Wayne Mardle on the World Championships: Van Gerwen to be crowned champ

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Australian Open Tips: Na Li to upset the defending champ

Australian Open Betting / Sean Calvert / 21 January 2012 / Leave a Comment

Na Li looks in fantastic shape physically and is in good form

"Clijsters had to be at her best to take Na Li out last time here and
the form that the Chinese player has shown in the last few weeks is
more than good enough to beat a less than 100% Clijsters in my view,
so the current odds look worth taking."

Kim Clijsters is the defending champ in Melbourne but she may be out of the running to defend that title sooner rather than later when she faces the same player she defeated in last year's final. Na Li looks in good enough form to beat her, says Sean Calvert.

It was another perfect day for followers of my tips on Day 6 of the 2012 Australian Open with both Kei Nishikori and Sabine Lisicki both obliging to make it 11 out of 12 so far this week.

With our accounts looking healthy it's time to take a chance on an odds-against shot on Day 7 at Melbourne Park and last year's finalist Na Li is my first bet tonight.

The Chinese star is a very backable [2.44] to take revenge for her loss in last year's final to Kim Clijsters, who by my reckoning isn't at her best so far in this tournament in terms of fitness.

The Belgian has been functional against some average opponents and this is probably because she's not had much tennis in the last six months.

Clijsters had to be at her best to take Na Li out last time here and the form that the Chinese player has shown in the last few weeks is more than good enough to beat a less than 100% Clijsters in my view, so the current odds look worth taking.

Another bet worth consideration is Jelena Jankovic's price in her match against world number one in name only, Caroline Wozniacki.

Jankovic has shown much improved form lately and there are still concerns over Wozniacki's injured wrist.

This clash of two defensive pushers could go long and I like the [2.9]
about Jankovic in that one.

On the men's side today, it's worth sticking with the kid that's made us few quid this week, local hero Bernard Tomic.

The awkward 19-year-old probably won't have enough left in the tank after a few long matches to defeat Federer, but I think he'll be good enough to take a set off the Swiss maestro, so the bet is a lay of 3-0 Federer at around [1.78].

The pair have met just the once so far and that was on grass in the Davis
Cup a few months ago. Tomic took a set that day and his deceptively effective style of play should have enough about it to trouble the world number three.

It's a big ask for Tomic to pull off a shock, but it will be fascinating to see how much the Aussie has improved lately when the pair clash at 8am UK time on Sunday.

Recommended Bets

Back Na Li to beat Clijsters at [2.44]
Lay Federer 3-0 v Tomic at [1.78]

Follow Sean on Twitter @seancalvert1

It's been a while since Jelena Jankovic has been at her best but a tie against current world number one Caroline Wozniacki should present a great chance to remind the world that she's a former world number one herself, says...

Andy Murray can overcome Michel Llodra in Melbourne, says Sean Calvert, but your is better off elsewhere. Our man explains why he's backing Kei Nishikori and Sabine Lisicki....

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The Lord's Greyhounds News: Betfair Trainers Champ hopefuls go eyeball-to-eyeball ... over lunch

Greyhounds News / The Lord / 02 March 2011 / Leave a Comment

Who will emerge triumphant this year?

"Derby favourites Boher Paddy (Lister) and Droopys Oscar (Cahill) will represent their kennels at the Betfair Trainer's Championship, it really will be one of the meetings of the year."

The Lord rounds up all the big stories from the sport

Today (March 2) sees the now traditional Betfair Trainers' Championship meeting luncheon which this year takes place at the Cannizaro House Hotel, Wimbledon, south-west London.
So, taking centre-stage will be champion trainer Seamus Cahill, his predecessors for that title Mark Wallis and Charlie Lister, plus Chris Allsopp, Pat Rosney and Paul Young.
The six are at the lunch, and therefore the chief protagonists at the trainers' shootout at Wimbledon live on Sky Sports on March 22, courtesy of finishing as the top six trainers of 2010. And the countdown to that lucrative and exciting occasion begins today!
Come March 22, eight trainers will provide eight greyhounds for eight races over a variety of distances. And when you think the likes of the Derby champions of the past two years, Bandicoot Tipoki and Kinda Ready will line up for Charlie Lister and Mark Wallis respectively, plus the likes of Derby favourites Boher Paddy (Lister) and Droopys Oscar (Cahill) will represent their kennels, it really will be one of the meetings of the year.

Meanwhile, Blue Artisan was the star of the show at Wimbledon on Tuesday when the Sky-covered Racing Post Juvenile was the showpiece event.
In what turned out a messy race as fast-starting Mill Bling Bling and Razldazl Jayfkay came together at the first bend, Harry Willliams's Gymcrack champion powered through against the rails to win going away from the unlucky Mill Bling Bling and Boher Paddy, who also got held up.
It was a deserved success for trainer Williams, who suffered real heartache last year when the same dog was withdrawn from the Select Stakes after Williams got held up n terrible traffic en route to Nottingham from Bishop Auckland.

