chrisobee

The word MIRACLE springs readily to mind

IF Big Bucks, Zarkander and Denman justify their favourites tags no doubt there will a lot of bookies screaming they are broke today ! Of course these are 3 very classy horses and should win. However, slightly worrying Paul Nicholls has stated Big Buck's and Zarkandar have both had health scares in the run-up to their respective races. While stressing both issues were 'minor', Nicholls said Big Buck's was off his food on Monday and Tuesday, although blood tests showed nothing amiss, while Triumph Hurdle hero Zarkandar has had a mouth abscess. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/racing/article-1374152/Nicholls-hurdling-duo-Big-Bucks-Zarkandar-pass-late-tests.html So with no real conviction my stabs in a very dim light ( ie my brain ) are : 2.00 Big Bucks/ Carlito Brigante the ew/ without favourite market pick for me. 2.30 Zarkander / Kumbeshwar ew - Hard to ignore the record of Alan King and Robert Thornton here so Kumbeshwar looks good for a place at least, 10/1 generally. Grandouet should go well for Nicky Henderson 3.05 Denman/Carole's Legacy - A. P. McCoy/ Nicky Henderson partnership a big positive for Carole's Legacy. However, even in a 6 runner field I am struggling and Punchestowns winning would be no surpise at all but I will swerve him nonetheless ! 3.40 Turko/ Mr Apple's ew This is now getting very, very worrying since not only am I pretty much on the same page as Frankie I am totally in agreement with Cato so far, we are doomed 4.15 Leo's Lucky Star ew/Mamlook ew/Sports Line : I really like the chances of Mamlook who looks well weighted but since this is yet another Frankie tip I will throw probable favourite Leo's Lucky Star and Sports Line into the mix though last time out winner Oiseau De Nuit is another to consider. Interesting that Paul Nicholls has a dire record in this race so I'm definitely swerving Woolcombe Folly and Tchico Plos. 4.50 : Medermit/Royal Charm ( oh flip ANOTHER Frankie pick !) : Of course Medermit was only 4th at Cheltenham but had previously beaten Captain Chris and looks the obvious form pick, Royal Charm looks the main danger. 5.25 : Get Me out Of Here ( could be apt come this race !) ew / Russian War ew/ Patesse ew A pin stickers delight but both McCoy and Jonjo O'Neill tend to do well at Aintree so a tentative, very tentative pick along with Russian War and I might have guessed ANOTHER Frankie pick with the consistent Patesse. Edit : Oh my days, I now see Sir Cato has opted for Sports Line and Royal Charm also. At least I swerved, though narrowly, Sire Collonges

Stevo is probably potless until and if one of his Masters/Aintree selections wins

Fair to say I have even less of a clue who is going to win as I have about which horse is going to win the National. However, my medioce selections are : Hunter Mahan at around 30/1 : Much more consistent this year. Luke Donald at around 25/1 : Believe Donald is Faldo’s choice of the top European this week so in spite of being dumb enough to win the Par 3 comp ( no idea what that is mind other than the obvious clue in the title ! ) must have a chance. Ye Yang at around 100/1 : Currently 120's on BF though, seems generous for a player who finished in the top 10 last year. Steve Marino at around 125/1 and 25/1 for a top 5 finish. 170's on BF. Stuart Appleby at around 200/1, 275's on BF. I also like Justin Rose but don't tell Stevo Note that while most bookmakers are now paying the first 5 in golf tournaments for each way bets both Paddy Power and Boylesports are paying the first 6 and still keeping it at 1/4 odds a place. Also Stan James will refund any losing win bet (as a free bet) on the outright market if Phil Mickelson or Tiger Woods win the Masters. Otherwise hard to oppose Peter Uihlein as top Amateur. He is the US Amateur champion and in a field of just six he is the stand out though a skinny price at 2.5 on Betfair.

5000/1 now to qualify !?

Squad for game v Durham : Adams, Myburgh, Vince, McKenzie, Ervine, Pothas, Cork, Briggs, Jones, De Wet, Griffiths, Dawson, Howell. I would imagine the first XI named is going to be the actual team with Myburgh opening.

He isn't an opener, made 0 v Middx today. Adams will open of course but with whom I would not know. I'm hoping McKenzie has arrived from South Africa now ? Tahir not being here isn't a problem as we have Briggs. At least Myburgh looks a very good player so will certainly strenthen the squad.

I've been going to football since I was 8. Seen dreadful hooliganism, awful tackles, referees being harassed, jostled and abused, heard racist, homophobic, sexist chants/comments, swearing really doesn't come close to any of those.

It is absurd, there are so many ODI's played ( who on earth decided England and Australia should play 9 times after the Ashes ? ) so why reduce the number of games at a WORLD CUP. The lunatics at the ICC have excelled even themselves this time.

Yes, seems unlikely he will be fit otherwise I'm pretty sure he would take some part in this friendly. With Lumb at the IPL we might have Howells opening. In the game v Middx they are 96-2. Bowling : de Wet (5-1-8-1), Griffiths (7-0-23-1), Howell (5-2-13-0), Cork (5-2-14-0), Jones (5-0-14-0), Wood (3-0-15-0)

Hants v Middx, another 2 day friendly : Hampshire team Dawson, Howell, Myburgh, Vince, Ervine, Pothas, Cork, de Wet, Wood, Jones, Griffiths, Riazuddin. Middx team : Robson, Newman, Housego, Malan, Dexter*, Berg, Simpson+, Rayner, Crook, Murtah, Finn, Collymore. For Hants, Briggs and Adams resting after tour of WI. Lumb = IPL, McKenzie = South Africa, Carberry, Ali, Balcs, Dimi, Tahir = all getting back to full fitness. Thanks to @Hantscricket on Twitter. Edit: Bates likely to keep wicket though not batting.

Yep, he had little chance with either goal. I doubt Peter Shilton would have saved the 2nd !

Don't you mean Simple Minds Another great uncontrollable unknown.

Tips/fancies here ! http://www.aintree.co.uk/pages/2011-grand-national-meeting/

Hants playing 2 day friendly v Surrey. No surprise most of yesterday was rained off but some action today. Simon Jones and Kabir Ali bowling which is good to see. Full squad : Dawson, Howell, Myburgh (wearing number 98 lol), Vince, Bates , Pothas+ , Cork* , de Wet, Wood , Riazuddin, Ali , Tomlinson , Griffiths , Jones. According to Hants CCC twitter: " I can see the newly muscled-up Michael Bates in the outfield as we speak practising his diving catches ! " http://ht.ly/4pmsK

I can only assume you haven't seen that many players playing for us!

http://www.saintsweb.co.uk/showthread.php?9682-Saints-Greatest-XI-The-Best-Managers-Poll

Bally never played for Man City and retired in 1984, LM was no longer manager in 1995, I am not aware there was EVER an issue with Bally over money. Otherwise it might have been a huge mistake

Good, Australia lost, SA lost. Just need you to be wrong again as guaranteed !

Definitely a mistake to play Williams but that's how it goes. No luck in the FA Cup in the 80's- 1986 I think when Mark Wright broke his leg colliding with Shilts at 0-0, of course Rush then scored 2.

At this rate he could have been any age at any given time !!

http://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=46277 23..........

I'll save you the time, 1928

Someone has mischievously changed that today, I swear at lunchtime he was only 23:lol:

I think he is almost certainly 23. When he signed for Oldham from Bury in 2008 he was reported to be 20 then.