Punting
Michael Duffy
AND out of nowhere Royal Ascot has appeared! After the excitement of last weekend’s action in Epsom our appetite has been well and truly whetted and we reckon Aidan O’Brien’s great run is set to continue. His Australian import, Haradasun, looks like lining up for the Queen Anne Stakes on Tuesday and his Lockinge run puts him bang in the picture at 6-1. This half-brother to the classy Elvstroem was backed into favouritism on the eve of the Newbury Group 1 event before undertaking a remarkable drift in the market on the day of the race. But he belied that lack of betting ring confidence to run a fine race, beaten just over three lengths in sixth after being hampered just as he was running on. Coming from Ballydoyle he is very likely to improve markedly from that run and looks well worth an interest at 6s. The King’s Stand looks like being a cracking sprint where Takeover Target will be hard to beat but Fleeting Spirit looked something special at Haydock and Jeremy Noseda’s three-year-old filly should take all the beating.
We’ll take at a closer at the other big races next week.
Recommendation: Haradasun 6-1 (Royal Ascot, Tuesday, 2.30) Fleeting Spirit (Royal Ascot, Tuesday, 7-2).
EURO 2008
BOOKMAKERS look to have over-reacted to Germany’s defeat of Poland on Sunday night, slicing Joachim Loew’s team from 11-10 to 8-11 to beat Croatia. Admittedly the Croats looked nothing special against Austria the same night, but they’ll be a different proposition on Thursday. The Final Furlong expects one of these two countries to make it as far as the Euro 2008 final so this clash – the key one in Group B – ought to be closely contested. If that turns out to be the case, 4-1 Croatia, with Luka Modric at his brilliant busy and probing best, is a massive price and worth more than a second look.
I also think that Spain, who will have a battle with Russia on Tuesday, should easily dispose of the Swedes on Friday and they should make up a good double with Portugal who are over priced at 10/11. The double will pay just short of 5/2.
Recommended: Croatia to beat Germany, 4-1; Portugal to beat Czech Republic, Spain to beat Sweden, 5/2 double.
GAA ACTION
ROSCOMMON’S footballers have got a terrible kicking both on and off the field this summer so we’re not going to add to it. But, for obvious reasons, not least managerial stability, Leitrim are further down the organisational road than their near neighbours. It means, therefore, that not alone should Dessie Dolan Senior’s team be insulted about the 1-12 quote that Galway have received ahead of this weekend’s Connacht semi-final clash, but that they also Leitrim should make a better fist of beating the handicap than Roscommon.
That handicap could be anything between 6 and 8 points with bookmakers reckoning – correctly - that Leitrim are a significantly better team at their Carrick-On-Shannon cauldron. Still, they’re good enough to worry Galway for long periods and maybe a speculative punt on Leitrim to lead at half-time, and Galway at full-time, might be worth a look.
Recommended: Leitrim +8 (v Galway, Sunday). Leitrim to lead at half-time, Galway to win (Sunday).
