Friday, January 27, 2012
Sports World |
- Cheltenham – Types of Race
- Mickelson Struggling at Torrey Pines
- Bogut Out 'Indefinitely'
- Ovechkin struggling on the rink but rapping off it!
- Sens break losing streak against toothless Sharks
- Passionate Beckham pens new Galaxy deal
- Red Hot Thunder see off struggling Celtics
| Posted: 27 Jan 2012 08:21 AM PST The Cheltenham Festival as most people know is the highlight and pinnacle of the National Hunt season and it attracts die-hard followers of the sports, once a year racegoers and first timers alike and one thing that can be confusing is all the different types of races that take place at the Festival. Here is a short guide that will help you understand the differences between the types of races and obstacles that you would see at the Cheltenham Festival over the course of the 27 races and four days. The first thing to differentiate is what are hurdles and steeplechase fences. Hurdles are smaller, more flexible obstacles typically about 3½ feet in height, and a minimum of eight of them are jumped in races which range from 2M to just over 3M at the Festival. Those looking for tips for racing should remember this. Steeplechase fences are larger, rigid obstacles a minimum of 4½ feet high and are run over distances of 2M to 4M at the Festival, once again a minimum of eight obstacles are jumped per race. The Champion Bumper is the only flat race run at the Festival and it regularly showcases some of the most exciting young horses in training, who subsequently go on to make big names for themselves over hurdles or fences. The term "Bumper" comes from the fact that in the past, only amateur riders were allowed to compete and they typically had an ungainly "bumping" style in the saddle in comparison to the professionals. Now we have established what is jumped in a race, let's take a look at the types of race that you could see at Cheltenham. Many of the races will be for novices, so what is a novice? A novice is a horse who has not won a race under a particular code (hurdling or chasing) before the current season. They generally race against their own but there is nothing to stop a novice running in normal hurdles or chases. The last novice to win the Gold Cup was Captain Christy in 1974, whilst Alderbrook was still a novice when capturing the Champion Hurdle in 1995. People who bet on racing should bear this in mind. Moving on we then come to handicaps of which there are 11 at the Festival – some over hurdles and some over fences. The horses in handicaps are allotted different weights assessed on their abilities over past races, the idea being that the different weights will equalise their ability and allow then to finish together. Of course that never happens but if there is a very close finish involving three or four horses you will often hear pundits/commentators say that "is a victory for the handicapper". Although most handicap races are not for the very best horses, this is not true in all cases, and some of the biggest races in the world are handicaps, such as the Grand National. The most prestigious handicaps run at the Festival include the William Hill Chase for staying chasers and the County Hurdle for speedy 2M hurdlers. All races are graded at the Festival are graded - the most prestigious contests are, in descending order of importance, Grade 1s, Grade 2s, Grade 3s, Listed contests, Handicaps to Bumpers - the least prestigious. The more highly graded races attract more prize money and better horses – the most important race at the Festival is the Cheltenham Gold Cup worth £500,000 and the prizes run right down to the one with least money on offer the Foxhunters, worth £40,000 but that race is more about prestige that prize money. The Cheltenham Festival is one of the year's sporting highlights and it moves ever closer.  |
| Mickelson Struggling at Torrey Pines Posted: 27 Jan 2012 05:20 AM PST Phil Mickelson cut a sorry figure in California, yesterday, finishing the first day of the Farmers Insurance Open on five-over-par 72, to tie for 147 on the leaderboard. The three-time Masters champion is currently trailing his compatriots, and current leaders, Spencer Levin and Kyle Stanley, by 15 points. Mickelson, at 14/1, is the fourth-favourite to win the Masters Tournament at Augusta, in April, behind Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, and Lee Westwood. However, if his performance at Torrey Pines is any kind of indicator, the bookmakers have been a little too generous to the 41-year-old American. People following the best US Masters odds online need to remember this. With seven bogeys on the opening day, Mickelson starts the second round on the back foot. He made just two shots under par, yesterday, at the 6th and 17th, as his accuracy with the driver fell to under 50 perfect. His putting, often described as his forte, was decidedly average; he made 32 attempts with the stick, over the