Premier League boards are beginning to plan for next season. Well, at some clubs anyway. At the top and bottom of the table we are seeing tight competition to avoid relegation and finish inside the top four, which is ratchetting up the pressure on the managers. The financial rewards for remaining in the top flight, particularly, are vast and managers who put that at risk are putting their own job in peril.
Swansea have already moved Francesco Guidolin and Bob Bradley on this season, though they have found some respite from struggle under Paul Clement. Hull sacked Mike Phelan to appoint Marco Silva, who is doing similarly well, while Crystal Palace gave Alan Pardew his P45 to bring in Sam Allardyce (who is not doing so well).
It may seem a little late to be changing the man in the top job, but that doesn’t make any manager safe…
Claudio Ranieri
Midweek cup success over Derby had the potential to be a turning point for Claudio Ranieri and Leicester City. Their ineffective display and 2-0 defeat against Swansea quashed any hopes of that, however.
That is now five straight league defeats without finding the net for Leicester. Only one point ahead of the much improved Hull, who occupy the final relegation place, the Foxes are on course to be the first reigning champions relegated in over 50 years.
Ranieri is the clear favourite to face the sack at odds of 1/2. The footballing romantic may find it kneejerk and harsh, but its hard to see Leicester sticking with their club hero unless performances turn around within the next couple of matches.
Aitor Karanka
Middlesbrough kept their impressive defensive record intact with a 0-0 draw at home to Everton, but a single point does little to help them in the relegation fight, particularly with the form Swansea are showing. Now without a league victory in eight matches, Karanka is understandably under pressure to change his approach as victories become key.
Other options for Middlesbrough are limited, mind. Karanka has moulded this squad, they are accustomed to playing how he demands. A managerial change for Middlesbrough, perhaps more than any other club, would be a risk at this point.
That does little to secure his future, however, even if he is comfortable second favourite at 4/1.
Sam Allardyce
Crystal Palace’s victory over Bournemouth really does like look a false dawn. Following their humiliation at home to Sunderland last weekend, the Eagles were limited in attack by Stoke City to fall to a frustrating 1-0 defeat.
Wilfried Zaha was the bright spark for Allardyce’s side – as many would expect – but results desperately need to turn around. Allardyce may have lost his firefighting touch, if so, Palace must replace him to have any chance of safety. The trademark organisation of Allardyce’s previous teams is lacking and they are not taking advantage of the talented attacking options at their disposal.
As short as 10/1 with 888 Sport to be the next manager sacked, Allardyce is under severe threat of being shown the door despite his recent appointment.
Crystal Palace, Hull and Swansea have all had different levels of success since changing their managers. Palace’s decision to appoint Sam Allardyce is looking unwise, while Swansea and Hull are proving half the football ‘pundits’ wrong with their moves to bring in Paul Clement and Marco Silva respectively.
The bottom clubs have shown a willingness to chop and change bosses when required this season, with Bob Bradley, Francesco Guidolin, Mike Phelan and Alan Pardew already having been handed their P45s. Change could be coming elsewhere in the table, mind, here are three managers who saw their job’s come under greater threat this weekend…
Claudio Ranieri
It is almost beyond belief, but Leicester’s league winning manager is the favourite to be sacked at 7/4.
The Foxes have slumped to only a point above the relegation zone and lost four straight in the league. Their latest 3-0 thrashing at the hands of Manchester United will have hurt, but it is the sloppiness of their recent performances that is the gravest concern. Open defensively and without any sign of creativity in the final third, their heroes of last season now look short of the quality to compete at this level.
Although it seems unthinkable to many, Ranieri’s job is under threat. Relegation might be a price that fans are willing to pay for the success of last season, but it is one all too dear for the owners.
Sam Allardyce
Okay, Big Sam has only just been appointed by Crystal Palace, but this is not impossible. After the humiliation of their defeat to Sunderland at home, the Eagles are only goal difference away from falling to the bottom of the table. Allardyce has not had the impact that many expected, nor does he seem to be taking the team forwards.
A midweek victory over Bournemouth made a false dawn for Palace. While it looked as though they had turned an important corner, defeat to the league’s bottom team so emphatically undermines all of that.
He remains at odds as long as 12/1 to be the next manager sacked and, while replacements are limited, that presents good value considering Palace’s dire performance this weekend.
Claude Puel
Reaching the EFL Cup final means that Puel remains in credit with Southampton. However, he has slipped to third favourite to be the next Premier League manager sacked at 8/1.
Three points taken from their last 21 available in the Premier League and a limp FA Cup exit have contributed to this. Puel saw his Saints swept aside by West Ham this weekend, as the losses of Jose Fonte and Virgil van Dijk continue to hit the team hard defensively.
Relegation is yet to creep into the peripheral vision of Southampton and Puel, but a cup final defeat and a continuation of this form and he will quickly be under serious pressure.
“It is not an insurmountable lead. Newcastle let go of a twelve point lead to us. I’ve been involved in a team that was eleven points ahead of Arsenal at Christmas and lost the title.
It’s not done and dusted yet, we’re only halfway through, and the way United are playing right now has made the fans confident we can continue this run and close the gap.”
It would require a Herculean effort from Mourinho’s men to catch their London rivals but an impressive fifteen match unbeaten streak has at least made it possible, with United’s recent fine form a far cry from their mixed start to the season. Pallister has been greatly encouraged by what he’s seen.
“Mourinho creates winning teams and he has now answered the conundrum on how to get the best out of his side. United have their mojo back. Against Middlesbrough recently, the last five minutes was very much like a game Sir Alex could have been in charge of with the crowd roaring the team forward and scoring two late goals. It was like having the old times back. For a great period of time the football has been flat, there’s been no energy or thrills and spills and it’s been quite tough to watch. Now the crowd certainly feel that United are on the right track again.”
