Betting.Betfair

There was a shock at Doncaster in the big Betfair-sponsored stayers' race, says The Lord, who rounds up all the other stories from the sport in his weekly column.


It all happened at Doncaster on Saturday when the heats of the Betfair Yorkshire St Leger drew a bumper crowd to the Stainforth track for some excellent racing.

Biggest shock of all was the elimination of ante-post favourite Droopys Bradley, who never looked at ease around a circuit he was visiting for the first time. But the Wimbledon St Leger champion will be back, possibly over six bends again on Oaks final night at Plough Lane.

New favourite at Doncaster is fastest heat winner He Went Whoosh, who chased home Droopys Bradley at Wimbledon, but who this time managed to blaze a trail from the off and was never headed as he stopped the clock in 41.35sec for the 661m.  Trained by Claude Gardiner, He Went Whoosh won the Regency at Hove early this year and has proved one of the best staying dogs around for a couple of seasons now. He runs in the first semi-final on Friday.

That semi-final will be a five-runner affair after the disqualification for aggressive interference of Kinsley raider Penskey John. He took an unhealthy shine to Droopys Belletti, who nevertheless scrambled home in his heat for Charlie Lister in 41.74sec. Penskey John finished second but is now removed from the event and trap three in the first semis is vacant, where Centurion Enry (41.75), Bower Hawk and Frisby Fontenblu will do battle again after finishing first, second and third in their heat.
The other heat winner was Ballymac Rumble who was never headed after a fast start, winning in 41.66sec.


Friday's semi-final line-up:

First semi: 1 Frisby Fontenblu, 2 Centurion Enry (m), 3 vacant, 4 Bower Hawk (m), 5 Carbarns Tom (w), 6 He Went Whoosh (w).
Second semi: 1 Ballymac Rumble, 2 Pennys Genesis, 3 Droopys Eugene, 4 Head Iton Jason (m), 5 Ten Dollars More (m), 6 Droopys Belletti (w).


The Save Our Stow campaign will turn up the heat still further on Walthamstow Stadium owners London & Quadrant this week. SOS's own survey of local residents and visitors to the area is set to show overwhelming support for a return of greyhound racing to the famous venue. The survey's results will come at a crucial time as support is growing amongst local councillors at Waltham Forest Council for a leisure development at the stadium. It follows the collapse of a deal to redevelop the Arcade site in the city centre.


Rumours have again surfaced about the possible break up of the GRA.  Greyhound racing's biggest promoter is owned by venture capitalist group, Risk Capital, which is understood to have paid £50m for the batch of greyhound tracks a few years back.  One source reasoned: "It looks a lot of money in today's terms with the property collapse etc, and Risk Capital are servicing what is a huge amount of money from profits from the GRA tracks.  "There's a suggestion that sometime this year that money has to be repaid, and various scenarios are being mooted. These include an MBO (Management Buy-out) and the off-loading of the venues.'  "Wimbledon is probably the biggest story, and Bob Morton's name keeps on coming up. He did, after all, win the three Derbys there. But Belle Vue is also being courted by some serious players.  "The good news is that these are being talked about as going-concerns. Belle Vue, in particular, has huge potential being just six minutes outside the city centre."


Belle Vue deserves a pat on the back for ensuring the Scurry Cup has a place in the greyhound calendar.  The sprinters' Classic looked under threat because of a lack of a sponsor, but the Manchester track, these days overseen by former GRA chief racing manager Bob Rowe, a man who appreciates the sport's heritage, helped get it back on track.  And what a great entry they've been rewarded with for Thursday's heats - the entry headed by champion sprinter Jimmy Lollie.


Talking of sprints, arguably the strongest category of racing in 2011, Bucks Yahoo put rivals Slick Citi and Rotar Wing to the sword in a cracking two-bend final at Nottingham on Monday.  They, plus Ballymac Ace, await Jimmy Lollie and company for what should be an incredible National Sprint competition at Nottingham to close the year.

