Punter hits bookmakers with £60 SCORECAST

A DVLNI punter had cause to celebrate after last nights Champions League game.
Our wily punter took Drogba to open the scoring and the match to end 1-1.
The odds of 30/1 were to good to turn dow the punter told the PG and I had just won £60 in a five pound virtual horse double - I let it ride and ended up winning over £1800 .
Rumour has it he's away to steepldowns for the weekend!

6 out of 6 for New Approach?

The Punters Guide at last returned to the winner’s enclosure at the weekend after we tipped up 25/1 shot Monkerhostin to win the win the Bet 365 Gold Cup at Sandown.
We have had a lean spell in the last few months and let’s hope this is the start of a good run.
It must be summer already, we have the Guineas this weekend. Indeed, we start with the 2,000 Guineas on Saturday (3.25) and we have a hot favourite in the shape of Jim Bolger’s unbeaten New Approach (below, 2/1). He ran out a brave winner of the Dewhurst over the Newmarket course in October and had Ravens Pass behind that day. If the colt has trained on to a three-year-old, then it’s simple, he will make it six from six on Saturday. Not all of them progress, though.
Of the dangers, we are putting up Moynahan from the Paul Cole yard who looks to me overpriced at 50/1 – that’s just under 16/1 the place. He has had two runs: a fourth on his debut at Goodwood and then he looked classy when winning at Doncaster. The best-backed horse this week has been the Aidan O’Brien-trained Henrythenavigator who is now a 12/1 shot from 20s. But this one has ground to make up on New Approach since their two-year-old days.
They Bet: New Approach 2/1, Ravens Pass 9/2, Ibn Khaldun 6/1, Jupiter Pluvius 12/1, Henrythenavigator 14/1, Stimulation 16/1, Fireside 20/1, Perfect Stride 22/1, Rio De La Plata 25/1 and it’s 33/1 bar these.
On to the mares with the 1,000 Guineas on Sunday (3.20) and this is a closer betting field with unbeaten fillies Infallible and Natagora battling it for favouritism with the latter being backed in to fours from 20s, same price she was prior to winning the Dubai Duty Free at Newbury.
Jockeys sometimes – sorry, most of the time – put me off a horse and let’s just say I’m not a big fan of Richard Hills (he’ll probably get a Guineas double now!)
We like the look of the John Gosden-trained INFALLIBLE, who looked a cut above when hacking up here in the Nell Gwyn Stakes to make it two course wins out of two – she looks a solid bet on Sunday. The big danger could be the French trained Natagora (9/2) who comes to Newmarket with a tall reputation
They Bet: Infallible 4/1, Muthabara 4/1, Natagora 9/2, Spacious 6/1, Kitty Matcham 14/1, Savethisdanceforme 14/1, Laureldean Gale 20/1, Psalm 20/1, Halfway To Heaven 33/1, Lush Lashes 33/1, Nahoodh 33/1, Saoirse Abu 33/1, Max One Two Three 40/1, Francesca DGiorgio 50/1, Nijoom Dubai 50/1, Royal Confidence 50/1, Lady Deauville 66/1, Spinning Lucy 100/1.
Next week sees the big May Chester meeting and you’re advised to keep a look out for the progressive Highland Legacy in the Cup on Wednesday – he currently trades at around 7/1 and looks like very good value.

A wee bit of thought on those weekend selections could pay off

We have reached the pivotal point of the season when you simply need to get those league tables out and do a bit of studying.
Last week we yet again were out of luck with Man City surrendering a two-goal lead to beat our quad, but for the 19th time this season we delivered two out of three draws – a 10/1 winner – and if you have backed our XXX selections all season, well then you have a hefty profit.
On to this weekennd and our quad consists of teams who must win for different reasons - it’s as simple as that. We start off with the conclusion of what has been a memorable season in the Championship and hopefully can come up with a winning quad.
SOUTHAMPTON (5/4) let us down a few weeks back but we have taken them get to the three points they need to try and escape relegation – they take on a Sheffield Utd side who need four other games to go their way to sneak into the play-offs.
WATFORD (11/10) have lost their way big time in recent weeks but are still hanging in there for a play-off place; we expect them to get the three points they need at Blackpool.
SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY (8/11) gave themselves a lifeline with a win at Leicester last week and should make it to safety with a win over ‘safe’ Norwich.
Making the quad up are WOLVES (1/2) who could yet sneak into the play-offs and to do that, a win over Plymouth is needed.
On to the Premiership race and the big question remains, are champions Man Utd cracking?
They booked their Champions League final place on Tuesday night, but again failed to convince – a wonder-goal was required to see them through and you don’t get those every game.
The Reds are 1/8 to beat bogey team West Ham (14/1) at Old Trafford and Chelsea are 4/9 to win at in-form Newcastle (4/1) .
On to our FIVEHIT and we kick-off with BOLTON (4/6) who need a win at home to the now safe Sunderland and should get it. In-form ASTON VILLA (4/7) should collect all points at home to Wigan while SPL leaders Celtic (4/9) could go EIGHT points clear with a win over Motherwell at Fir Park.
CHESTER (6/5) know a win at home to Macclesfield will save them from demotion to the Blue Square Conference.
Making the fivehit up are STOKE (4/5) who know a win against a doomed-looking Leicester could see them strut their stuff in the Premiership next season.
PG XXX: Fulham v Birmingham (23/10), Reading v Spurs (11/5) Middlesboro v Portsmouth (23/10)
(remember those doubles and treble)
OUTSIDE Double: Hibs (10/3), Bradford (9/4)

IFA to look into weekend betting scam

The IFA are investigating reports of a possible betting scam at an Irish League game on Saturday – at last, I hear you cry.
The match under investigation is Glenavon v Armagh, a game which was won by the Mourneview men 5-0. Local layers suspended the betting in this game as they apparently got wind of substantial bets going on Glenavon.
Not only were local punters piling on, it is also reported that a high number of new internet and telebetting accounts were opened to place bets only on the Glenavon-Armagh game.
Hooky betting patterns in the Irish League have long been a topic of conversation. It’s why some companies just steer clear of the whole league.