The optimism that is sweeping through the Old Trafford faithful will turn to a wall of intimidating noise this Sunday as United’s fierce rivals Liverpool head to Manchester for one of the most keenly anticipated ‘M62 derbies’ in living memory. Pallister gleefully picks out scoring twice in front of the Kop as his personal highlight from his many tussles with Liverpool during his decade of outstanding service for the Red Devils, before turning his attention to the forthcoming ninety minutes that could have a huge bearing on the 2016/17 season.
“This game against Liverpool is massive because it will reveal where Manchester United are right now. It will be interesting to see if we do put pressure on them and let our attacking flair dominate. It will be an intriguing game and it will tell both clubs where they might finish at the end of the season. This is still the biggest game on the fixture list.”
The biggest games call for the biggest names and in Zlatan Ibrahimovic United have a superstar who thrives on such occasions. Pallister not only rates the Swede extremely highly, he sees similarities with another enigmatic artist capable of inspiring those around him.
“You can see in Ibrahimovic that he’s still got the hunger and he’s incredibly fit for 35. He’s banging in goals and being a leader and he’s strong enough to play up there on his own as a pivotal figure. He’s a huge character with a huge ego as well and that’s great. Eric Cantona had that. He’d walk in with his collars up and his chest puffed out and say, ‘Here I am’. Zlatan does exactly the same. He loves the stage and he loves the adoration. He has been a huge part of the confidence that the team currently has.”
It is a self-belief that has spread from front to back with a makeshift defence that has overcome a raft of injuries to excel in recent weeks conceding just 10 goals in 18 matches across all competitions. The form of Marcos Rojo and Phil Jones in particular have impressed with a series of displays that might just save their manager a small fortune in the transfer market in windows to come.
“The two lads have been in tremendous form. There were a few questions marks over both of them at the start of the season but they’ve answered their critics. There is a good partnership there and even though Chris Smalling has been fantastic for the past couple of years and Bailly is a big loss going to the African Cup of Nations they’re making it difficult for them. United were linked to Victor Lindelof but that seems to have gone quiet so maybe Mourinho is thinking Rojo and Jones have done great so he doesn’t need to strengthen now.“
If Sunday’s grudge-fest wasn’t box-office enough it also offers the possibility of a certain well-known striker becoming the club’s all-time leading goal-scorer. Yet should Wayne Rooney prove to be the match-winner this Sunday, there will remain a vocal minority still critical of his achievements, who believe he was capable of even more. The former defender responds to the subject in the same manner he dealt with a thousand or more centre-forwards – calmly and efficiently.
“You’re only as good as your last game and that’s the nature of the game now, so he has to keep putting in the performances. Unfortunately he lost his place at United for the bigger games and when you’re at his stage of his career it’s easy to take a punt at him and shoot him down. But we should never forget that what he has achieved is incredible and the player he was – and still is – is deserving of respect from everybody out there.
He’s been one hell of a player for Manchester United and to equal Sir Bobby’s record puts him up there with the greatest.”
“He is 31 and has played an awful lot of football so to expect him to be the player he was is unrealistic. Everybody adapts their game when you go past 30. Keane did it, Ryan Giggs did it, Paul Scholes did it. It’s about managing and Jose will do that and Wayne will too. He can’t play every game if you want longevity.”
Having won four Premier League titles and countless more silverware in a long and distinguished career, Gary Pallister recognises greatness when he sees it. The rest is just noise.
Reds legend John Aldridge is convinced his former club has two clear advantages over their title rivals Chelsea and Manchester City with each set to be a deciding factor in the months ahead.
“Liverpool have options. You look at their goal-scorers and it is across five players and that’s without Daniel Sturridge getting a run of games and scoring regularly which he’s well capable of doing. Mane is scoring goals, Firmino and Lallana, then there’s Coutinho to come back strong. If we can keep Sturridge fit and on the pitch there are plenty of options.”
Jurgen Klopp’s side have out-scored the rest of the Premier League so far despite being deprived of their two best attacking talents at different stages of the season. And it is this admirable trait of excelling even when weakened by injury that Aldridge believes might see them over the line come May.
“Other teams rely on their best players. Chelsea have a very good team but if they were without Hazard or Costa you’d like to see how they’d fare without them. The same goes for City with De Bruyne and Aguero. Liverpool have actually managed without Coutinho and Sturridge.”
Managed is an understatement. Liverpool have stylishly brushed aside most of the challenges put before them as they mount a second genuine title bid in three years. At times they have looked unstoppable and though there have been several stand-out stars Aldridge is keen to highlight one in particular.
“Lallana is starting to get the credit he deserves. People were frustrated with him when he first came. We weren’t seeing the player we’d seen at Southampton and for England. But he’s now got to grips with the size of the club and has been tremendous. He very influential and opposing sides now know if you can nullify him you’ll stop balls getting to the front three. He’s the key.”
“He has a similar gait to Peter Beardsley and both create and score a lot of goals. Beardsley was our lynchpin and now Lallana is too.”
Even with the midfielder and others chipping in regularly, much of the responsibility for scoring falls upon their most natural finisher Sturridge. How strange then that a striker who boasts a one-in-two goals ratio since his arrival at Anfield so often finds himself on the bench. Aldridge is nonplussed.
“We know he picks up too many injuries so the manager has to manage him and he’s doing that. He just needs game-time now and with the Christmas period he’ll get plenty of minutes on the pitch.”