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Anybody who thought retaining the Barclays Premier League was a mere formality for reigning champions Chelsea need think again after Sunderland blew the title race wide open with an emphatic 3-0 victory at Stamford Bridge on Sunday afternoon.

Form students can be forgiven for thinking three points were in the bag for the home side, when you consider that Steve Bruce's side were tasting victory away from home for the first time in the league this season.

Chelsea may point to the fact they had several key players missing including Michael Essien, Frank Lampard and perhaps more importantly captain John Terry, but that would be just making excuses for what was a truly woeful display.

Sunderland themselves had to make do without their top scorer Darren Bent, who is currently nursing a hamstring injury, but it was his replacement and club-record signing Asamoah Gyan who proved the chief architect in Chelsea's downfall.

The powerful Ghanaian star was a constant nuisance to Chelsea's makeshift centre-back pairing of Branislav Ivanovic and Paulo Ferreira, expertly finishing the second of his side's three goals and taking his own personal tally to six goals in all competitions for the Black Cats.

Rather worryingly for Chelsea's fans and backers was the fact that their own forward line never looked at the races on Sunday and after scoring twenty-one goals in their first five league matches, the Blues have now managed only one in their last three.

Every side has their little blips and if that's all you think this is for Chelsea, then the current 1.86 on Betfair for them to retain the title will appeal. But it must be said, they have lost three games already and seem to miss the often-criticised old heads such as Deco, Michael Ballack and Joe Cole, who all left in the summer.

Second favourites at 4.70 are Manchester United, who somehow managed to grab a point from their visit to Villa Park on Saturday, needing to score twice in the last ten minutes to salvage anything from the match.

Clearly nowhere near their best this season, they have however managed to remain unbeaten in the league, although even the most ardent United fan will wonder how. All great sides know how to win ugly and though they are anything but a great side right now, they do possess what their neighbours City clearly lack: a winning mentality.

Two home games against Wigan and Blackburn will lead them into the month of December and six points there would surely see those odds of 4.70 disappear quicker than Audley Harrison's dream of becoming the World Heavyweight Champion.

The 'A-Force' wasn't the only man in Manchester who should be embarrassed by his own Saturday performance. Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini seems incapable of getting the best out of his richly talented squad and appears to be blowing any realistic chance the Sky Blues had of lifting their first ever Premier League title.

Now I'm not one of those who screams for the manager's head every time a couple of results go the wrong way, but it must be said that City are massively underachieving and sole responsibility must lie with the likeable, but ultimately unsuccessful, Italian.

Carlos Tevez gives his all week in and week out but the frustration is clear for all to see as the little Argentinian fights to feed from the scraps created by a defence-minded midfield. Nigel De Jong, Gareth Barry and Yaya Toure are predominantly stoppers, ball-winners, scrappers, call it what you will, but not one of them was what you'd call a creative force.

Each time I've seen City of late the same pattern repeats itself. The midfield win the ball, they feed wide-man James Milner, who then whips in a high ball for somebody no bigger than Jimmy Krankie to win in the air against four defenders.

You may disagree but believe me, this squad is good enough under the right guidance to win the Barclays Premier League. Unfortunately for City supporters I'm afraid that's not Roberto Mancini and only his departure could make the 21.00 currently on offer with Betfair look attractive.

This weekend belonged to the two North London teams with Tottenham moving to within three points of fourth place after crushing Blackburn Rovers 4-2 and Arsenal, who are now as short as 5.5 with Betfair, rounding off the week in style by showing great spirit to defeat Everton 2-1 at Goodison Park.

So it's all set up for a humdinger of a match this Saturday lunchtime where these two great rivals meet at the Emirates Stadium. A win for Arsene Wenger's men will see them go top and unless Chelsea can recapture some of the sparkle showed earlier in the season, then who knows how long they could stay there....


By Dean Goddard

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Andy Carroll has been on a rollercoaster ride this season and on Saturday night he received his first call up for the senior England squad. His off-field problems warrant no sympathy, a classic case of too much, too soon and, no matter how many goals he scores, unless he sorts his personal life out he will not fulfill his potential.

