in the Triumph Hurdle at The Festival.

The grey ended a frustrating run of four second places to score a tidily off bottom weight in the bet365 Handicap Chase at Wetherby last time out.

Splash Of Ginge

Splash of Ginge made the early running in the bet365 Handicap Chase at Wetherby, but at the business end the Listed event turned into a duel between Guitar Pete and Sametegal.

That run was encouraging however and Nigel Twiston-Davies trained nine-year-old is a previous course and distance winner.

Mystifiable

The grey gelding ran fourth to Romain De Senam in the John Ayres Memorial Handicap Chase at Chepstow on his seasonal reappearance after being a couple of pounds out of the handicap.

The stable is very much in form but this really would be a fairytale if Miss L.M Pinchin (7) could upset the odds.

Lake Takapuna

Won the 'Bet Through The Racing Post App' Handicap Chase at Leopardstown on Boxing Day last year but failed to build upon that in two subsequent runs.

He has been off the track since August and he does not jump off the page at you as an obvious candidate to win this.

Summary

The meeting may have lost its “Open” tag this year but this feature race of the thee-day festival certainly makes up for it in terms of horses with chances.

Venetia Williams is no stranger to winning big handicaps on a Saturday at Cheltenham and her mare Plaisir D’amour has been largely ignored in the betting.

The five-year-old has all the credentials to run a big race on her seasonal return and she is certainly worth an each-way poke.

Bentelimar is just the type of horse who can respond to a change of scenery and a new training regime and Charlie Longsdon will have done all the right things with him. This is another each-way contender in a wide open contest.

888sport suggests: Plaisir D’amour and Bentelimar (e/w).

Manchester United need to bring an end to a streak that has seen them win just one in four in the league. Newcastle have lost their last two, and could do with stunting a potentially poor run as they head into a tough group of fixtures.

It is Rafael Benitez visiting Jose Mourinho’s home ground. This match is not the be all and end all for the teams, but it sees a return of one of the Premier League’s best rivalries – in the dugout, anyway.

This clash has a lengthy history in the Premier League. From the battle to sign Shearer to famous Kevin Keegan quotes, there have been classics, title fights, and the odd bit of bad blood. These are two different squads, led by different managers, but the respective management should ensure it’s another fierce fixture. Benitez, for sure, will be given a hostile welcome by the Old Trafford crowd.

Amidst Paris Saint Germain rumours, failure to win here is not an option for United. It could see them slip to fourth, and would be almost a decisive blow to their title hopes.

Newcastle present a threat that has troubled this United side. Benitez will bring an organised unit to Old Trafford, and could halt an attack that has been short of creativity since Paul Pogba’s injury. The Frenchman is believed to be close to a return, but this match is likely a few days too soon.

The Magpies troubled Liverpool at St James’ a few weeks ago. Without their bellowing support, though, this is an entirely different situation. Their away form has been poor this season, with three defeats in five league matches away from their northeast home.

Goals have been hard to come by for Benitez’s men, too. Only one has been scored in their last three in the league, as their attack has looked frustratingly short of invention. The 11/20 price on them to fail to score is on the short side, however, given the mistakes that we have seen in this Manchester United defence.

Romelu Lukaku is one of the leading stories coming into this one. The Belgian has seen his flying start to the season come to a spectacular halt. He is in the midst of a goal drought, and is suffering at the head of the dysfunctional Manchester United attack. Chances are not going to be easy to come by on Saturday evening, either. His 11/10 price not to score is longer than I would have expected.

People who suffered through Mourinho and Benitez’s meetings over a decade or so ago should expect this match to be a battle. It might well be an unpleasant watch, and goals are unlikely to fly in. The 19/20 on under 2.5 goals is, as a result, good value.

Even a draw for the visitors would be an upset of sorts. For those that fancy that, it’s at 24/5. Backing a United win is almost impossible to justify at 1/4, but so a draw at half-time, home win at full-time at 3/1 might be the best value.

TIP: Manchester United to win 2-0 @ 22/5

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

We've got the first north London derby of the season this weekend - can Arsenal maintain their excellent home form or will Spurs emerge victorious?

With the National Hunt season well and truly underway it is time to have a tentative look at next year’s Grand National and pick out some possible candidates for the Aintree marathon.

As the biggest fans of Merseyside’s historic steeplechase will tell you “Not all roads lead to Cheltenham, some of them go to Liverpool too!”

Here are the profiles of five horses that could be lining up at Aintree next April.

Vicente (current odds 33/1)

The Paul Nicholls trained Vicente would arrive at Aintree as a dual-winner of the Scottish Grand National having been victorious in both 2016 and 2017.