course of the day. Mickelson's nightmare in the first round is disappointing for the left-hander, in more ways than one. The HSBC Golf Championship in Abu Dhabi has drawn a number of 'big names' away from the Farmers Open, this week a development that leaves Mickelson as one of the few household names in California. While it would be unfair to the other golfers at Torrey Pines to suggest that this year's line-up poses less of a challenge to Mickelson, the absence of Tiger Woods, the 'poster-boy' of the Farmers Open, had presented Lefty with an opportunity to rack up some points without Woods breathing down his neck. Tiger, who is currently tied for third in Abu Dhabi, chose to play in the HSBC Championship, alongside Rory McIlroy, due to the larger prize offered by the organisers, both in terms of money and rankings points. Woods is hoping to stake a claim on Luke Donald's no.1 slot on the Rankings, in time for the start of the Masters Tournament.  |
| Posted: 27 Jan 2012 05:11 AM PST The Milwaukee Bucks' 7ft centre, Andrew Bogut, has been sidelined with a fracture to his left ankle. The Aussie picked up the injury on Wednesday, during the Bucks' 105-99 victory over the Houston Rockets, when he fell awkwardly trying to block a shot. Milwaukee say that Bogut could be out "indefinitely". Bogut joined the Bucks as their number one pick in the 2005 draft, becoming the first Australian player to be drafted top of the list. The 27-year-old has had a painful time in the NBA, since then, succumbing to injuries on a semi-regular basis. He has not had a problem-free season for at least four years. Those placing an NBA bet online need to remember this. Speaking after Wednesday's game, Bogut said that he "knew he was in some trouble" when he landed from his block attempt: "Everything's fine with the X-ray [but] tomorrow's the day of reckoning where I go under the MRI machine, and find out my fate." Bogut added that, due to his history of injuries, he is "not optimistic". The Melbourne-born player has already missed one game this year, Bucks vs. Dallas, on January 13, due to a suspected concussion. His absence was particularly galling for Milwaukee, given that he had been missing on (presumed) compassionate leave for the previous four Bucks' fixtures. Bogut's list of problems extends back to 2008, when he sustained an injury to his back, an ailment that cost him 43 games. However, his on-court accident in 2010 is his most famous – and painful – problem, to date; he broke his hand, dislocated his elbow, and sprained his wrist in the same fall. Writing on his Twitter account he said: "I will get back from this. Injury was beyond my control. First step: walking again."  |
| Ovechkin struggling on the rink but rapping off it! Posted: 27 Jan 2012 05:10 AM PST NHL picks star Alexander Ovechkin has endured a pretty difficult season so far, despite finding himself selected for his fifth All Star game, and there are now signs that he might just be starting to think seriously about the state of his career in hockey, with the player posting online images of him rapping in Russian! Although it is of course up to individual players to determine their own fates in whatever sport they choose to compete in, surely the likes of Alexander Ovechkin have a responsibility to the game of hockey to maintain a clear and intense focus on their own performances if they wish to stand a chance of pushing hockey back into the limelight for all the right reasons, especially after a year in which the sport has been blighted somewhat by big hits, concussed superstars, and more cash problems than it would care to admit. With hockey, much like the rest of North American sport, being built on the basis that every franchise is looking to support every other one, rather than strive to achieve individual glory for itself at the sake of others, the same must also be true of players who know that they are part of a united front that hockey tries to present to the world. If the future of hockey and the NHL is going to be bright and spread beyond these shores. Harnessing the ability of supporters from across the world to tune in and watch hockey online, the likes of Ovechkin will need to ensure that they maintain their focus and start getting back to the top of their game rather than looking to seriously pursue their off rink exploits, leaving the sport looking amateur in the extreme.  |