“If they’re going for the title or top four there is just no way Sturridge will move or be allowed to in January. In the summer who knows? If he wants to keep his England place and get regular games it could happen then. But if he scores lots of goals between now and then I don’t think that will be the case.”
Another player who has a fight on his – very large – hands for a starting place is Liverpool’s young keeper Loris Karrius. The Dane’s series of high-profile mistakes in recent weeks saw him castigated from all quarters and though some of it may have been justified, the born-and-bred Scouser Aldo takes serious exception when the criticism becomes public and personal. Especially when it derives from a well-known Mancunian.
“People are paid good money by Sky to be controversial and if that’s what they want that’s what Gary Neville will give them. There was also the Bournemouth striker who came out and said they targeted Karius as the weakness in defence. That wasn’t good from a fellow professional. He should have kept that in-house. Karius could do without that.”
“The manager has taken him out of the firing line to regroup and when his chance comes again I’m sure he’ll take it.”
While Karius has carried the can for costly concessions at Bournemouth and a home draw to West Ham, doubts remain about Liverpool’s rear-guard with many claiming it will prove to be their undoing this term. Aldridge though insists too much has been made of an otherwise sound backline.
“There have been some hiccups but the Bournemouth game apart defensively Liverpool have been good. That’s the fifth clean sheet in the last eight which isn’t bad is it. Mignolet in goal has been a calming influence while Klavan can dominate at the back – he’s a very old-fashioned centre-back – and has been excellent. For me though Matip is possibly the signing of the summer.”
Looking ahead to January, can the former league winner – who scored an incredible 50 goals in 83 appearances for the Reds – see Klopp utilising the transfer window to strengthen his troops? Liverpool supporters who take great pride in seeing local players coming through the ranks will be pleased with his response.
“The squad is quite good to be honest because we’re not in Europe. Coutinho is coming back soon and Matip and Gomez too. Plus, the young lads have plenty of potential. The manager will know if he needs to buy one but if the right man isn’t available he’ll play the kids. Money is available but he won’t go out and buy for the sake of it.”
It’s a strategy Aldo approves of, though as a lifelong Red, if he was in charge there would be a very different policy in place.
“In Spain he would be absolutely adored. He gets the rough end of the stick but fair play to him because he’ll keep on trying things. If he gives it away he goes again because he’s confident and has a pair of bo***cks. He wants to play out and that’s why Pep Guardiola bought him. Sometimes he needs to learn when not to do it but we’re talking about a 22 year old here. We should be embracing him for how good he is on the ball. He needs to learn a few bits and pieces but that will come, there are not many defenders who come complete at his age.”
Having broken into the Leeds first team in the late nineties as a teenager and quickly establishing himself as a mainstay in a side that challenged at the very highest level, the 36 year old – now a scout for Liverpool in Spain and Portugal – speaks from experience and knows the importance of letting a young defender make his mistakes on the pitch. To learn and grow from them.
“He needs to be given a chance and he should play for England for the next twelve years. He’s that good of a player. I’ve seen some of the things he’s done at Everton and just think ‘oh my God’; I’m excited watching it. I even rewind it back because I love that type of centre half.”
This shouldn’t come as a surprise given that Woodgate himself was a renowned ball-playing centre-back whose composure on the ball and superb reading of the game took him all the way to international recognition. Were it not for injuries he would undoubtedly have amassed more than his eight caps and that in an era when England was spoilt for choice for top class stoppers. Sadly the same cannot be said of today.
“The quality is good but the numbers aren’t there. Phil Jagielka is now 34 and Gary Cahill is in his thirties and they’re still getting in the England squads. Then you have John Stones and Michael Keane and Ben Gibson is coming through at Middlesbrough.”
“But when I was coming through I was competing against Sol Campbell, Rio Ferdinand, John Terry, Carragher and Ledley King. There was a load of us competing for places with Martin Keown and Gareth Southgate as well. Now we have so few because foreign players outweigh English players a lot so the English lads aren’t being given a chance to play. We can’t get them from the youth teams into the first teams and their pathways are getting blocked. Look at Chelsea who have won the UEFA Under 18s league twice on the spin and they’re still waiting. Back in the day if you won a youth cup a couple of those players would get into the first team.”
One option available to the new England manager Gareth Southgate would be to drop Eric Dier further back as we have witnessed at Spurs recently. Woodgate however disagrees.
“I watched him in the Euros and he was probably England’s best player in that tournament. I thought he was fantastic. I didn’t see him as a centre midfielder until Pochettino put him in there; he had obviously seen his qualities and it was an unbelievable decision. I love him as a midfielder and think he’s brilliant as a holder. He can do a job as a centre half but for me his best position is in midfield.”
Fair enough, and Spurs will presumably be glad to return him there once their injury concerns ease. They’ll certainly be happy to field their strongest side again after just one win in the last ten games. Is Woodgate’s former club in a mini-crisis?
“You can spin it both ways with Spurs because they’re a hard team to beat. They have a fantastic manager down there and a young squad. One hundred per cent you cannot write Spurs off because they’ve got a young, hungry group of players. Look at last season and how close they came. I know they fell away and got stuffed up at Newcastle but they’ve got leaders in that team. There is Harry Kane, Vertonghen and Alderweireld. Dier is a young lad but he’s a leader too. Then you have Lloris so there are leaders throughout that team. They can’t be written off.”
A victory against struggling Swansea this Saturday afternoon will help their cause while just under a thousand miles away in Catalonia sees the biggest game on the continent, arguably the world. Having played in and experienced a clasico himself, Woodgate is relishing the prospect of Real Madrid and Barcelona butting heads once again and pinpoints the absence of Gareth Bale as the only thing that separates the Spanish giants.
