Two of our pundits look ahead to the weekend trip to Sheff Wed, and other value in the weekend markets

The Don
I don’t know whether to laugh or cry – the most exciting week in the horse racing year is upon us and what am I doing? Am I preparing myself for a week of beer and betting at Cheltenham ? No, instead I’m facilitating a three day workshop for some chaps from the Ministry of Defence. I’m sure they are all very nice, but they are not Sizing Europe or Denman are they…

Anyway, football to start, and we’re up at Hillsborough. Yeah, a 2-0 win for QPR @ odds of 13/1 with Paddy Power.

And now to festival, and as avid readers of this column will know, we’ve already got a few on our side at what now look like rather tasty prices, but that’s no reason not to throw another couple into the mix. First up the World Hurdle and although I can’t argue with the short price of Inglis Drever, he probably is the most likely winner of the whole meeting, I’m tempted by the place money which LOUGH DERG (£10 each way @ 20/1 with William Hill) may deliver to my purse.

Finally, in the Ballymore Novice Hurdle, let’s have a £20 win on AIGIE D’OR @ 11/2 with Coral.

For the weekend:
Sheff Wed 0 QPR 2 £10 at 13/1 Paddy Power
Lough Derg,World Hurdle, £10 each way 20/1 William Hill
Ballymore Novice Hurdle, Aigie D’Or 11/2 Coral, £20

Previously Advised:
Star de Mohaison to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup £10 e/w @ 25/1
Second half of Denman win double – Cheltenham Gold Cup, £300 potential return
Lucky 15 bet – remaining Bewley’s Berry in the Grand National Neil Robertson in the World Snooker Championship, and Adam Scott in the US Masters. (Note: John Part winning the PDC World Darts Championship already guarantees a profit – all four will return upwards of a third of a million pounds).
Sizing Europe to win the Champion Hurdle £4.50 each way @ 10/1
Nevada Royal to win the Royal Sun Alliance Chase £5 each way @ 14/1 (probable non runner)
Apt Approach to win the Champion Bumper £5 each way @ 20/1

Brian Power
Some reject from X Factor has won the right to represent the UK in the Eurovision Song Contest. Gone are the days when we won this competition on a regular basis with Cliff Richard, Sandie Shaw, Brotherhood of Man (they were a 70’s version of Steps but they could sing and dance) and Bucks Fizz. Now we go abroad and fail miserably as no one likes the British and the Baltic countries have got the voting stitched up. The Irish have the right idea and have chosen a kids TV character called “Dustin the Turkey ” (make your own jokes up please) so I think we need to get the Q block to enter next year. What we need is the bloke with his drum and 6 of his mates to give a us a rendition of Gigi Di Canio, Bernie and Flavio followed by the Blue Flag and all rounded off with a chorus of “We all dream of a team of Marcus Beans” The stewards can stand behind them and act as backing dancers and when Terry Wogan starts to introduce them we can give him a chant of “You’re the face of Pukka Pies” - it gets my vote and any excuse for a trip into Europe . Which leads me onto Cheltenham and one of the great hopes is Sizing Europe. One of my competitors has this at 10/1 which is great value – abit like my Grand National tip which is now 6/1 when advised at 18/1. I am not going to tip Sizing Europe however but will give you a Lucky 15 and a Paul Nicholls treble for Cheltenham .

And I am going for our rampaging full back Damien Delaney to score against Sheff Wed as we put them deeper in trouble. Good Luck for Cheltenham.
Also keep an eye out for Ferdy Murphy trained horses at the Festival as he has pulled out some big priced winners over the last few years.

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For the weekend:
£5 QPR to beat Sheff Wed 3-1 22/1 Stan James
£2.50 1st goal and last goal Damien Delaney - 50/1 Ladbrokes
£1 L15 Cheltenham – all Coral
2.00 Tuesday Captain Cee Bee 8/1
2.00 Wednesday Forpaddytheplasterer 5/1
2.35 Wednesday Silverburn 8/1
2.35 Thursday L’Antarique 8/1
£10 treble at Ladbrokes pays 262.50
Noland, Kauto Star and Masterminded
£7.50e/w on Mon Michel in the Imperial Cup on Saturday 10/1

Photo: Action Images

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