Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Sports World |
- Whisky festival target yet to be decided
- Scalpers set to make a killing as fans flock for greatest show on Earth
- Punchestowns goes on trial for Cheltenham
| Whisky festival target yet to be decided Posted: 26 Jan 2011 05:44 AM PST The upwardly mobile Oscar Whisky will have his Cheltenham Festival target decided only after he has contested the Welsh Champion Hurdle at Ffos Las on February 5, writes Elliot Slater. Trained by Nicky Henderson and owned by Dai Walters, (the owner and developer of the Ffos Las circuit), Oscar Whisky placed himself right into the reckoning for consideration for Champion Hurdle honours after impressively beating Any Given Day by seven lengths in the Cheltenham & Three Counties Club Hurdle at Prestbury Park on New Year's Day. Significantly, that win came over two-miles-five furlongs, leaving connections with the dilemma of which trip is actually best for the highly progressive son of Oscar and it's something anyone planning to bet on Cheltenham 2011 should keep an eye on. Last season the six-year-old won his two bumper starts (both at Newbury), before making a winning hurdles debut again at the Berkshire track. He then landed the odds in heavy ground at Sandown and duly headed to the Cheltenham Festival and a crack at the Grade 1 Supreme Novices' Hurdle, where he ran a perfectly creditable race in finishing third to the high-class Menorah, only two lengths behind the third placed horse, Irish star Dunguib. Quite understandably Dai Walters has always favoured his horse representing him in the Welsh Champion Hurdle – the race will be run for the first time at Ffos Las after being switched from its traditional home at Chepstow - but after that a decision will have to be made as to whether he should stick at the minimum trip and have a crack at the Champion Hurdle, for which he is currently at around 14/1 in the Cheltenham betting offers, or step up to the extended three miles and take on Big Bucks and the rest in the Ladbrokes World Hurdle, for which he is also available at around 14/1.  |
| Scalpers set to make a killing as fans flock for greatest show on Earth Posted: 26 Jan 2011 02:43 AM PST Although the Super Bowl is not being staged in a state that has a side competing in the showpiece event, fans of the Green Bay Packers and the Pittsburgh Steelers who have failed to get hold of a ticket through official means are likely to be flocking to the Dallas-Fort Worth area in order to soak up the atmosphere in the build-up to the greatest show on Earth. Add to this equation the fact that the Packers are desperate to pick up their first Super Bowl for far too long, and the fact that the tie is likely to be an engaging and exciting one, and you can see why scalpers are beginning to lick their lips about how much money they can make despite the current difficult economic climate. Anyone looking to bet on Super Bowl action is likely to go out of his way in an attempt to watch the game live, and that means prices can skyrocket. However, with fans likely to be aware of the risks of buying tickets from a scalper, and the NFL certain to be warning fans of the two teams to only buy tickets through official outlets, the likely effect is that those who are looking to make a profit through buying up as many tickets as they can before then reselling them are likely to remain as unpopular amongst fans as usual. The Super Bowl betting odds indicate it should be an exciting game, but the atmosphere would probably be even better if true fans were able to access the tickets more easily. Despite this, the allure of a ticket to watch what is commonly viewed as the greatest show on Earth is something that means that those thousands of fans who have been left disappointed that they haven't been able to get tickets through the official routes are likely to be prepared to splash thousands of dollars on tickets that may not even get them entry to the game. For their sake, let's hope the game lives up to expectations.  |
| Punchestowns goes on trial for Cheltenham Posted: 26 Jan 2011 01:22 AM PST Connections of Nicky Henderson's talented performer Punchestowns should have a better idea of which Cheltenham Festival race is most likely to suit their charge after he contests the ultra-competitive Grade 2 Argento Chase at Cheltenham on Saturday afternoon, writes Elliot Slater. With likely opposition set to include current RSA Chase favourite Time For Rupert, Tidal Bay, an excellent runner-up to Imperial Commander in the Betfair Chase at Haydock last time out, Paddy Power Gold Cup winner Little Josh, and the Paul Nicholls pair of Neptune Collonges and last year's winner of the race Taranis, Punchestowns should be given a seriously good workout, the result of which will determine whether he will go for the Ryanair Chase, the Cheltenham Gold Cup, or revert back to timber for another crack at Big Buck's in the Ladbrokes World Hurdle, in which he was a runner up in 2009. Anyone looking to place Cheltenham 2011 bets should wait and see how he does before committing their money. Henderson has always had a high regard for the eight-year-old who last season won the Grade 1 Scilly Isles Novices Chase at Sandown Park before performing slightly below expectations when only fifth to Weapons Amnesty in the RSA Chase. Punchestowns has had just the one outing so far this term when running in a pea souper of a fog at Newbury's late-December fixture, where he appeared from out of the gloom duelling with the talented Pride of Dulcote, before eventually going under by just a head. The Cheltenham 2011 betting predictions suggest he will make an impact, although it remains to see which race that will be in. It's hard to know if that was a below-par run or not (he was sent off the 4/11 favourite), as the winner is a very capable performer at his best, but Saturday's race should answer most questions in the mind of the gelding's owner and trainer and determine in which race Punchestowns is most likely to compete back at Cheltenham in the middle of March.  |
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