“He’s a world class player. He’s outstanding and a match-winner. If Gareth came back to England he’d be the best player in the Premiership and he’d score thirty-odd goals a season without a shadow of a doubt.”
Which begs the question: How does the Welshman compare to the two megastars who will surely dominate proceedings this weekend?
“To reach the heights of Ronaldo and Messi then you’re talking a different level from that. If they played in a different generation then Gareth Bale would be up there as the best player in the world.”
What was formerly The Open (November 17-19) is now the November Meeting, which features key races such as the BetVictor Gold Cup, the StanJames.com Greatwood Hurdle and The Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Steeplechase over the three days.
In order to not confuse any poor unsuspecting souls typing the words “The Open” into a search engine and bringing up hundreds of golf related items, Cheltenham racecourse executives decided to concede the name change to The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews after extensive talks.
Here are some of the emerging stories and entries we can expect to see in a fortnight’s time at Prestbury Park:
The Barry Connell-owned seven-year-old claimed the Close Brothers Novices' Handicap Chase in March, a race run over the same distance as this month's big handicap.
Fleming said: "The Gold Cup is very much the aim for Tully East. He was a little rusty for his reappearance over hurdles at Punchestown earlier this month, but he finished off his race really good and we were very happy with him. He came home happy after that run and we will give him a good school over fences before going to Cheltenham.”
A total of 45 entries have been received for the £160,000 contest for which Kylemore Lough is one of the market favourites.
Kylemore Lough won the Ryanair Gold Cup at Fairyhouse in 2016 when trained by Kerry Lee, but has been switched to Harry Fry over the summer.
Fry said: “Kylemore Lough is very well and will head straight to the Gold Cup, all being well. There are still two and a half weeks to go, but we are happy with his progress and looking forward to the race."
Kylemore Lough finished fifth on both his appearances at Cheltenham last season, including in the Caspian Caviar Gold Cup Handicap Chase at The International Meeting in December, and came home fourth on his latest appearance in the Melling Chase at Aintree back in April.
Challenging Fry’s runner at the head of the market is Romain De Senam trained by Paul Nicholls.
The French import notched up a victory in his opening race of the new campaign at Chepstow, and the five-year-old now has the opportunity to add major silverware to his C.V at Cheltenham in the Grade Three sphere.
The five-year-old features among nine entries from the Paul Nicholls stable and he could also be represented by Le Prezien (14/1), who went down by a neck to Foxtail Hill (20/1) in the Randox Health Handicap Chase at The Showcase on October 28th.
JLT Novices' Chase fourth Politologue (25/1), last season's Caspian Caviar Gold Cup winner Frodon (33/1) and San Benedeto (16/1), successful in the Doom Bar Maghull Novices' Chase at Aintree in April, also feature among a strong team from Nicholls, who has won the BetVictor Gold Cup on two previous occasions with Al Ferof (2012) and Caid Du Berlais (2014).
Cloudy Dream (14/1) ran a six length second to Altior in the Arkle Novices' Chase at The Festival in March. The Trevor Hemmings-owned seven-year-old made a pleasing seasonal return when narrowly going down to Smad Place in the Monet's Garden Old Roan Limited Handicap Chase at Aintree on October 29th.
Gold Present (16/1) one of three entries from Nicky Henderson, was second in the Listed Close Brothers Novices' Handicap Chase in March, while Double Treasure (16/1) trained by Jamie Snowden won the Royal Gloucestershire Hussars Novices' Chase at The Showcase on October 28th.
As well as Fleming’s Tully East, other Irish-trained entries include Willie Mullins’ Ballycasey (20/1), a Group One winner over fences, plus Gowran Park Champion Chase scorer A Toi Phil (14/1) and Punchestown Chase third Ball D'Arc (20/1), who are both trained by Gordon Elliott.
Winner of the JCB Triumph Hurdle and the Doom Bar Anniversary 4-y-o Hurdle at Aintree, Philip Hobbs’ charge is the ante-post favourite for the Greatwood and the Champion Hurdle next March.
The weights which are published this week are likely to be headed by the Nigel Twiston-Davies trained, The New One (20/1).
Nicky Henderson, who surprisingly has yet to land the Greatwood Hurdle, has six runners to choose from this time around, headed by Divin Bere (8/1), who chased home Defi Du Seuil at Aintree in April.
“Do not give up on Jenkins (20/1) and Charli Parcs (12/1)”, said Henderson at his recent Owner’s Day. He believes the pair are still capable of showing the form that made many people think they could join the list of Seven Barrows superstars.
Silver Streak (14/1) is an intended runner for Evan Williams who said this week: "Silver Streak is grand and if he gets into the handicap for the Greatwood Hurdle, the horse will run. His performance at Chepstow was a definite improvement compared to when we last saw him because a few of the horses that had beaten him at Ascot were behind him at Chepstow.”
These include Campeador (14/1), a promising juvenile in the 2015/16 season and a comfortable winner at Punchestown last month, plus the Joseph O'Brien-trained pair of Tigris River (14/1), successful in the Galway Hurdle over the summer, and the 2016 JCB Triumph Hurdle winner Ivanovich Gorbatov (16/1).
*Odds subject to change - correct at time of writing*
Steven is a sports and horse racing enthusiast and is a member of the Horseracing Writers and Photographers Association (HWPA) in the United Kingdom.
He is a regular visitor to Paris Longchamp for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and a lifelong fan of the Aintree Grand National, a subject he writes about 52 weeks of the year. Last year he reached the impressive milestone of attending the last 30 renewals of the Grand National.