So how can Newcastle get their prize asset back on track? Perhaps some mentoring from a proper centre forward, the greatest footballer the city has ever produced and a gentleman to boot, Alan Shearer. No, that's not how things work in football; Carroll has been getting advice on how to control his emotions from none other than Joey Barton.

Seriously, you couldn't make it up. It's like Adolf Hitler taking anger management lessons from Hannibal Lecter! Barton missed Newcastle's home draw against Fulham yesterday after receiving a three match ban for his assault on Blackburn's Mort Gamst Pedersen.

A punch is a punch no matter where it lands and assault is assault no matter where it takes place. Barton displays the self control of an alcoholic at a beer festival yet time after time he is forgiven his sins because he can play football.

Where is the justice? Why was the punishment only the default three match ban? A late tackle is often deemed as violent conduct and is punished in the same way. There is a massive difference between a late tackle and throwing a punch, although the premeditated ones - like Roy Keane's on Alf Inge Haaland - are equally as sickening.

There is also the question of repetitive crime. If Barton was plying his trade in some Redneck Southern State in the good old US of A with a three strikes and you're out policy he would probably be sitting on death row! Yet still the club defend him, Chris Hughton said after the incident had come to light "he has worked so hard on his game this season ." Who cares? It's not his game that needs addressing, it's his personality disorder.

Serial offenders should be treated differently to other players. Barton has had enough chances and final warnings and could have been charged by either the FA or his club with bringing the game into disrepute and in the case of Newcastle United, tarnishing the club's reputation. Of course, if Newcastle were to sack him his lawyers would ensure that the club would have to pay him every penny of his contract and there would be a host of clubs ready to sign him on a free. That's footballing justice for you!

Wouldn't it be great if the club made a stance and said, "Let's go to an employment tribunal and see who really is the guilty party." Sadly, it'll never happen because football has gone absolutely bonkers. There are more and more people out there, normal supporters, who continue to love the game but loathe the industry.

Newcastle supporters are divided over Barton. Starved of success for decades there are some who quite frankly couldn't care less if the team had Colonel Gaddafi and Robert Mugabe in the centre of midfield as long as they brought some silverware to St James's Park. Others have higher standards and accept the club they love is no longer the force it once was but still want the players to be role models for their kids both on and off the park.

Newcastle have been traded as short as 3.6 to be relegated but due to their reasonable start they can now be backed at 12.0 to implode and end up back in the Championship next season. For some Geordies that would be preferable to seeing the good name of their football club being dragged through the mud.


By Frank Gregan

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When English fans complain about the lack of competitiveness in the Premier League, it is common for them to look to Germany and hold up the Bundesliga as the model for everybody to follow. This is a league, after all, in which Wolfsburg can win the title, and Hoffenheim can claw their way from the bottom of the pile to somewhere near the top.

With cheap tickets, standing, and beer available to those watching the game rather than skulking out of sight on the concourses, German football has a great sense of fun. By pretty much whatever measure you use (points won by the champion, gap from first to second, gap from first to fourth, gap from fourth to fourth bottom) the Bundesliga is the most competitive of the big four European leagues. On that level, it is a successful model.

But this is a particular kind of competitiveness: 15 of the past 26 German titles have been won by Bayern Munich. There is no Big Four or Big Two in Germany, but there is a Big One, and when it fires, the others have no chance.

This season, thankfully for neutrals, Bayern are not firing. They weren't really firing at this stage last season either, but found form in the run up to the winter break - largely, it seemed at the time, because somebody had suggested Arjen Robben should wear tights which cut down on his injuries -and went on not only to win the Bundesliga but also to reach the Champions League final.

