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Football Betting
Ah, the magic of the Cup. Countless clichés involving giant-killing, Ronnie Radford and David and Goliath will be trundled out on Saturday as the FA Cup reaches the first round proper. Of course, whilst there might be some mildly entertaining events along the way, the ‘magic of the Cup’ was lost sometime in the 1980s as, with the exception of isolated wins for Spurs, Everton and Portsmouth one of the ‘big Four’ has won every FA cup since 1989.
Southern League Division One South and West side Paulton Rovers, a team no doubt full of butchers and postmen (although they should be particularly fit with not much work over the last couple of weeks) host the mighty Norwich City in Round One’s big David v Goliath encounter. Considering they were beating Bayern Munich in Germany in 1993 this is more a sign of how far Norwich have fallen than how far Paulton have risen. Paulton will be looking for their own Ronnie Radford to complete a historic giant-killing.
At the other end of the spectrum, the League’s top two sides meet at Stamford Bridge on Sunday as Chelsea host Manchester United. Whilst Arsenal play with a carefree abandon akin to early Ferguson era United, the Red Devils continue their transformation into a late 1980s George Graham led Arsenal with tactics that are as likely to induce a coma as a goal. Chelsea can consolidate their place at the foot of the table with a win in this one at 11/10.
Arsenal should be good enough to see of a plucky Wolves side at Molineux and Stoke City are good value at 6/4 to put more pressure on Phil Brown with a win at Hull City on Sunday lunchtime.
Hearts face Hibs in Saturday’s Edinburgh derby with the home side able to go level on points with leaders Celtic with a win. Tony Mowbray’s side travel to Falkirk on Sunday.
Golf Betting
The World Golf Championships adds a fourth event to its roster this year as the cream of the European, Japanese and Asian tours join some of America’s finest at the Sheshan International Golf Club in Shanghai.
2009’s three WGC winners Tiger Woods, Geoff Ogilvy and Phil Mickelson all head to China this weekend where they will be joined by the likes of Paul Casey, Padraig Harrington and Henrik Stenson in a truly international field.
Golf Betting
Tennis Betting
We were right in saying last week that the Williams sisters were the ones to beat in the end of season Sony Ericsson Championships in Doha as the two Americans fought a low key final with Serena the eventual winner.
The 15th Valencia Open takes place this week on the hard courts of the Club de Tenis Valencia, Spain. After a six week injury absence, Andy Murray returns and is awarded top seeding. Murray features in a draw dominated by Spanish players but with only Fernando Verdasco, Tommy Robredo and last year’s winner David Ferrer in Murray’s half the Scot should be able to make comfortable progress. He is likely to meet Gilles Simon, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga or one of the talented Russians Nikolay Davydenko or Mikhail Youzhny in the latter stages.
Tennis Betting
Rugby Betting
England have just twenty-two international matches left before the World Cup in 2011 and so Martin Johnson’s task of fashioning a competitive side starts on Saturday against Australia at Twickenham. Whilst the Wallabies have had a disappointing year, winning just one of their Tri-Nations matches, they remain a strong side building towards the next World Cup.
England have serious injury worries which has forced Martin Johnson to delay naming his twenty-two for the match and it will be a tall order for a new-look England side to win under these circumstances.
It has been fifty-six years since Wales last beat New Zealand and only once in the last fourteen matches have the Welsh avoided a double digit defeat. Many are saying that this is the ideal time to face the All Blacks with them having lost four matches already in 2009 and ten of the Welsh side having recent top level experience with the Lions. Wales are 10/11 with a twelve point start and could push the visitors all the way.
Rugby Union Betting
Rugby League Betting
In a repeat of last year’s World Cup semi final, England take on New Zealand in the Four Nations looking for revenge for their defeat in Brisbane last November. For England to have any chance of beating the Kiwis they’ll need to remember that rugby is a game of two halves, as both recent internationals have seen the home side perform diabolically in the first half before recovering in the second.
Australia face France in the weekend’s other match and with the Kangaroos in imperious form this should be a stroll for the away team.
Rugby League Betting
Horse Racing Betting
It’s a busy weekend of racing once again and the world’s focus will be on Santa Anita Park in southern California where the Breeders Cup meeting is held for the twenty-sixth time.
With a huge prize purse on offer, the meeting is one of the world’s richest featuring races including the Breeders Cup Sprint, Mile and Classic. Aidan O’Briens Rip van Winkle is the favourite for the $5million Classic and Goldikova is odds-on to retain the $2million Mile race.
Closer to home it is the November Handicap at Doncaster, a twelve furlong race with a closely contested field. Emirates Champion, Tastahil and Baila Me lead the ante-post betting.
Horse Racing Betting
