Saturday 16th May

2009 Challenge Fund (£13420- £120 in play unaccounted)
Current stake - £120

Today let's start with Eurovision. And Russia. Or, rather Putin. Who puts the willies up any nation within touching distance. Georgia have already been disqualified. I bet all the others have their arses twitching like rabbits' noses. Surely, they are all going to throw a few votes in Russia's direction? They have for the last three years, when Russia have at least placed, and last year it felt like they'd been commanded to vote for them. And now they're hosts. People are saying their song is terrible. I can't comment but their songs were awful hitherto, so it plainly doesn't matter. The only downside I can see is if some secret edict has gone out asking them not to vote for the 'motherland'. In particular I can see them thrashing the old European countries (France, German, Spain and us) who are all pants at this, and have no friends.

Russia Top 10 £70 to return £200
Russia Top 4 £50 to return £1000
Russia win £10 to return £2400
Russia top of pre-qualified countries £50 to return £350



Football:
The relegation threatened sides are in crazy price country today. However, as we've seen the draw seems to be a better bet than taking the 'value'. I've prevaricated a bit and gone as follows:

Bolton – well, they do struggle to win, but I'm going to risk them. They should be odds on – Hull are beyond awful.
Aston Villa are leggy, and so instead of doing a win/draw no bet combo, I'll just go for the draw.
Fulham likewise. Their price is very attractive, but on reflection a draw looks a big player.
Man Utd only need a draw.
And with Portsmouth playing Sunderland Monday I can easily see all the crap clubs losing so I'll cover that as well.

Bolton to beat Hull £120 to return £270

Threeplay Draws
Man Utd/Arsenal draw £45 to return £160
Middlesbrough/Villa draw £45 to return £150
Newcastle/Fulham draw £45 to return £160
£20 draw treble to return £880
Fourfold – Bolton/Fulham/Villa/Portsmouth - all win £40 to return £2000


Racing
Lockinge day remains a pretty dismal day's racing. And without RUK, but with changeable weather, I'm particularly unenthusiastic. The Lockinge looks very poor, and Paco Boy wouldn't have to be top notch to win, but at the prices, with the going making the trip a test you'd have to oppose. Pressing and Aqlaam would make most appeal. There's quite a few horses I don't like today who come out top on Escorial's ratings, so that will be interesting to watch.

I'll do a threeplay
2:30 Thirsk – Jenny Potts (step up perfect – hopefully not running for handicap mark), a decent field provides a decent 20/80 price.
2:55 Newmarket – Clowance House – that maiden I'm following, looks a fair favourite here.
3:10 Newbury – Aqwaal – far from fit last time out, and scopey sort who can keep improving.

Something like:
Jenny Potts £15 win to return £300 and £35 place to return £180
Clowance House £55 win to return £150
Aqwaal £45 win to return £150
£30 treble to return £5000




Barking Bets (Banked £1375/Current fund £1760 – 1 bet in play unaccounted)

Cricket draw at 1.35. We have the weather on our side, and England making the series safe. The downside is a West Indies side with no desire to dig in.