This season, though, the problems seem even worse, with the coach, Louis van Gaal, bickering with directors, and both Robben and Franck Ribery injured again. Thomas Muller has struggled for consistency, and 11 games in, Bayern lie 12 points behind the leaders Borussia Dortmund. Such is Bayern's history, and the strength of their squad compared to most other sin the Bundesliga that they remain second favourites at 4.1, but they need an upsurge in form before Christmas so they are at least in touching distance before the winter break. A home game against Nurnburg on Sunday at least represents a chance of easy points (Bayern are 1.35 to win).

Then again, they said that on Saturday against Borussia Monchengladbach. At half-time, Van Gaal even told his players it was the best he'd seen them play this season. Bastian Schweinsteiger had missed a penalty just before half-time, but they led 2-1 and seemed to be cruising. Two defensive errors - not unusual between Daniel van Buyten and Martin Demichelis - gifted Gladbach two goals in the space of four minutes, though, and in the end Bayern were both enraged and grateful to get away with a 3-3 draw.

And by Sunday, Bayern could be 15 adrift, if Borussia Dortmund have beaten Hamburg at home on Friday night (and they are 1.78 to do so). Dortmund are 2.02 for the title, and with a young, highly motivated side and a tactically astute manager in Jurgen Klopp, it's hard to see how anybody can catch them. Leverkusen, the third favourites at 9.0, are seven points back, while Hamburg, 10 adrift, are fourth favourites at 14.5. Second in the table is Mainz, but after a record-breaking start they have lost three of their last four as the reality of their slim squad takes hold, and opponents work out how to cope with their hard-pressing approach.

Dortmund's 4-2-3-1 gives them balance, and as they showed against Mainz they are not afraid to adjust it, pulling a played back from the line of three to add an additional holding midfielder. Mario Gotze, on the right, has been exception and, at 18, has earned a call-up to the Germany national side, while the 21-year-old Shinji Kagawa is part of an exciting new wave of Japanese talent. The holding midfield pairing of Nuri Sahin and Sven Bender has been superb, a neat blend of creativity and resolve, while the Serbian centre-back Neven Subotic is as solid as they come.

Dortmund's squad is not the deepest, and they lack experience in a title fight, so they may falter, but at the moment they are building such a lead that it may not matter.


By Jonathan Wilson

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Another week, another player calls it a day and after Elena Dementieva it was the turn of America's Taylor Dent to hang up his racquet this time.

The retirement of Dent, although nowhere near as successful as Dementieva, is probably more significant because of the loss of a playing style in the men's game that it represents.

Dent's big serve and volley game is dying out in the men's game and it's pretty much extinct on the women's side with only the likes of Amelie Mauresmo in recent memory adopting that technique on occasion to any great success.

Dent is worthy of huge respect for fighting back from a serious back injury that rendered him immobile for months, but once he returned to the tour he found that the game had moved on.

In 2005, the Californian began suffering his back problems and didn't return fully to the tour until 2009 when he climbed an astonishing 803 places in the world rankings to finish the year inside the top-100.

That was an incredible achievement, given the circumstances and Dent made it all the way up as high as number 70 (his career high at his peak was 21) before realising that with his game style he was unlikely to get much higher at 29 years of age.

This is largely to do with the speed of the courts in the modern-day game.

Paris this week is ironically a rare exception where the speed of the courts would have suited Dent's game, as is being highlighted by Michael Llodra's efforts so far, but other than Rotterdam, Lyon and a couple of others, the courts all lack pace compared to five or ten years ago.

Dent himself explains it perfectly: "In the past, tennis has been cyclical," he said.

"You'd have a wave of guys who stayed back, then a wave of guys who served and volleyed, then a wave of guys who stayed back.

"But lately the technology of tennis is taking the game in one direction. The balls are heavier, the courts are slower, the strings and rackets are enabling players to hit so much harder and with so much spin, it all works against the serve-and-volleyer."

So, the way that Dent sees it, we are seeing the death of the serve-and-volley game and that checks out when you look at how many players in the current top-100 actually still play that way.

We have Llodra of course, who is roughly the same age as Dent, with a similar record and fellow Frenchman Nicolas Mahut, and Ivo Karlovic, but after that you're struggling to find any in the upper echelons of the game.

