Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Sports World

Posted: 28 Jun 2011 08:08 AM PDT

When any of the big meetings or one of the major Festivals is completed it is always a good idea to take a look back and see what we can learn from the sport that we have seen and what lessons can be learned for the future.

The first thought is often born out at these meetings and is based around how competitive they are, and given that competitiveness backing the "hype" and short-priced horses is rarely the way to profit from these meetings. Supporters of the two shortest priced horses – So You Think and Frankel – endured a tough time and would not have left the meeting in profit. In fact supporting all the horses priced at 2/1 or less this week at the Royal Meeting would have resulted in a level stakes loss of over two points, with only four of the ten horses priced in that range proving successful. Anyone looking at the horse racing betting tips should bear this in mind.

When looking to support horses at those sorts of prices it is worth remembering those figures at Festival and big meetings, the racing is far more competitive than usual and the racing betting reflects this.

It takes time to establish yourself as a jockey and break through to the top-flight and for some time now it has looked as though Silvestre De Sousa would be able to do this and confirm his outstanding talent. De Sousa has honed his craft on the bread-and-butter tracks of the North and with just two rides at the meeting starting at single-figure odds from 15 mounts he looked up against it to break his Royal Ascot duck, but he scored on both Namibian and Fox Hunt for Mark Johnston who provided the majority of his rides. It looks as though Johnston now sees De Sousa as his first choice jockey at the bigger meetings as he also scored a double for the trainer on Derby Day. It's surely only a matter of time until he is used more and more by the big Southern stables.

The French females didn't get off to the best of starts with the defeat of Goldikova in the opening race of the meeting but they stamped their authority via the fillies by going 1-2 in the Coronation Stakes. Immortal Verse led home Nova Hawk and it would appear that the top-class three-year-old fillies are this year residing on the other side of the English Channel. The Falmouth Stakes would appear the next obvious target for this pair in a race where three year-olds have been successful in four out of the past five years.

Tiger a doubt for the Open

Posted: 28 Jun 2011 06:32 AM PDT

Three-time Open champion Tiger Woods appears to be struggling in his bid to return to action in time for next month's tournament at the Royal St George's Course in Sandwich. The 35-year-old has been out of action since May, with recurrences of the various injuries to his left leg, and has now pulled out of next week's AT&T National event, which had been pencilled in as his return event. With the third major of the year edging closer, the race is really hotting up for Woods to be fit in time for the July 14th start. Those looking at the British Open betting odds golf will be wondering if he can make it.

Tiger's hopes of adding more majors to the 14 he already owns seems to be looking more and more unlikely, with his body struggling to handle the regular stresses and strains. The injuries have had a major impact on his disappointing run of form that has seen him fail to win a title since September 2009, but they haven't been the only reason for Tiger's lack of form and the British Open specials reflect this.

The much publicised off-course problems have been well documented over the past 18 months and Tiger's game has come under even more pressure and scrutiny since returning to action. The battle really now is on for Woods to get his body back fit enough for him to start hopefully challenging for majors again. Whether that is at next month's Open is still very much in doubt.

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Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Sports World

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