Quick Links
Weekly Sports Tips
Welcome to our weekly column where we try and seek good value in some longer odds bets.
Review
Another disappointing week for our long shots. Two 0-0 draws frustrated our football bets, Thongchai Jaidee didn’t quite cut the mustard in Malaysia and a first round nightmare for Carl Pettersson ended his chances at the Honda Classic. His second round was superb, however, and more of that later….
2pts Hunterview to win the paddy Power Imperial Cup at 4/1
The key to this bet is to take the odds as quickly as you can. Whilst stablemate Salut Flo was considered the early ante-post favourite, the odds on Hunterview have tumbled from 7/1 earlier in the week to just 4/1 today. The David Pipe trained four year old could see his odds cut yet further. AS my colleague Paddy Power says, “If the support continues and the race cuts up, he could start at 2/1.”
Take the 4/1 now.
Racing Betting
1pt Ireland to beat Wales in the Six Nations by 11-15 points at 11/2
I tipped Ireland to beat England at Twickenham last time out and despite it being closer than I hoped (I tipped Ireland to win by 6-10 points) there was never any real danger of a home win.
Ireland’s one defeat was to a France side who can beat any team in the world on their day, and my pre-tournament tips for the title can continue their decent form with a home win over Wales this weekend. Wales have been a disappointment so far, and whilst I expect them to perform well, Ireland should have enough to win comfortably.
0.5pts e/w Svetlana Kuznetsova to win the BNP Paribas Open at 16/1 (e/w 1/2 places 1,2)
There’s a strong field in Indian Wells this week for the BNP Paribas Open with a cool $700,000 on offer to the winner. Whilst the Belgian pair of Justine Henin and Kim Clijsters lead the betting, it’s worth noting that none of the finalists in this tournament in the last three years have started the competition at odds of better than 6/1.
I like the chances of Svetlana Kuznetsova. The Russian world number Three has a good record at this event, reaching the final in both 2007 and 2008 before defeats to Daniele Hantuchova and Ana Ivanovic. Quite why she is as long as 16/1 I have no idea, but I’ll go each-way in the event that she loses in the final for the third time in four years.
Tennis Betting
0.5pts e/w Carl Pettersson to win the Honda Classic at 125/1 (e/w 1/4 odds places 1,2,3,4,5)
I’m actually going to stick with one of my long shots from last week and once again back the 32year old Carl Pettersson to perform well at the Puerto Rico Open.
Pettersson scored a disappointing 77 in his first round at the Honda Classic last week, but with a feisty threesome including Anthony Kim and Robert Allenby, I’m prepared to excuse that performance. His second round 68 was a much more reliable barometer of his potential and in a less highly strung atmosphere, I am confident that Pettersson can find some good form at the Trump International Puerto Rico club.
Performance to date: -16.75pts