There are a few, such as Radek Stepanek, John Isner, Robin Haase, Mardy Fish and some others that use the technique when they feel it will be effective, but I can only bring those three to mind that are died in the wool serve/-volleyers.

Looking at the careers of Llodra, Mahut and Karlovic, who are all now in their late 20s or early 30s, there's not much in the way of tournament success really.

Llodra has spent his career hanging around in the top-100 with a high of 28 and five career titles, which isn't too bad a return at all for a player of his ranking.

Three of his wins came on grass, with two others on pacey indoor courts and just one on outdoor hard in Adelaide, while Mahut has reached two grass finals.

Karlovic has probably been the best of the trio in terms of consistency and results, with his career high of 14 and four titles, but he's something of a one-off at 6 feet 10 inches tall.

The bread and butter serve volleyers, like Pete Sampras, Goran Ivanisevic, Boris Becker and Tim Henman have all but disappeared, which is a shame, but surely the powers that be will realise that we need that variety in the game and produce more surfaces like the Palais Omnisports.

If not, the men's game is in danger of slipping into the same pattern as the women's has, which is the tedium of every single match played entirely and predictably at the back of the court.

When Llodra, Mahut and Karlovic are gone, which will be soon, we'll be left with a series of one-dimensional ball-bashers and that would be as much of a shame as it was in the 90's when everyone seemed to be a serve-volleyer.

That situation probably led to the courts becoming slower to counteract the number of big hitters. Surely it's time to act now in reverse and bring back the quicker courts. The game of tennis needs it.


By Sean Calvert

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Sackings in the Premier League have fallen since the top division's clubs signed up to a binding arbitration process that determines compensation in instances where settlements cannot be agreed. That said it would be a significant shock if at least two Premier League managers were not sacked before the January transfer window opens.

Those most in danger are reflected in Betfair's latest prices for Premier League Relegation 2010/11: Blackpool 1.78, Wigan 1.94, West Ham 2.12, Wolves 2.14, Birmingham 3.4, WBA 7.4, Stoke 7.6, Fulham 9.4, Bar 12.5.

Avram Grant of West Ham, Roberto Martinez of Wigan and Roberto Mancini of Manchester City seem closest to the exit door, but should they be? One understands the clamour for success but expectations are not always realistic and changing for change sake is not always the best option - sometimes it does a lot more harm than good.

Grant heads the 'chopping block stakes' and supposedly has only a few weeks to save his job. Working for the meddling David Sullivan must be the hardest job in football. Sullivan's latest decree bordered on madness when he said: "I'm looking for at least seven points from the match at Birmingham followed by West Brom and Blackpool next week and then Liverpool away. If we don't achieve that goal, we know we have a real problem and that we have to shuffle the pack."

This outburst probably reflects his true understanding of the sport or the lack of it!

Judging by that statement Grant is on borrowed time. Like Gianfranco Zola before him the uncertainty is compounding the situation and he is making basic mistakes with selection and substitutions, this has been accentuated by mutterings of discontent from senior players. The position is intolerable and virtually impossible to recover from!

Martinez remains a manager of great potential but unfortunately football is primarily a results business. The consensus is that he is trying to get his team that does not know each other too well to play too much football, too soon. However, to hear him articulate in front of the camera is like birdsong and despite the results his football intelligence resonates, for Wigan's sake he must be allowed to continue the job! His chairman Dave Whelan is not naturally a sacking manager so it remains a possibility that he will stay irrespectively. In any case they are not certainties to get relegated, there are other clubs in the mix.

Regardless of their league position Blackpool may have played their best football already and near certainties to go down. Stoke's strong home form and Rory Delap's long throws should assure they stay up but Birmingham and Blackburn could get sucked into a six-way dogfight with Wolves!

