HISTORY BECKONS
in association with
LUCA BRECEL, who arrived at last year’s World Snooker Championship as a 66/1 shot having never previously won a match at the Crucible, eventually walked away with the title.
He came from 10-6 down to beat Ronnie O’Sullivan in the last eight and went on to beat four-time champion Mark Selby in the final 18-15.
Brecel has failed to add a ranking title since then and is 16/1 to make a successful defence.
WILLIE MULLINS is now just 1/2 to emulate the legendary Vincent O’Brien by winning the UK Trainers Championship.
Dan Skelton is 11/4 with his former boss, Paul Nicholls, priced at 10/1.
The two key races in deciding the destination of this year’s title are today’s Scottish Grand National at Ayr and next Saturday’s Celebration Chase at Sandown.
Mullins has six entries in today’s Scottish National.
MANCHESTER City’s double-treble dream has died but they will still have their sights firmly set on an unprecedented Premier League/ FA Cup double in consecutive seasons.
Pep Guardiola’s men are 8/15 with Ladbrokes to beat Chelsea in this evening’s FA Cup semifinal in 90 minutes, with the Blues priced at 4/1 and the draw at 16/5.
Chelsea are full of confidence going into this
CLARE take on Limerick at Cusack Park in a repeat of last year’s Munster Hurling final which the Treaty won by a single point.
Limerick are 8/15 with Ladbrokes to start their title defence with a win but Clare, at 15/8, look the value bet on home soil and are evens +2 points in the handicap.
Clare have a great
O’Sullivan is the worthy 12/5 favourite to win at the Crucible for an eighth time surpass Stephen Hendry.
The Rocket holds the record for eight UK Championships and eight Masters wins and another win at the Crucible would bring up the 8-8-8 and O’Sullivan would hold all three triple crown titles simultaneously, previously been achieved by Hendry, Steve Davis and Mark Williams.
Macdermott, the mount of Danny Mullins, ran out a 12-length winner at Fairyhouse last time out, and is the 13/2 favourite with Ladbrokes to win but Paul Townend’s decision to ride 10/1 shot Spanish Harlem is a tip in itself.
Mullins is throwing the kitchen sink at Ayr. He looks up against it in the Scottish Champion Hurdle where Paul Nicholls can give his title chances a big boost with back-to-back wins in the race with
9/1 chance Rubaud. game following their 6-0 thrashing of Everton while City had an energy-sapping game against Real Madrid.
Cole Palmer scored four times against Everton and is a value bet at 16/5 to score again at any stage today.
Manchester United seek semi-final success over 11/2-shots Coventry. The Red Devils are 1/4 to make it through to the final for the second year in a row. A repeat of last season’s United/City final is as short at 1/2. record against
Limerick in Ennis, so don’t rule out a draw at odds of 8/1 or the handicap draw at 11/1.
Waterford have a good opportunity to record a vital early round robin win against Cork at Walsh Park. On home turf, the Deise at 11/10 +3 points in the handicap makes plenty of appeal.