Monday, July 4, 2011

Sports World

Watney could lead American charge at Open

Posted: 04 Jul 2011 07:20 AM PDT

The top players in the golfing world try to ensure their game is peaking at the right time coming into the four Major tournaments.

With the third Major of the year, the British Open, just around the corner the players talked about as favourites are likely to be the top Europeans such as Lee Westwood or Rory McIlroy.

The main American contender is likely to be the ever-green Phil Mickelson, but one man coming into real form and a possibility for the British Open title is Nick Watney.

He tops the FedEx Cup standings and victory at the AT&T National last week was his second win of the season – add into that six top ten finishes so far in 2011 and he is coming into the British Open is good stead.

Watney won by two shots from KJ Choi at the AT&T National, with a large chunk of success down to a course record eight-under-par 62 for his third round. The British Open odds indicate he could be a surprise challenger later this month.

The windy links courses of the British Open have a tendency to favour the European players but some US stars have shown in the past they can come over and perform and those looking to bet on British Open 2011 should remember this.

Watney said after his AT&T victory he thinks things are moving in the right direction and is confident more wins could be just round the corner.

"I'm doing some good work with my coach, and my caddy has also been great. I feel like it's a process and I just need to keep working hard and hopefully keep winning," he added.

It has been confirmed that Dane Thorbjorn Olesen and American and Charles Howell have all made it into the British Open after leading non-exempt players at the AT&T National.

Godolphin "very happy" with Delegator ahead of July Cup bid

Posted: 04 Jul 2011 03:20 AM PDT

It's all systems go for Delegator's bid to win Saturday's Group 1 Darley July Cup at Newmarket after Sheik Mohammed's five-year-old came through his final serious gallop before the contest with flying colours, writes Elliot Slater.

Seen only once this season in competitive action when impressively landing the Group 2 Duke of York Stakes at the North Yorkshire track in May, Delegator had been the leading fancy for the Group 1 Golden Jubilee Stakes but was taken out of the race after heavy rain in the days leading up to the six furlong contest turned the ground soft. With much faster ground anticipated at HQ this coming weekend and having worked in fine style under Ted Durcan on the Limekilns gallop, hopes are very high in the Saeed bin Suroor camp that the former high-class miler can prove himself somewhere near as good over the two furlong shorter trip against the cream of international sprinters. Those following the Newmarket betting will be keeping a close eye on him.

Frankie Dettori, absent through suspensions for much of the last three weeks, is due back on board the son of Dansili who currently heads the ante-post market for the race sponsored by Sheik Mohammed's Darley breeding empire at a best priced 4/1. Delegator lost his way as a four-year-old having switched from the care of Brian Meehan to Godolphin in the middle of his three-year-old campaign that had begun with him winning the Craven Stakes before giving the now legendary Sea The Stars a fright when bustling up the great champion in the 2009 2000 Guineas on the Rowley Mile. Subsequently well beaten in heavy ground at the Curragh in the Irish equivalent, Delegator came back to run a tremendous race in failing by only a neck to beat Master Craftsman in the St James's Palace Stakes of the same season, after which he beat Zacinto (before subsequently being disqualified) in the Group 2 Celebration Mile at Goodwood.

After a modest campaign last term Delegator was dropped in trip to sprinting and at York showed he could be the major force in the division this term with a highly impressive winning return.

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Monday, July 4, 2011

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