Let's have a quick think...

As a West Ham, my life at the moment is devoid of hope. My tipping form is only slightly better than my beloved Hammers, so i've decided to do a Zola and take stock of my performance.

If, from my recommendations, each point I advise you to bet is worth £10, how well would you have fared following my advice. I'm including the horses I tipped without giving the whole hearted recommendation, but at 1/2 a point. They were still quite clearly advised and i'm desperate for some positivity.

My calculations show that, thanks to a good start to the racing, you could have followed me to £106.20 profit. If i've made a mistake please forgive me, i've not slept yet and it's now 07:07am.

Cheers!

Let's get back to the football

I've had some time away from this since Cheltenham. That friday was a shambles. The collective shock and disappointment, in a crowd of 60,000 plus people, when Kauto Star fell was sickening. I left the racecourse devastated. Next year i'm avoiding Gold Cup day, it's more personal than this punter can handle.

So, football. Save me. Bring me back from the financial abyss of four-legged frolics. Tomorrow is a tough day. Chelsea and Man. United are both too short at 4/9 for me in their fixtures. Home to Villa is one of Chelsea's hardest games in the title run-in, whilst United will be tested by a rugged Bolton. Arsenal are better value away at Birmingham. Ignore the newspapers and their Eduardo rubbish, they need to win games like this if they want to be champions. 4/7 (BetFred, Ladbrokes) is my top three bet of the weekend. I also fancy Everton (11/10 SkyBet, StanJames) away at Wolves, whose recent form has been found away from their own fans. Blackburn (15/8 SkyBet) can also take 3 points from a likely feisty derby at Burnley.

The treble returns £92.53 for a £10 stake on SkyBet.

RECOMMENDATIONS
ARSENAL 4/7(BETFRED, LADBROKES) 2 POINTS
BLACKBURN 15/8(SKYBET) 1 POINT
EVERTON 11/10(SKYBET, STANJAMES) 1 POINT

Trebles and more:
Arsenal, Blackburn, Everton, Barnsley, Middlesbrough and Millwall

IT'S KAUTO DAY

TODAY IS KAUTO DAY AND TO CELEBRATE I WILL BE DOING THIS WHOLE PARAGRAPH IN CAPITALS. FOR THOSE WHO DON'T UNDERSTAND MY EXCITEMENT, PUT YOUR TV'S ON CHANNEL 4 AT 3:20 AND WATCH KAUTO STAR, THE BEST HORSE MY GENERATION WILL PROBABLY EVER SEE, AIM TO WIN HIS THIRD CHELTENHAM GOLD CUP RACE.

Well, that was intense. Kauto Star has jumped like a dream so far this season, and his main rival, stablemate Denman, has been in poor form. The 8/11 offered by Ladbrokes and PaddyPower should be snapped up in my view. I'd also back Denman to place, about 8/11 also, and Imperial Commander (15/2) each way.

I'll be at the course for the last day of the festival, and my fancies for the day will no doubt change. Keep checking the site if you really feel you need my advice.

Recommendation KAUTO STAR 3:20 Cheltenham 5 points

13:30 Carlito Brigante (9/2 Ladbrokes)
14:05 Rock Noir (12/1 BetFred, Ladbrokes)
14:40 Quel Esprit (7/1 WilliamHill)
15:20 Kauto Star (8/11 Ladbrokes, PaddyPower)
16:00 Baby Run (13/2 Coral)
16:40 Ashkazar (6/1 Ladbrokes, WilliamHill, PaddyPower)
17:15 Green Belt Elite (12/1 ToteSport)

Yesterday, for me, was a nothing day. But I did back Masterminded, so all us faithful failures who followed performances from last year and the year before, assuming he couldn't fail considering his wins from times gone by, we can celebrate our stupidity together. Hurrah!

Today. Big Bucks for me in the 3:20 Ladbrokes World Hurdle. About 4/6 right now is tight considering the favourites that have been knocked aside, but this horse has class stamped all over it, not just on previous Cheltenham showings, this season also. And he performs here, beating the much fancied Punchestowns at the festival in 2009. Top horse, could dominate for years to come.

