Our pundits look ahead to a tough road game for QPR, and value elsewhere in the weekend market.

The Don
I watched the Grand National in a Dutch bar – barely managing to focus on the screen due to a heavy drinking session which started the previous afternoon in Canterbury, continued in Harwich (nice place...) and on the overnight boat to the Hook of Holland. However, I was aware, and acutely disappointed, that Bewley’s Berry couldn’t quite find that extra bit of energy to really challenge for glory despite being handy throughout.

We did of course recoup some money as both Portsmouth and Cardiff won in normal time just as I predicted – for the record, for the final, I predict a riot – but overall our profits are ebbing away. Currently we are up by £130.38.

After one of the most exciting punting weekends of the year comes one of the slowest – the only exception is the US Masters, but as that is ‘in running’ I can’t include any meaningful advice.

So, I’m afraid it’s a series of sterile football bets this week starting with our visit to Hull. We may nick a DRAW (we may not) but I’m happy to invest £10 in the 5/2 offered by Bet365.

Elsewhere I’m going to buy some money by backing LEICESTER to beat Colchester (£11 @ 8/11 with Ladbrokes) and CRYSTAL PALACE to dispose of Scunthorpe (£7 @ 4/7 with Bet Direct).

Finally, and regrettably, I just can’t resist the 10/11 on offer from Bet365 that GILLINGHAM will be relegated – invest £22 on that eventuality.

Previously advised:
Lucky 15 bet – remaining 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 – but our horse's narrow failure to win the National means we won’t be able to pay off the mortgage)
Shaun Murphy and Stephen Maguire to win the World Snooker Championship.
Mumbai to win the IPL
Delhi to win the IPL

Brian Power
My thought for this week is - why do Sky always have Super Sunday or Grand Slam Sundays but never advertise the Fulham V Wigan match as Mediocre Monday? OK I know why, but wouldn’t it be refreshing to hear Richard Keys say “If I were you I would turn over to BBC1 now as Murder she Wrote is about to start” Andy Gray could analyse where the murderer went wrong and Jamie Rednkapp could wax lyrical about Jessica Fletcher and how she solved it quicker than Columbo and Ironside put together. Surely you worst case scenario would be travelling on a plane with Katie Adie on one side and Jessica Fletcher on the other, those two just attract trouble.

Other random questions this week:
Who cut Claire Balding’s hair?
Was the Olympic torch relay through London really necessary?
Also did we really need all the Chinese security guards especially as our players were nowhere near the event?

We travel to form team Hull this weekend and if they are not careful Hull could be champions of this league as all around them seem to be fluffing the chance to get promoted. I am going for Hull to mess it up this week and I fancy us to win so will have a few quid on a couple of correct scores and will stick with Fitz Hall to score first.

I am also going for a £1 Lucky 15 on first goal scorers in the following games at Coral and a couple of other footie bets. Good Luck

For the weekend:
WBA V Watford K Phillips 5/1
Pompey V Newcastle J Defoe 5/1
Man U V Arsenal W Rooney 5/1
Spurs V Boro Berbatov 9/2

£10 accum Reading 10/11 Vila 4/7 Everton 7/5 Palace 8/13 Bet365
£5 1st scorer F Hall 40/1 WH
7.50 QPR to win 2-1 16/1 BET365
2.50 QPR to win 3-1 50/1 Bet365

£2.50 doubles and £2.50 treble
Colchester 9/2 Carlisle 5/2 Brighton 5/4

Photo: Action Images

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