Roy Hodgson has been given a reprieve because of the new administration at Anfield so speculation about his future should die down, at least in the short-term but Mancini's position is more tenuous. The Abu Dhabi United Group are the owners of Manchester City and paying compensation for a dismissal would not be an issue for them. They are not interested in building blocks, structure, continuity or attractive football, they have paid hard cash for success and they want it now!

Looking for a line in the sand one senses January could be the key month. If Manchester City drop even further out of the title race than they are now (seven points adrift of leaders Chelsea), drop to fifth place in the Premier League, exit early from the Europa or the FA Cup then the axe would swiftly end the manager's tenure. Conversely looking at Mancini's demeanour he looks secure with himself and his three and a half-year deal.


By Paul Moon

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At the start of a premier league season the publicly stated aim of all newly promoted sides is survival; were they to be offered 17th place come May they would all gladly take it. But the early signs are that Newcastle, West Bromwich Albion and Blackpool may have grander designs given their current positions of fifth, 11th and 14th respectively.

Ian Holloway's Blackpool are still favourites for the drop at 1.79 having come up via the play offs and have drawn comparisons with Burnley, who last season took the same route to the top flight and also started well before disappearing through the relegation trap door. But there are differences. For one Holloway is sure to remain at the helm at Bloomfield road barring an extraordinary turn of events. Also, it's often said that home form is crucial for promoted sides, and Burnley's was strong with 26 of their 30 points coming at Turf Moor, but it wasn't enough to save them. Blackpool by contrast have already picked up nine points away from home as well as five in front of their own fans and their ability to win on the road could be invaluable.

Blackpool won't finish in the top four, six or 10 but for some value the handicap win could be the way forward. Odds of 4.9 at +52 points is tempting given that Blackpool have 14 already and we're not even a third of the way through the season.

West Brom have deservedly earned the reputation for being a yo-yo club in recent campaigns but they now look capable of shedding that moniker. A spectacular 3-2 win at Arsenal was followed up by a 2-2 draw at Old Trafford on their next away trip and in Peter Odemwingie manager Roberto DiMatteo seems to have found the goalscorer they have previously lacked in the top flight.

The 3.25 to crack the top 10 has some appeal but more tempting could be 3.35 for the Baggies to be the top midlands club. It's a wide open market and after 12 games there is no clear front runner with Aston Villa, Stoke, Birmingham and Wolverhampton Wanderers the other contenders. Villa are most fancied at the moment at 2.82 but that would seem to be based more on past success than current form.

Newcastle are flying in fifth place and there is a real sense of unity at St James' Park despite the hierarchy's bizarre reluctance to grant Chris Hughton a new contract. The players who took the club down and then back up again are taking responsibility with Kevin Nolan enjoying a new lease of life and Andy Carroll emerging as England's answer to Didier Drogba in some people's eyes; the 21-year-old catches the eye at 3.6 to emerge as the league's top English goalscorer.

Odds of 2.1 for a top 10 finish seems fair but 10.0 for the top six is distinctly more attractive. Newcastle's win at the Emirates, as West Brom's did before them, served notice that now more than ever the established order is under threat. Home form will need to be improved, as Wednesday's defeat to Blackburn Rovers demonstrated, but 6-0 and 5-1 wins against Aston Villa and Sunderland have shown that St James' Park could once again become the Toon Army stronghold of years gone by.


By Andrew Clarke

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It's normally good to listen to the experts. When you're weighing up a bet, getting the views of the men who've been there and done it themselves, or seen decades of similar contests, can help you crystallise your thoughts.

So with the Haye v Harrison world title fight now just three days away it seemed a good morning to check out the opinions in the papers. Surprise, surprise - four out of five experts quoted this morning give big Audley a puncher's chance or more of winning.

Betfair's punters have hardened their view in the opposite direction, with Haye's price trimming a fraction to 1.16, and a first round stoppage in his favour the most popular outcome at 9.5. And on their side is that the most logical assessment comes today from the last bloke who did get on the wrong end of an Audley Harrison left-hander, Michael Sprott. He's going for a Haye win inside five rounds, and says: "I wouldn't put my house on it, but if I had six houses I would keep the other five and put one on." On Betfair's market that would get him 1.69 houses in return!

