A recent lack of success has led to a more conservative approach with our hard earned pennies, but there’s still €175 on offer if this week’s accumulator comes good.
By Sean Nolan and Conor Heneghan
Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, Ascot, Saturday, 3.35 (Frankel to win @ 1/3)
It is always good to have a few sure things in an accumulator; it eases the stress a little even if the price is not that tasty.
It also gives you some value when backing a marvel like Frankel. With eight wins from eight, Henry Cecil’s charge is probably the fastest thing on four legs right now and if you have never watched him before, make sure you catch the race on Saturday. It will be even better when you know he has helped you on your way to some cash.
The closest he came to losing was at this track in June but he beat the next best horse in this race, Excelebration, by a length and a half that day. Same result will do us fine this time.
Pittsburgh Steelers v Jacksonville Jaguars (Steelers to win by more than 12 points @ 10/11)
Jacksonville could be the worst team in the NFL. The Jags have lost their last four by a combined score of 101-43 and they are last in the league in passing yards. They travel to Pittsburgh to play a Steelers team not yet hitting the heights some thought they would this year but they are still miles better than the Jaguars. They could easily win this one by 25 points so 12 is very generous.
New Zealand v Australia (Australia to win @ 9/4)
Call us crazy (you wouldn’t be the first), but we get the scent of an upset in the air. Many wondered how the All-Blacks would cope with the exorbitant pressure that came with trying to win the World Cup on home soil, but it is factors outside of their control that may well precipitate their downfall.
Losing Dan Carter was catastrophic, losing Richie McCaw as well (he’ll probably play, but he ain’t fully fit) would be a blow of biblical proportions. The Wallabies, meanwhile, have been tipping away nicely without over exerting themselves and managed to stay strong in the face of a tidal wave of Springbok pressure last weekend to dethrone the reigning champions.
Can’t say we’re 100 per cent confident of this one coming through, but a scalp at 9/4 is too good to turn down.
Chelsea v Everton (Chelsea to win to nil @11/10)
There’s no doubting Everton’s defensive stubbornness and their ability to make it difficult for the big teams on their own turf. Manchester City had to really grind out a 2-0 victory at the Etihad last year, while it took Manchester United until the dying moments to net a winner at Old Trafford late last season.
We don’t think there’ll be much in it at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, but Chelsea are in form and we think they’ll collect the three points without leaking a goal at their own end.
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