Steven graduated from the University Of Lancaster in 1996 with a B.A (Hons) in Urban Policy & Race Relations (major) with Contemporary Religions & Belief Systems (minor) and still wonders if any of these help him find the winners?
He writes for a number of websites and online publications and you can sometimes hear him at the weekend discussing racing on a number of local radio stations.
Ian Rush exclusive: LIVERPOOL HAVE THE EDGE ON TITLE RIVALS
Liverpool legend Ian Rush is convinced his former club have a big advantage over their title rivals this season because they don’t have to rely on any one individual to find the target.
“There are so many players who can score goals, at least five in Firmino, Coutinho, Mane, Sturridge or Lallana. Then you have defenders like Lovren chipping in too. When you have players like that it’s very difficult for the opposition manager to know what to do. They can’t just say ‘stop him and stop him’. They don’t know what team is going to be playing and when they do, they don’t know who to man-mark.”
The Reds currently lie second in the Premier League and with their free-scoring ways and spirited performances are putting together a charge that brings to mind their incredible season of 2013/14. Back then a runner-up spot was attained, in part, due to having no European distractions and Rush believes Jürgen Klopp’s men are once again benefiting from being able to focus entirely on domestic affairs.
“When you’re not in Europe you have to take advantage of that and do well in the league and the two teams who are doing it are Liverpool and Chelsea. Also when you’re not involved in European competition you have time to get over injuries – just that day or two – and that makes a massive difference in a very competitive Premier League.”
It helps too if you have an outstanding talent firing on all cylinders and Philippe Coutinho is certainly that. Rush unsurprisingly is a fan.
“I’m biased because I watch him play a lot but I think he is the best in the Premier League. Hazard is doing well at Chelsea but Coutinho is doing better than Hazard this season. He is scoring more goals with more assists and he has been fantastic. He was good last year but now he is a much better player.”
The Brazilian magician is one third of an attacking trio who have bamboozled defences this season but while their trickery and goals have delighted the Kop, Rush has been even more impressed by what he describes as their ‘football brains’.
“You can’t always leave it to the manager and that’s what we’re seeing now with Firmino, Mane and Coutinho. Lallana too. They have the manager’s guidelines but if it’s not happening they’ll change positions between them and get it right. Better yet with Sturridge and Origi there is a threat now for the whole ninety minutes whereas previously there wasn’t.”
Speaking of Sturridge it has astonished many that a fit striker who boasts a better than one-in-two scoring ratio for Liverpool cannot get into the starting eleven, a situation that’s led to lots of moody stares from the bench as the 27 year old reportedly eyes a move away from Anfield. Rush, the club’s all-time record goal-scorer, offers some sage advice.
“We’re going to need Daniel Sturridge. He’s got to be patient and his time will come. He’s the best finisher at the club and he’s absolutely superb but he needs to get his head down and get on with it. Sulking doesn’t help anyone. He will get a chance and he’s got to take them when they come.”
“He has to create a problem for the manger and if you’re in a sulk you’re just making it easy for the manager.”
If he needs inspiration the England forward could do a lot worse than look to his skipper Jordan Henderson and copy a professional attitude that has seen the midfielder finally emerge from the long shadow cast by Steven Gerrard to become the new heartbeat of the side. Rush clearly admires how the pupil is turning into the master.
“He has become the leader now. It might not be by talking on the pitch but it’s by example with his work-rate and his completed passes. Jordan probably works harder while Stevie was better with the ball. Jordan is a good captain and while he might not be as good with the long balls as Stevie he’s doing the easy balls and making things quicker.”
It would be unrealistic to hope Henderson comes close to matching Stevie G’s achievements at Anfield of course and such is his standing at the club there is now talk of him returning in a coaching role, possibly with the Academy. The rumours have picked up further pace this week after Gerrard turned down the manager’s vacancy at MK Dons.
“Stevie will always be welcomed back at Liverpool in whatever capacity but in my opinion he should carry on playing. I played until I was 38 and it’s the best thing in the world. He could still do a job for the right club and Newcastle or Celtic would be right down his alley. If he went to a lower Premier League club he could end up working harder than for Liverpool so that can work against you. But in the Championship or in Scotland it is easier and for dead-ball situations he would be phenomenal for any of those teams.”
As for Rush himself he was phenomenal for the Reds and Wales over two decades in a distinguished career laden with goals. Does he watch the present side creating opportunities for fun and wish he was still out there?
“I’d love to play in this Liverpool team. They’re fantastic and so many chances are created but the main thing for me is how defending has changed. The likes of Jamie Carragher and John Terry are dying out and there are a lot of footballers who like to play around the back. If you’re a clever striker that gives you half a chance and then you’re one-on-one with the keeper.”
As hundreds of goalkeepers from the eighties and nineties would gravely attest: that only used to end one way.
The £100,000 Charlie Hall Steeplechase at Wetherby is widely acknowledged as one of the most important and influential early season trials for top-quality chasers as they set out on the season long road to the Cheltenham Festival with the very live possibility of running in the Gold Cup itself.
The hugely popular Cue Card won this race in superb style in 2015, and went on to land both the Betfair Chase at Haydock and Kempton’s King George VI on Boxing Day. He unfortunately fell while in contention for the 2016 Gold Cup. Cue Card returned to Wetherby in 2016 but failed to secure the double, being beaten into third place behind the Rebecca Curtis trained Irish Cavalier.
As of the 48-hour declaration stage, thirteen runners make their way to the Yorkshire venue on Saturday afternoon. Here is a runner-by-runner guide:
More Of That (current odds 12/1)
Jonjo O’Neill’s More Of That, a former winner of the World Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival and Gold Cup sixth, takes his chance in this race rather heading over to Down Royal for the JN Wine Champion Chase.