The others? Let's start with one of boxing's greats Mike Tyson, who reckons former cruiserweight champ Haye could be vulnerable to one of those big, powerful punches with 19 stones of a genuine heavyweight behind it. "Audley's a southpaw and David is real susceptible to that right hand because he throws a lot of lefts," is his verdict.

Then there's Lennox Lewis, once undisputed world champion and a man who has tried to mentor Harrison for much of a career that could have been so much better if he had ever listened to advice. His assessment? "Audley has the power to stun the world. Haye is a better boxer but Audley is a consummate pro."

Britain's most popular heavyweight of modern times, Frank Bruno, also goes for Audley on similar grounds. "Some people underestimate him, but he's a southpaw, a natural heavyweight, and he can connect with that left hand."

Did I mention five experts? The last word goes to Audley Harrison's wife Raychel (but then doesn't the last word always go to the missus?). Her summing up? "It's not if he can land that left hook, but when. Audley's mind is so bright and it is his mind which will win this game."

So I know boxing has a long history of selling tickets - and in these times pay per view subscriptions - by convincing the underdog has a genuine opportunity in what turns out to be a one-sided fight. And maybe I'm a sucker for the stories. But I am fascinated by the amount of top judges giving Harrison an even money chance, making 7.2 more and more appealing as the value bet. I wouldn't risk a house on it, even if I did have six others. But a sneaky tenner might be a different proposition.


Five things you might not know about Michael Sprott

1. Born January 1975 in Eardley near Reading, his parents Dorrie and Albert also had three girls. Sadly his sister Ginette took her own life in September 1979 having suffered from post-natal depression.

2. He trained as a motor mechanic after leaving school, and still works part-time in the Reading branch of Kwik-Fit. He's also had jobs as a furniture removals man.

3. He has the name of his nine-year-old son Darnell stitched on his shorts and describes himself as a "doting dad."

4. British heavyweight champion in 2004 after outpointing Danny Williams, he held the title just three months before being knocked out by Matt Skelton.

5. He helps support a project for planning permission to redevelop the Maidenhead which is his base - although he spends a lot of time in Germany as a regular sparring partner for both Wladimir and Vitali Klitschko.


By Ralph Ellis

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Formula One's reputation for providing gripping television has dwindled in recent years, but even those with little interest in the sport were drawn in by 2007 and 2008's exciting title deciders. Another dramatic one is on the cards at Abu Dhabi on Sunday with four men still in mathematical contention (Alonso, Webber, Vettel and Hamilton) to top the standings and The Contrarian expects plenty more final day twists, which is why he is opposing 2.0 Drivers' Championship favourite Fernando Alonso...


The finale rarely passes without incident...

The destination of the Drivers' Championship has been determined at the final race in three of the last four years and the last two deciders have been anything but a stroll for the men who started the closing weekend in the ascendancy. In 2007, Kimi Raikkonen leapfrogged both Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso with victory in Brazil, the McLaren duo finishing seventh and third respectively to somehow miss out on a Drivers' Championship that looked to be heading their way as early as August. The 2008 finale was even more remarkable, with Hamilton again appearing to have botched everything up, only to overtake Timo Glock for fifth place in the last few corners of the final lap in Brazil to cruelly deny Felipe Massa the title by a point.


Red Bull have the faster car

Throughout the campaign, Red Bull have had the quicker car, as their Constructors' Championship proves, and were it not for the fact that Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber (despite the latter being 34) are fairly inexperienced when it comes to leading a title charge, and have at times become too preoccupied with bickering among themselves, you'd expect one of them to have the drivers' crown sewn up already. The gap in class has started to show recently though with one-twos in Japan and Brazil, and they are the two frontrunners in Abu Dhabi. Webber needs to gain nine points on Alonso, and Vettel 16, for either of them to win it, but Alonso is a distant 6.8 to win the race.