| Sens break losing streak against toothless Sharks Posted: 27 Jan 2012 05:51 AM PST Over the past few months, the Senators have not really been perceived as a franchise able to be labelled as real playoff contenders, but the team have started to put themselves back on the map in a big way following a fantastic victory on the road against the San Jose Sharks in a game that displayed the exact reasons why the Sens are starting to be thought of by those who bet on hockey as the nightmare team to be facing in the NHL. With the likes of Anderson and Alfie starting to grab the headlines for all the right reasons, and with the rest of the roster looking solid, the franchise's record streak on the road looks likely to continue, to such an extent that the Sens know they could soon become a real contender for the Stanley Cup if they can keep pulling together on the ice. Having seen individuals like Heatley and Emery leave the franchise in recent years, and with the roster beginning to look far more balanced and natural than it has over the last couple of seasons, the citizens of Ottawa, as well as those who watch live hockey online are slowly starting to feel the same sort of vibe that was doing the rounds in the city when they took on the Ducks in a previous Stanley Cup final (albeit one that didn't end well for the Sens). If they can manage to recapture the belief and spirit they had in abundance back then, and throw into the mix a little bit more experience and a number of players dedicated to showing that they are the best in the business, then we may just start to see the Sens firmly back to their best. On a final note, while most Ottawa fans will be pleased to see this, spare a thought for Leafs nation, who have watched their local rivals bounce back from crisis while they remain in one themselves  |
| Passionate Beckham pens new Galaxy deal Posted: 27 Jan 2012 03:12 AM PST David Beckham admits he is still passionate about playing in America after agreeing a new two-year contract with LA Galaxy. The soccer betting tips had suggested that the 36-year-old former England captain would be returning to Europe after helping the Galaxy with the MLS Cup championship in November, with the likes of Paris St Germain and Tottenham reportedly interested in snapping him up. However Beckham, who has been in Los Angeles since 2007, is happy to extend his time in the USA and punters can bet on soccer games knowing the former England captain will be back on the field. Beckham admitted he is keen to help the Galaxy defend the MLS Cup they secured when they beat Houston Dynamo 1-0 two months ago. "This was an important decision for me," said the former Manchester United and Real Madrid star. "I had many offers from clubs from around the world. However, I'm still passionate about playing in America and winning trophies with the Galaxy." Beckham enjoyed his best season in Los Angeles last year, posting a career-high 15 assists and scoring twice in 26 games, his most appearances since joining the league. Seven of his assists during the regular season were game-winners, and he also managed an assist in all four of the Galaxy's post-season games. Beckham, who has also spent two loan spells with AC Milan during his time with the Galaxy, has won 115 caps for England, finding the net on 17 occasions when representing his country. The Galaxy return to competitive action on Wednesday 7th March when they take on Toronto FC in the first leg of their 2011-12 Champions League quarter-final. They open the 2012 MLS season three days later when they host Real Salt Lake at The Home Depot Center.  |
| Red Hot Thunder see off struggling Celtics Posted: 27 Jan 2012 02:31 AM PST Kevin Durant scored 28 points with seven rebounds for the Oklahoma City Thunder as they beat the Boston Celtics 97-88 on Monday night to continue their hot streak. Russell Westbrook was also amongst the points as the Thunder – the hot favourite among NBA betting tips - made it seven wins in a row and consigned the Celtics to their fifth straights loss. Westbrook scored 26 points, including two vital three-pointers late on to secure the victory for Oklahoma. Thabo Sefolosha scored 12 points in the fourth quarter for the Thunder and Kendrick Perkins had seven points and five rebounds on his return to Boston. Paul Pierce scored 24 points and Kevin Garnett had 12 points and 12 rebounds for the Celtics. The Thunder started the game in confident mood and led 25-17 after the first quarter. They stretched that lead out to ten points in the second and held a 46-39 advantage at halftime. Pierce hit a purple patch either side of the break and threatened to haul the Celtics back into the contest. He scored Boston's last six points in the second quarter and three more quick baskets early in the third. Back-to-back-layups by Jermaine O'Neal tied the score at 57 each with five minutes to play in the third, but the Thunder went on to score the last seven points of the quarter to make it a ten-point game. Boston hit back in the final quarter and cut the deficit to 83-80 with 2:25 to play. However, the Thunder raised their game in the closing stages with Sefolosha and Westbrook to the fore. Punters who bet on basketball expect Oklahoma to continue their impressive form against the Washington Wizards on Wednesday night, while the Celtics will look to get their season back on track when they play Toronto Raptors.  |
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