“He ran flat last year, he never really turned up, for whatever reason,” O’Neill said. “Obviously, he’s had his problems but he’s come back in really good shape. At the moment, we’re all full of hope.”
Double Shuffle (current odds 20/1)
Tom George had this race earmarked for the seven-year-old gelding after he was pulled up in the Aintree Grand National.
“He might be the sort of horse to start off in the Charlie Hall at Wetherby as he has got that bit of class. He will improve for another summer on his back." said George after the National.
Double Shuffle ran second on his seasonal return at Chepstow. A nice warm-up for this perhaps?
Village Vic (current odds 20/1)
Somewhat of a Cheltenham specialist but did win the Bobby Renton Chase here back in 2015.
Village Vic is the pace angle in the race but is unproven beyond three miles and must be vulnerable to anything finishing late and fast.
Virgilio (current odds 20/1)
Virgilio has made giant strides since arriving on British shores and completed a hat-trick straight away for Dan Skelton.
He could not live with Might Bite and Whisper at Aintree in the Mildmay but returned the following month to the course to record a win.
Indian Stream (current odds 40/1)
Indian Steam was tailed off behind Rock The Kasbah at Chepstow three weeks ago and was never in contention.
The eight-year-old mare did win a 2m 3f Chase here however at last year’s corresponding fixture.
Coneygree (current odds 9/4)
The Scarlet Pimpernel of National Hunt finally makes his long awaited appearance on Saturday.
The 2015 Gold Cup winner has had just three races since his Cheltenham victory but showed he still retains plenty of ability when finishing third behind Sizing John at Punchestown in April.
The predicted overnight rain on Friday is also welcome news for the Bradstock team.
Blaklion (current odds 13/2)
Nigel Twiston-Davies, a four-time Charlie Hall winner, will be going into the year’s renewal with a two-pronged attack.
Blaklion, off since a fine fourth in the Grand National, was also placed fourth in this last year. The 2016 RSA Chase winner has Aintree aspirations again this season but may just need this opening run.
The 159-rated chaser was in cracking form last season winning the Grimthorpe Chase by a street and scoring on Boxing Day here in the Roland Meyrick Handicap Chase.
He was rather unfortunate in the Grand National when going well and has to be a big player on Saturday.
Cue Card (current odds 11/4)
The nine-time Grade One winner suffered a surprise defeat in last year’s renewal when he was only third after being sent off 8-11 favourite.
Lack of fitness was blamed that day but the Tizzard’s have given their veteran star a racecourse gallop at Wincanton to sharpen him up, suggesting he is much further forward than he was twelve months ago.
After Wetherby, Cue Card is expected to run in the Betfair Chase at Haydock before racing in the King George VI at Kempton on Boxing Day.
Shantou Flyer (current odds 20/1)
Shantou Flyer makes his first start for trainer Richard Hobson in the Charlie Hall.
The Carl Hinchy-owned seven-year-old has joined Hobson from Rebecca Curtis and has not been seen since he was pulled up in the Grand National.
Before that he won a Handicap Chase at Cheltenham on New Year's Day and also finished second behind Cue Card in the Ascot Chase in February.
Sizing Codelco (current odds 20/1)
Aintree and Punchestown winner Sizing Codelco was made top weight for his seasonal return at Chepstow but was pulled up that day.
Trained by David Pipe, Vieux Lion Rouge has won 11 of his 22 races and earned his owners £205,000.
Last seen when finishing sixth in the Grand National, the eight-year-old gelding had previously won the Grand National Trail at Haydock and the Becher Chase at Aintree.
He certainly gets every yard of the trip and appears to be another that has been largely ignored outside of the top two in the market.
Bristol De Mai (current odds 8/1)
Nigel Twiston-Davies’ six-year-old grey was the emphatic winner of the Peter Marsh Chase at Haydock last season and will only run on Saturday if there is some soft in the going.
Given the weather forecast there is every chance of that being the case and it will be all systems go for the Simon Munir and Isaac Souede owned runner.
He should really relish that type of ground and looks the more likely winner out of the Twiston-Davies pair.
Summary
After speaking with the Crossed Fingers Partnership at Aintree last Sunday and seeing how well their stable-star God’s Own ran, I am going to take an outside punt on the Tom George trained Double Shuffle.
The George stable put in some decent results last week at Cheltenham and Aintree and he certainly knows how to ready one for a big race.
Controversially I shall leave out the two horses heading the market and take Bristol De Mai and Definitly Red to fill the forecast and tricast spots.
*Odds subject to change - correct at time of writing*
Steven is a sports and horse racing enthusiast and is a member of the Horseracing Writers and Photographers Association (HWPA) in the United Kingdom.
He is a regular visitor to Paris Longchamp for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and a lifelong fan of the Aintree Grand National, a subject he writes about 52 weeks of the year. Last year he reached the impressive milestone of attending the last 30 renewals of the Grand National.
Steven graduated from the University Of Lancaster in 1996 with a B.A (Hons) in Urban Policy & Race Relations (major) with Contemporary Religions & Belief Systems (minor) and still wonders if any of these help him find the winners?
He writes for a number of websites and online publications and you can sometimes hear him at the weekend discussing racing on a number of local radio stations.
Every sport has a definitive year-ending event to crown its champions. In horse racing, the Breeders’ Cup World Championships is the culmination of the horse racing season worldwide and the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic is the defining event of the international racing season. The Breeders’ Cup Classic, run over 1 1/4 miles, draws a star-studded list of international runners year upon year. It is open to 3-year-old horses and older and this year has attracted thirteen runners.
