Our last weekend fancies of the summer sees Gaelic Football, Premier League football, Formula One racing and horse racing all get a look in.
By Conor Heneghan and William Nestor
Weekend Patent
Sunday sees Kildare and Down come to Croke Park for one of the most novel and welcome All-Ireland semi-finals in years. We were spot on when predicting a 1-3 point victory for Cork last weekend and have a good feeling that our forecast for this weekend’s game will be proven correct by 5.15 or so on Sunday afternoon.
Against Monaghan and Meath, the Lilywhites got off to a sluggish start before delivering powerful second half performances. Considering Down’s lightning start against Kerry in the quarter-final, the Lilywhites could be up against it from the off on Sunday, but we think they’ll come good in the end.
Down half-time/ Kildare full-time is available at 4/1.
Read our preview of the All-Ireland semi-final here and read JOE’s take on the main battles to look out for here.
Last week, we recommended a punt on Mark Hughes’ Fulham to beat Manchester United at Craven Cottage, a place that has become something of a bogey ground for the Red Devils. Fulham were more than a match for Fergie’s men and although they required a late Brede Hangeland equaliser to snatch a point, they could easily have taken all three.
This weekend, we’re going to go tip another mid-table side to come good against a top four team that they have a good record against. Arsenal travel to Ewood Park on the back of a 6-0 drubbing of Blackpool but will be up against a Blackburn side who have made a good start to the season and were very unlucky to lose to Birmingham last weekend.
Blackburn to beat Arsenal is an extremely tempting 5/1.
Read five things JOE thinks you should look out for in the Premier League this weekend here.
We’re sticking with the Premier League for the last of our relatively short-priced punts for the weekend. Against Aston Villa last weekend, Newcastle showed that they are well capable of not only staying up, but of doing so comfortably. Chris Hughton’s men, and Andy Carroll in particular, are bound to be buzzing heading into this weekend and we think that they’ll keep the good run going with a win over Wolves at Molinuex.
Take Newcastle to beat Wolves at 2/1.
A €3 patent (total outlay €21) could return just over €500.
Break the Bookie
If Kildare do progress to the All-Ireland final with a defeat of Down on Sunday, there’s a good chance that Johnny Doyle will have had a big part to play. The veteran attacker has been in sparkling form all year and has contributed 1-43 to the Kildare cause in the championship, including 0-8 in the quarter-final against Meath.
Doyle was voted man of the match against the Royals last time out and we think he’s a good bet to be the main man again on Sunday.
Johnny Doyle to be awarded the man of the match award can be backed at 6/1.
The last time we delved into the world of Formula One betting, we were successful when tipping Mark Webber to win the Hungarian Grand Prix. On that occasion, Webber was available at 7/2, but we’re going to be a tad more ambitious this time around.
Jenson Button hasn’t won a Grand Prix since April and hasn’t even featured in the top three in the last three races. Button currently lies in fourth in the driver’s standings and needs to get some points soon if he is to mount a serious defence of his title.
Stick your neck on the line and back Button to win the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps at 10/1.
At first glance one would think CALEDONIA PRINCESS should not, and could not, be the outsider for the Novae Bloodstock Insurance Hopeful Stakes (Listed)Â (Class 1) 6f in Newmarket on Saturday. His rich vein of form is undermined; however, as it comes in lesser class company and this step up will take a big effort.
A big effort indeed, but not an insurmountable task. The market principles for the 3.20 race are also new to this level and question marks can be raised over both Dafeef and Bated Breath.
Ross Atkinson has built a strong winning relationship with Caledonia Princess who is seeking a four-timer after obliterating the field at Windsor over the same trip two weeks ago.
A punt on Barry Brennan’s Caledonia Princess at 20/1 is super value in a race of this nature.
A tenner on those three will return €16,170, enough to beat off the onset of the autumn blues on Monday morning.