Absolute sickener

A McEnaneys punter who wishes only to be known as Raffo was left in pieces on Saturday after just missing out on... wait for it... 73 grand!
The madcap punter took EIGHT draws in a £5 accumulator – and how close did poor Raffo come?
We take up the bet with five minutes to go and, amazingly, our punter had SEVEN out his eight drawing. That all changed when Cardiff equalised in the 89th minute – our punter was on the verge of the bet of the decade.
The time was pushing towards 4.55 and five of the draws were through as full times on the videprinter, then came the news that there was a goal at the Stadium of Light.
Shock horror for our punter as Sunderland had just scored a 93rd minute winner against Middlesboro, and before he could curse them another goal went in at Eastlands with Fulham grabbing a 94th minute winner at City to leave our poor punter crying into his beer. We’ll send poor Raffo a few Sean Graham betting vouchers to ease the pain – and the nerves.

Sizing to bounce back

We have the ACC Champion Hurdle today at Punchestown at (4.20) and another competitive heat looks to be on the cards.
The early week betting has seen Champion Hurdle flop Sizing Europe put in as the the 7/4 jolly.
He was travelling sweetly turning for home at Cheltenham, but something went wrong with the horse and he was all but pulled up, but we expect him to bounce back on Friday.
They Bet: Sizing Europe 7/4, Sublimity 3/1, Harchibald 6/1, Punjabi 6/1, De Valera 10/1, Straw Bear 10/1 and 14/1 bar.
Big race on Saturday is the Whitbread Gold Cup and we like the look of the veteran Monkerhostin who looks a solid each-way choice at 25/1 in this end-of-season marathon. Iris De Balme hacked up in the Scottish National last week and is hoping to emulate Hot Weld last year by winning both races and is currently quoted at 9/1.
They Bet: Royal County Star 6/1, Ungaro 15/2, Iris De Balme 9/1, Bewleys Berry 12/1, Hoo La Baloo 12/1, Lothian Falcon 12/1, Caribou 14/1, Patsy Hall 14/1, Racing Demon 14/1, Newbay Prop 16/1.

Get on Celtic to go 5 points clear and take Man Utd to grab precious point at the Bridge

What a fantastic weekend of football ahead with titles in England and Scotland hinging on what happens on Saturday and Sunday.
We start in the Premiership with second-placed Chelsea taking on champions and leaders Man Utd at Stamford Bridge (Saturday 12.45).
In recent weeks both teams have gone off the boil, which is why that late Carlos Tevez goal at Blackburn on Saturday past could well turn out to be the most important goal of the season.
The Blues are unbeaten at the Bridge going on four years and it will take a big Utd performance to win there on Saturday.
All the Reds really need on Saturday is a draw and that will put them in pole position going into the final two games.
Neutrals will want a Chelsea win on Saturday to set up an end-of-season thriller, but I expect Man Utd to get the draw (11/5) that they will be more than happy with, but we have opted for the in-form Michael Essien (below)at 16/1 to open the scoring for Chelsea.
On to the SPL and, believe it or not, Celtic can move FIVE points clear if they can beat Rangers at Parkhead on Sunday.
Rangers look like a boxer on the ropes at the moment and their quadruple bid could be about to unravel.
They are in UEFA Cup action tonight against Fiorentina in the semi-finals and that could sap even more energy out of this already knackered ’Gers team.
Celtic beat them 2-1 last week at Parkhead thanks to that late, late goal from Vennegor of Hesselink and I think they will beat them again come Sunday. Celts midfielder Barry Robson has caught the eye of Celtic supporters and looks a good bet to open the scoring at 14/1.
Can they win the SPL? A tough one to call. They will go five points clear if they win on Saturday and the pressure will be on Rangers to win their three games in hand. So still a lot to play for in the SPL if the Celts win on Sunday.
On to our weekend quad and we were let down by Southampton last week who were the worst price we had, at 10/11.
On to our four this weekend and we start off with our weekend nap where we have opted for LEEDS (1/1) to win at Yeovil on Friday night. A win will secure at least a play-off place for the Elland Road outfit.
On to Saturday and MAN CIY (4/5) should send down relegation-haunted Fulham.
SUNDERLAND (6/5) still need a win to secure Premiership safety and they are the third team down in our weekend quad.
NOTTINGHAM FOREST (1/1) are still in the hunt for automatic promotion and we are banking on them taking all points away at Hartlepool.
Is this the week? Let’s hope so!
PG XXX: West Ham v Newcastle (9/4), Birmingham v Liverpool (5/2), Aberdeen v Hibs (11/5)
(remember those doubles and treble)
Live TV Double: Celtic (1/1),
Chelsea draw (11/5)
Must win Quad: Hereford (1/1), Rochdale (1/1), Barnsley (1/1), Leicester (1/1)
EURO Quad: Udinese (1/1), Ath Madrid (13/8) Beyer Leverkusen (4/5) Espanyol (5/4)