Star of the supporting card at Wimbledon was the performance of Bandicoot Tipoki who rolled back the years as he returned to the scene of his greatest triumph, last year's Derby, to win in the fastest time of the night.

As a postscript to Wimbledon, Razldazl Jayfkay's brother Monleek Merc goes under the hammer at Hall Green's sale on Sunday (March 6) morning. The two-year-old is a Dundalk winner.

London & Quadrant, the owners of Walthamstow Stadium, are failing the tax-payer. That is the latest accusation to be levelled at the housing association by the Save Our Stow campaign.
SOS confidence in their own attempts to prove that L&Q may be landbanking the famous site have been boosted by research which appears to show that plans to be build housing on the land could result in a loss of £25m.
"There are some key points that our own property and planning experts have shown that highlight flaws in L&Q's plans," said one source. "And that's if they really have any plans at all, apart from landbanking."
Bob Morton, the three-time Derby-winning owner, remains committed to brokering a deal that will see greyhound racing return to Walthamstow as part of a wider leisure development.

Racing this week continues at top pace!
Thursday sees the start of the Ladbrokes Midland Puppy Derby, for which the Gary Newbon-owned, Nick Savva-trained Droopys Greg goes to traps as favourite for the 36-dog stake, while on Saturday Shawfield begins the countdown to the first Classic of the year with trial stakes for the Scottish Derby in April.

The Lord rounds up all the big stories from the sport...

With a busy week in prospect, the Lord fills us in on the latest goings on from down the dogs......

A big month is in store at the south west London track with the Sky cameras set to broadcast live on two occasions...

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The Lord's Greyhounds News: Countdown to the Trainers' Champ

Greyhounds News / The Lord / 10 February 2011 / Leave a Comment

The Betfair Trainers' Championship takes place on March 1

"Wimbledon on Tuesday also gave a lot of people their first sighting of Dolores Ruth's talking dog Razldazl Jayfkay. And the Irish raider didn't disappoint."

Trainers get in the mood for March 1 showdown, talking dog puts up and will they let the dogs out at Kempton and Towcester?

The countdown to the Betfair Trainers' Championship pretty much began at Wimbledon's Springbok meeting on Sky on Tuesday when four of the six trainers who will line up in the eight-race shootout at Plough Lane on March 22 had runners.

Seamus Cahill, Mark Wallis, Charlie Lister and Chris Allsopp were all represented on the card as they gave some of their likely team experience of Wimbledon, and that is likely to happen again for the next Sky meeting, also at Wimbledon, on March 1.

That's the night of the Juvenile Championship and Wallis, Lister, Allsopp and Cahill are sure to have some of the best on show in the main event and supporting card. And Pat Rosney and Paul Young, the two trainers who make up the six for the Betfair Trainers' Championship, are sure to join the fray

*

Wimbledon on Tuesday also gave a lot of people their first sighting of Dolores Ruth's talking dog Razldazl Jayfkay. And the Irish raider didn't disappoint.

He found trouble in the race won by Saint Jack, but on a track clearly favouring the outside, he showed admirable gears to challenge for the lead on a couple of occasions.
Inexperience might just have cost him, but Razldazl Jayfkay, along with his brother Razldazl George, also beaten on the night when also finding bother, will be back.

*

The Champagne Club is looking forward to the Derby with interest after the purchase of Razldazl Joe from Dolores Ruth's kennel.

Bubbly Razldazl is now the dog's name and he boasts some very decent Irish form.
The Club will be hoping he can follow the likes of Bubbly Totti and Bubbly Maestro, both of whom ran with great credit for the members in the Classic.

*

Betfair Prestige winner Blue Bee heads a very strong field for the Golden Jacket, one of greyhound racing's most popular competitions, which starts at Crayford on Friday.

Matt Dartnall's bitch has a peach of a draw on the inside in heat two over the Kent track's 714m and is a leading contender for outright honours along with the Jacket's two previous winners Lorrys Options and Group Skater, who both return to Crayford.

*

Kinda Ready is on the comeback trail. The 2009 Derby champion led home highly rated Romeo Reason in a 480m trial at Wimbledon on Tuesday and ultimately has another crack at the Classic as his main target.

He is almost sure to be part of Mark Wallis's team for the Betfair Trainers' Championship, but might also take in the Scottish Derby en route to Wimbledon.

*

Finally, efforts to introduce greyhound racing at horse racing tracks such as Towcester and Kempton are continuing. But as yet nothing has been confirmed.
One source said: "It's hoped to put a track in at Towcester, but things might well kick off with ball-hare racing up a straight there.

"And that's also the plan with Kempton providing the sport's authorities agree to trials, and the track itself is happy. The lure of greyhound racing in front of packed grandstands, just as was the case at Cheltenham a few years back, could be tough to resist.

"Greyhound racing seems to be staging something of a comeback with big crowds reported, and one of two extremely positive announcements for the sport imminent."

Trainers get in the mood for March 1 showdown, talking dog puts up and will they let the dogs out at Kempton and Towcester?...

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