This year the Championships are being held at Del Mar Racetrack.
Let’s take a look at the contenders this year:
Collected (current odds 5/1)
Collected beat his stablemate Arrogate to land the Pacific Classic at Del Mar which gave their trainer Bob Baffert the 1-2.
Collected is a perfect four-for-four this season, and a winner of eight of his eleven career starts. After his Santa Anita run every start has been in Stakes company. The Pacific Classic victory secured the colt a spot in the starting gate for the Breeders' Cup Classic as a part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series.
Diversify (current odds 25/1)
New York-bred Diversify won the Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes at Belmont on October 7th in front-running fashion thus automatically qualifying for this race.
After a workout at Belmont on Saturday, trainer Rick Violette said he would first have to speak with owner Ralph Evans and to expect a decision Sunday as to whether they would be travelling or not.
Gun Runner (current odds 2/1)
Gun Runner has never won at the distance over which he will be tested over in the Classic, but trainer Steve Asmussen has no concerns his stable star will get every bit of the 1 1/4 miles.
Gun Runner’s four Grade 1 wins have come at 1 1/8 miles. He comes into this race off a three-race win streak, taking the Clark Handicap, the Whitney Stakes, and the Woodward Stakes.
Mubtaahij (current odds 16/1)
Mubtaahij won the Grade 1, $300,690 Awesome Again Stakes at Santa Anita to qualify for the Classic and gave Bob Baffert yet another runner in the race.
Mubtaahij was making his first start since finishing fourth in the Dubai World Cup in March, and his Santa Anita run was his first start since joining Baffert's stable.
Arrogate (current odds 9/4)
Arrogate is a four-time winner at the top-level for trainer Bob Baffert with those wins including last year's Breeders' Cup Classic and the Dubai World Cup.
He has failed to show his best in his two most recent starts and will be retired to stud whatever the outcome of Saturday’s feature race.
Despite his recent disappointments, Arrogate remains the highest-rated horse in the world.
Churchill (current odds 12/1)
Dual 2000 Guineas winner Churchill will be representing “Group One world record” holder Aidan O’Brien in the Classic.
Aidan O'Brien's colt, who has not tasted victory since following up his Newmarket Classic win at the Curragh, finished third in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes to Persuasive at Ascot’s Champions Day meeting.
Cupid (current odds 33/1)
*Note* Cupid will make his next start in the 2017 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile at Del Mar, Coolmore confirmed Thursday after the colt was also pre-entered into the Classic.
Gunnevera (current odds 50/1)
Gunnevera confirmed he can still mix it with the best with a runner-up effort in the Travers Stakes on August 26th.
The Kentucky-bred colt won the 2016 Saratoga Special Stakes (G2) and closed out his 2-year-old campaign with victory in the $1 million Delta Downs Jackpot Stakes (G3).
Pavel (current odds 33/1)
Pavel made the winner’s circle when scoring by five lengths in the Smarty Jones Stakes at Parx in Philadelphia. He then took on the big hitters in the Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont and finished third behind Diversify and Keen Ice.
Trainer Doug O’Neill believes a rematch in the Classic is just up his street.
War Decree (current odds 25/1)
War Decree is certainly not an Aidan O’Brien afterthought for the Classic.
The lightly-raced 3-year-old War Front colt rewarded his connections with the form they knew he possessed, scoring easily in the Koffy Diamond Stakes at Dundalk last time out.
Prior to that, he returned back in April with a sixth in the Craven Stakes at Newmarket and a fifth in the Qipco Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly.
War Story (current odds 100/1)
In his three Grade 1 starts this year he’s finished a combined 40 ½ lengths out of first place. Unsurprisingly those three races were won by Arrogate (Pegasus World Cup Invitational) and Gun Runner (Whitney Stakes and Woodward Stakes).
The best position fans of this runner can really hope for is a possible superfecta spot should he run on through beaten horses.
West Coast (current odds 5/1)
A son of Flatter, West Coast has won five straight races in tough company with victories in the Grade 1 Travers and Pennsylvania Derby leading into the Classic.
West Coast also has history on his side as Bob Baffert has won this race in three straight runnings, all with 3-year-old horses.
Win The Space (current odds 100/1)
Win the Space returns to the Classic after finishing unplaced in 2016. For the second straight year, he prepped for the race by finishing third in the Awesome Again Stakes at Santa Anita a month ago.
It would however come as a major shock if this horse troubles the judge on Saturday.
Summary
Essentially it’s a game of “which Bob Baffert horse wins?” isn’t it? But the likes of Aidan O’Brien and Steve Asmussen will be hoping to have something to say about that.
Baffert does however look to hold all the aces in the pack and his three-year-old West Coast completely fits the mould of previous Classic winners.
Steven is a sports and horse racing enthusiast and is a member of the Horseracing Writers and Photographers Association (HWPA) in the United Kingdom.
He is a regular visitor to Paris Longchamp for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and a lifelong fan of the Aintree Grand National, a subject he writes about 52 weeks of the year. Last year he reached the impressive milestone of attending the last 30 renewals of the Grand National.
Steven graduated from the University Of Lancaster in 1996 with a B.A (Hons) in Urban Policy & Race Relations (major) with Contemporary Religions & Belief Systems (minor) and still wonders if any of these help him find the winners?
He writes for a number of websites and online publications and you can sometimes hear him at the weekend discussing racing on a number of local radio stations.
The “Monet’s Garden” Old Roan Chase is a Grade 2 National Hunt steeplechase run on the Mildmay course at Aintree. A total of sixteen fences are jumped in the contest. The race was first run in 2004 under the title of the Totesport Wigan Chase.