Alonso didn't deliver in Abu Dhabi last year...

The two-time world champion had a miserable time in the first ever Abu Dhabi Grand Prix last November, qualifying a dismal 16th out of 20 and producing a similarly disappointing performance in the race, finishing 14th to end his second spell with Renault on a low. In contrast, the three men capable of beating him to top spot on Sunday all impressed, with Hamilton 80.0, Vettel 9.0 and Webber 2.54 being the three fastest qualifiers and the Red Bull duo securing a one-two in the race, in which a brake problem forced Hamilton to retire.


...and has a poor record on the final day

Alonso has won the final race of the campaign just once in his eight-season Formula One career and that was back in 2005 when he already had the Drivers' Championship wrapped up. Since then he has twice been fighting for it on the curtain-closing weekend without taking the chequered flag.


Webber may receive a helping hand

Vettel led his Red Bull team-mate Webber home in Abu Dhabi last year and has already done so in three races this term, including two of the last three, making that the most recurrent top two pairing. On the last two occasions that they have been the top two though, Alonso has joined them on the podium and if that happens again, both members of the Austrian team will miss out on the Drivers' Championship, whereas were Vettel - who can only win if Alonso comes fifth or lower - to let Webber past him on the final lap, the Australian would be crowned champion. Vettel and Webber are far from best friends, however when asked about the possibility, the young German hinted that he would oblige, saying, "In that scenario, it is something you will think of". Alonso can hardly protest if it happens either, having benefitted from a similar situation in Germany.


By The Betfair Contrarian

(read more at betting.betfair.com)

The new look Miami Heat have a record of 5-2 for the year. LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh worked the free agency system this summer to potentially create a superpower and the trio have contracts that guarantee them a combined $327m over six years.

Miami had a disastrous start to the season losing 88-80 to Boston in their very first game. The Celtics came out firing from the opening tip and were always in control. LeBron James received a hostile reception from the Boston faithful who applauded his every missed shot.
　
The Heat have generated a great deal of resentment from the other teams in the league. There is a real perception that Miami has attempted to "buy" the NBA championship by signing three of the best players in the world. LeBron James has taken the brunt of the criticism as a result of his departure from Cleveland. The Cavalier fans have bombarded him on Twitter with unpleasant comments.

James has taken all the negativity in his stride and deep down I think he is enjoying his new role as the villain of the NBA. Miami will find life a lot harder on the road than most teams this year. Every team in the league wants to defeat the new bad boys of basketball.

From what I've seen so far, the Heat have a lot of work to do to win the NBA championship. The rotation is disjointed and there is no real system in place. Incredibly, they do not have a true point guard.

Miami coach Erik Spoelstra needs to stamp his authority on the team and implement his own ideas. He will not last very long in the job if he lets the "big three" run the show on their own.
　
This team has way too much talent not to be successful but they may be vulnerable in the short term. I think this is the right time to lay them, particularly on the road. The Heat have to travel to Memphis,Orlando and Dallas at the end of the month and I think they will lose at least two or possibly all three of those tricky fixtures.

The Memphis Grizzlies have the talented Rudy Gay and Zach Randolph in the rotation. Randolph is an excellent low post player who could hurt Miami inside. The Heat will be heavily favoured for this game but the Grizzlies have a legitimate chance to spring the upset.

The Orlando Magic are unbeaten in their new facility this season and are leading the Eastern Conference. The Magic are one of the elite teams in basketball and will be very difficult to beat. Dwight Howard and company have started the season well and look like championship contenders.

The Dallas Mavericks are one of the most experienced teams in the league and will not be intimidated by Miami. Point guard Jason Kidd could really hurt them with his superb ball distribution. The Mavs are playing some decent basketball and beat Boston on Monday night.
　
The Miami Heat are under enormous pressure to deliver a championship this year. They are currently priced at 2.88 to win the NBA title. This price hardly represents value for a team that has only been together a few weeks.


By Nick Shiambouros

(read more at betting.betfair.com)