Big Bucks 3:20 Cheltenham 4 points

1:30 Copperbleu (16/1 PaddyPower)
2:05 Cross Kennon (20/1 PaddyPower)
2:40 Voy Por Ustedes (16/1 Ladbrokes)
3:20 Big Bucks (4/6 Betfred)
4:00 Chapoturgeon (14/1 StanJames)
4:40 Imoncloudnine (18/1 BlueSq)

Four Days are Better Than Three

Ahoy There! I'm focussing on racing's biggest week in it's calendar for the next few days.

Tomorrow, it's all about Dunguib (Evens with Ladbrokes and William Hill) in the 1:30 for me. The prayers of the Irish are sure to be following this one from the off. There are those that question it's jumping, and technique is nearly as important here as at Aintree for the Grand National. But these people are chasing problems. The roar from the Cheltenham crowd will get all the starters going, and at pace no one can compete with Dunguib.

The Irish had a certainty in the same race last year, yet Cousin Vinny failed miserably for fifth place. This time I expect a story of victory.

If you disagree, I'd trust Get Me Out Of Here (4/1) and Paddy Power's money back deal, if Dunguib wins the race then they'll refund all single bets on the race. Solid offer that.

DUNGUIB 13:30 Cheltenham 2 Points

Cheltenham Day One
13:30 Dunguib (evens) NAP
14:05 Sizing Europe (11/2 PaddyPower, Coral)
14:40 The Tother One E/W (16 VictorChandler, WillHill, Bet 365)
15:20 Binocular (8/1 BetFred)
16:00 Garde Champetre (9/4 WillHill)
16:40 Quevega (2/1 SkyBet, Ladbrokes, WillHill)

Saturday 13th March

It’s Saturday! Wahey! Time for some football, some football with players names you know and can pronounce. Let’s kick off with the early, urm, kick off. Well that’s kicked off this blog well, it’ll all kick off now. Tottenham should look to take all 3 points comfortably against a Blackburn team that struggles on its travels. The odds reflect this, so i’d suggest at least a double if you agree with me. Which leads me to my next pick. Arsenal away at Hull, and if Arsenal don’t win this then they can’t win the league in my eyes, Hull aren’t up to much (just watch the highlights of their 5-1 drubbing at Everton last week if you disagree). You can get this double at around evens, and to me that’s a decent value bet.
Elsewhere, Barnsley can bounce back after their own horrorshow against Newcastle last week with a win at home against debt-ridden Crystal Palace, Watford have got to look at taking all the points at home to struggling Peterborough and Leeds will up their game in a very important at Southampton.

RECOMMENDATION: TOTTENHAM AND ARSENAL WIN DOUBLE 1 POINT
Combinations within Arsenal, Tottenham, Barnsley, Watford and Leeds 1/2

Let's begin...

I don't think I can ignore the cricket, which starts tomorrow (3:30am GMT). If England lose then their resting captain would look an idiot. The players themselves would look ridiculous, Bangladesh are the worst test playing country around. The injuries are a concern, as is the form of Kevin Pietersen, but i'm expecting some positive performances all round, especially Captain Cook. Michael Carberry is another who will feel determined to get some runs under his belt. If it wasn't so easy for South Africans to come and play for England then he may have been in the team much sooner than now. Time to prove yourself worthy. 2/5 with SportingBet isn't fantastic (those with a Betfair account are looking at 1.46 right now) but i'm confident this bet is a moneymaker.

Tonight's football is much harder to call. The English teams are looking at tough games. Liverpool last year would walk all over Lille, but a trip to France on current form leaves me to worried to touch that game. Fulham would do fantastic not to lose, and 4/6(Bet365) on Juventus at home seems a decent price. Elsewhere, Hamburg at 8/13(Ladbrokes, BetFred and Bet365) are fancied by this writer.

ADVISED:
4 points ENGLAND vs Bangladesh
2 points JUVENTUS vs Fulham
1 point HAMBURG vs Anderlecht