This race kick starts the season for the top two and a half milers, having been won by the likes of Kauto Star, Monet’s Garden (2007, 2009, and 2010), Alberta’s Run, Wishful Thinking and Sound Investment in previous years.
Here we take a look and the trends and statistics over the last 10 renewals of race plus a rundown of some the runners:
Weight (wins-placed-runners):
11st +: 6-8-36
10st 13lb or less: 4-6-46
The last eight winners have carried 10st 7lb or more which is good news for that handful of runners at the top of the handicap.
Age (wins-placed-runners):
5-y-o to 8-y-o: 3-9-43
9-y-o to 12-y-o: 7-5-35
Five out of the last ten winners have been aged ten or more so the older horses are not easy to dismiss.
Ratings
154+ : 6-8-35
153- : 4-6-46
The last ten winners have been rated 150 or higher.
Ten important trends to note
10/10 had previously finished in the top 3 of a G1 contest.
10/10 ran at a G1 track last time out.
9/10 were making their seasonal debut.
9/10 had previously won at G1 or G2 level.
8/10 had previously won over 20/21f.
8/10 had 19+ previous career starts.
9/10 had their last start in a Graded race.
10/10 had an OR of 150+.
8/10 had 4+ previous Chase victories.
8/10 had their last start at either Cheltenham or Aintree.
Trainer form:
Philip Hobbs trained the winners of this in 2004 and 2014. He saddles Royal Regatta this year.
Paul Nicholls has been responsible for sending out the favourite five times in the last ten years. He is represented by Bouvreuil and Warriors Tale this year.
Tom George and Alan King have sent out ten horses between them with only Tom George managing to hit the frame on a single occasion. That must be a slight worry for backers of Smad Place and God’s Own even if the latter was the runner-up last season.
Price
The last ten winners have ranged from 9/4 to 14/1
The Principle Contenders
Cloudy Dream
Malcolm Jefferson’s runner went from being a smart hurdler to having a great first season over fences. The seven-year-old won three of his seven starts, finishing runner-up on the four other occasions. His efforts in defeat included a staying on six-length second to Altior in the Arkle Trophy at the Cheltenham Festival which was no mean feat.
He rounded off last season with an easy victory at Ayr’s Scottish Grand National meeting.
God’s Own
God’s Own, runner-up twelve months ago, attempts to go one better in this Aintree Grade Two on Sunday. Beaten a length and three-quarters by Third Intention last year, Tom George’s triple Grade One-winner is reported to be in great shape.
He runs off a mark of 166 again which will not be an easy task.
Tea For Two
The Nick Williams-trained Tea For Two was the winner of The Bowl back here in April under Lizzie Kelly and the family team will be aiming for great things again with the eight-year-old.
He looks better treated at the weights than God’s Own and has to be given serious consideration.
Bristol De Mai
Won the Peter Marsh Chase at Haydock last January by a country mile but failed to register another win afterwards. He was seventh, twenty lengths behind Sizing John in the Cheltenham Gold Cup in March and only managed fifth to Tea For Two in the The Bowl at Aintree.
The six-year-old was forced to miss his intended return at Stratford last week due to quick ground.
Third Intention
Winner of this race last year and Colin Tizzard has managed to get him here on the same mark. Comes back to Merseyside as a ten-year-old and may just need the run first time out.
Shantou Village
Lots of support for this horse in the betting this week but the worrying thing is the slow start to the season for the Neil Mulholland stable, granted they did record a double at Sedgefield this week.
He is only seven years old and has won four of his five starts over fences, so there should be much more to come this season. He enjoys decent ground so would not want it too soft on Sunday.
Vaniteux
Vaniteux has two entries at the weekend and may head to either Cheltenham on Saturday or the Old Roan chase at Aintree on Sunday for his Pond House debut.
Formerly trained by Nicky Henderson, he put in a great performance behind Altior & Special Tiara at Sandown, and although well beaten in the end in The Ryanair he ran with plenty of promise.
This looks a horse to give the each-way backers a good run for their money.
Devils Bride
The Henry de Bromhead-trained Devils Bride is the sole Irish raider in Sunday's feature race. Michael O'Leary's 10-year-old ran well for a long way in the Galway Plate until falling at the last, but then struggled at Killarney after that.
Waiting Patiently
Malcolm Jefferson has also entered Waiting Patiently for this weekend's two-and-a-half-mile Grade Two, but he is unlikely to line up unless conditions deteriorate and the heavens open.
Waiting Patiently is unbeaten in three starts over fences since joining Jefferson from the recently retired Keith Reveley.
Summary
Another competitive renewal of the Old Roan Chase and there looks like being a fairly sizeable field lining up.
Cloudy Dream looks a worthy favourite and should run a solid race but that string of seconds he racked up last season may just put the jitters up a few punters looking for a solid win bet.
Should Vaniteux take up his Aintree engagement he should represent some each-way value in the race at a track that David Pipe did extremely well at last season.
Steven is a sports and horse racing enthusiast and is a member of the Horseracing Writers and Photographers Association (HWPA) in the United Kingdom.
He is a regular visitor to Paris Longchamp for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and a lifelong fan of the Aintree Grand National, a subject he writes about 52 weeks of the year. Last year he reached the impressive milestone of attending the last 30 renewals of the Grand National.
Steven graduated from the University Of Lancaster in 1996 with a B.A (Hons) in Urban Policy & Race Relations (major) with Contemporary Religions & Belief Systems (minor) and still wonders if any of these help him find the winners?
He writes for a number of websites and online publications and you can sometimes hear him at the weekend discussing racing on a number of local radio stations.