Looking back at his personal 2016/17 season, Sam Twiston-Davies clearly rates Vicente highly saying: "I think Vicente would be very high up there for me, coming back to win the Scottish National. We had a bit of an up and down day and him winning the Scottish National for a second time was massive.”

Vicente’s participation in last year’s Grand National was short-lived as the 16/1 chance fell at the first fence whilst sitting in mid-division.

Undeterred, Nicholas sent the eight-year-old gelding to Ayr a fortnight later and he won the Scottish version in a thrilling finish over the Nigel Twiston-Davies trained Cogry.

"Paul had him primed for the National and that didn't go to plan, but it has worked out great," said Twiston-Davies.

"The boss has turned it around. He is one of the best trainers in the country. Fair play to Vicente. He's a very brave horse, he's tried very hard and saved my day."

Vicente was the first back-to-back winner of the Scottish Grand National since Androma in 1985.

Given the fact that solid Scottish Grand National form has played out well at Aintree in subsequent seasons, Vicente must be a leading fancy for the Grand National 2018, even at this early stage.

Blaklion (current odds 25/1)

Blaklion was favourite for the race twelve months ago and after taking up the running at the third-last fence looked very much like he would win the race before emptying out on the run-in only to finish fourth.

“I had thought we had won it,” said Twiston-Davies, successful with Earth Summit (1998) and Bindaree (2002). “He was travelling so well and jumped lovely.

"We were just cantering and the horse took Noel (Fehily) to the front and everything looked good but we didn't win.

"But where else do you get £44,000 for finishing fourth?

According to Nigel Twiston-Davies, Blaklion will be plotted along a similar route to last year and he will be hoping that the eight-year-old can improve upon his honourable fourth in 2017.

Blaklion showed his appetite for a dogged fight to the finish is very much still there when he narrowly went down to stablemate Bristol De Mai in the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby.

Twiston-Davies said after the race “Blaklion pleased me. He was getting 6lb so the handicapper shouldn’t be putting him up.

“That should leave him spot-on for the Becher Chase.”

If Blaklion puts in a stellar performance in the Becher Chase on December 9^th, you can certainly expect a few points being trimmed off his current odds of 25/1.

Vieux Lion Rouge (current odds 40/1)

Vieux Lion Rouge produced a creditable performance to finish fourth in an eventful renewal of the Charlie Hall Chase and it is now all-systems-go to try to repeat back-to-back wins in the Becher Chase at Aintree according to Pond House.

A good performance in the Becher Chase will probably persuade connections to have another crack at the Grand National in which he finished in sixth place in 2017.

The Caroline Tisdall and John Gent owned eight-year-old was made favourite for the National last year after he backed up his Becher Chase win with victory in the Haydock Grand National Trial.

Drying ground conditions on the day could be attributed to Vieux Lion Rouge’s slightly disappointing showing and there is a suspicion he is at his best with a little more juice in the ground.

If he gets his optimum conditions next April then Vieux Lion Rouge is certainly no 40/1 shot.

Cause Of Causes (current odds 33/1)

The J.P McManus owned and Gordon Elliott trained bay gelding will more than likely have the National on the agenda this season given his previous strong showings in the race.

Cause Of Causes was one of Elliott’s half-dozen winners at the Cheltenham Festival taking the Cross-Country Chase and he then went on to be the gallant runner-up to One For Arthur in the Grand National.

In his previous attempt at the National fences in 2015 he came home in eighth place behind the ill-fated Many Clouds.

Cause Of Causes certainly has stamina in abundance as he showed when scoring in the four mile Toby Balding Chase at the Cheltenham Festival in 2015.

Given Gordon Elliott’s training dominance in Ireland you almost feel it is a question of when, not if, he will add another English Grand National to his C.V and Cause Of Causes could emulate Silver Birch at Aintree next April.

Our Duke (current odds 33/1)

Down the years Irish Grand National winners have fared well in the English version and Our Duke was the runaway winner of the Fairyhouse race in 2017.

However, after Our Duke's lethargic display in the JNwine.com Champion Chase at Down Royal last weekend, his trainer Jessica Harrington was at a loss as to why he performed so badly.

The Irish Grand National hero could never get competitive on his seasonal debut and trailed in last of the seven finishers in the Grade One contest over three miles.

Harrington said: "Our Duke is sound, he scoped wrong. He has done it once before. They took some bloods from him (on Sunday morning) and we'll take it from there. I just don't know and I'm scratching my head. He was gone after the first fence."

Whilst there is talk of Our Duke having the Cheltenham Gold Cup as his ultimate target in 2018, there is every chance that those plans may be changed to him having an Aintree target instead.

At the age of seven Our Duke still has plenty of options open to him but he certainly does look a Grand National type should he make it there.

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