Formbook: horse racing and sports blog

The weather is the winner today, with so many meetings off it’s not worth selecting a nap just for the sake of it. Watch the Golf it should be great today with wind and rain due.

Sporting Index took a pasting when they predicted the Irish would only triumph by a margin of four to seven points over the English. No wonder then that Eddie O’Sullivan’s unit are once again up to second on the Outright Index. They’re priced at 41-44 with England drifting away on 19-22. Sporting Index have Bernard Laporte’s troops nailed on as favourites at 53-56. The index offers 60 points to the winner, 40 to second place, 20 to third, 10 to fourth place, five for fifth and 0 for sixth. Brian Ashton saw his side stutter along against Italy so how will they fare against the French at Twickenham? France welcomes back scrum-half Yachvili, and his kicking has caused major problems for the English since the 2003 World Cup. It’s interesting to see what Sporting Index predict on the France Kicking Metres market for the tournament. This is a prediction on the aggregate distance of all successful kicks at goal (including drop goals). They’re priced at 825-845 and have a so far of 476 metres from the three games they’ve played. With Vickery, Wilkinson and Farrell missing, will France be able to match Ireland’s 30 point margin of victory? Sporting Index reckons it won’t be as brutal for the home fans and have France to win by a margin of seven to ten points. Ireland should be unchanged when they visit Murrayfield. Sporting Index has them to win by 14 to 17 points. Expect that market to see plenty of buyers!

The Caribbean adventure is upon us and Sporting Index will be looking out for those punting on the Total Wides market. In 1999, only 280 were predicted and the end total of 979 had the cricket traders well and truly stumped. This time around, Sporting Index reckons there’ll be between 760 and 800 wides. With smaller stadiums, punters are already jumping on the news that sixes will be easy to come by with so many big-hitters on show. Sporting Index predicts that between 340 to 365 sixes will be struck in all 51 games. Australia are the favourites although no Brett Lee and wayward one day form going into the tournament has cast a few doubts on whether they can repeat the heroics of 1999 and 2003. They’re priced at 67-71 on the 100 point Outright Index, closely followed by the in-form South African’s on 57-61. India with their rich batting line up are surprisingly only fifth favourites according to Sporting Index, priced at 44-48. They smashed 300 in their warm-up match so punters could go high on their tournament total runs spread of 1950-2100 with the likes of Dravid, Tendulkar, Ganguly and Dhoni in their ranks. England are buzzing following their CB Series triumph but are only joint sixth on the index at 42-46. With KP back in the team, is that spread slightly on the low side? What of the home team?  Sporting Index prices up the Windies to reach the semi-finals and they’ll no doubt look to Lara to dig them out of a hole. He’s predicted to rack up between 295 and 320 runs in his last World Cup by Sporting Index.

You have to go back to February 1990 for Tottenham’s last win at the Bridge. Sporting Index reckons their waiting will have to continue and predict Chelsea to win this by a 1.1-1.3 goal margin. However, Spurs did win 2-1 when they met in November at the Lane, and their last two visits have been close run affairs. Having scored 14 goals in their last four games, Sporting Index predict Spurs to score 0.7-0.9 goals. Their style will no doubt make it an open game and Sporting Index predict 2.6-2.8 total goals. So who will contribute to that total? Sporting Index have looked at the form men with Drogba finding the net in six of his last eight fixtures. His goal minutes spread is priced at 23-26 minutes which could stir up interest amongst the punters. Berbatov has scored in his last three away games and Sporting Index quote his goal minutes at 7-10 minutes. Last season’s Premiership fixture saw an injury time winner which would’ve given huge relief to buyers on the total goal minutes market. Sporting Index are quoting a spread of 130-140 minutes this time around.

No win in 10 Premiership matches and now up against your arch nemesis at home. If defeat against Charlton was the dagger to the heart, Sporting Index reckon Spurs will twist it good and proper with victory at Upton Park. They’re predicted to win this by a margin of 0.3-0.5 goals. But wait, this is a derby and West Ham have taken three points off Spurs in six of the last eight home matches. Could they breathe life into their relegation battle? Battling for everything will be the order of the day from the home fans given their pitiful surrender at the Valley, so bookings could be an interesting market. There were seven yellow cards when the Hammers lost 1-0 at the Lane in October and punters could expect another heated encounter. With only one goal in their last four Premiership matches, can Curbishley’s strikers find their shooting boots? Harewood and Cole have four league goals between them all season, but what a stage to open your goalscoring account for Tevez. Sporting Index price his goal minutes spread at 9-12 minutes. Berbatov was brilliant at home against Bolton and has scored on his last two away games. Keep an eye on him with his goal minutes spread priced at 15-18 minutes with Sporting Index.

Vincent Clerc’s late try sunk Irish hearts and their standing on Sporting Index’s Six Nations Outright Index. From clear favourites, they are now quoted as third favourites with a spread of 30-33. Is that a true reflection of how things will shape up the punters ask?  O’Driscoll and Stringer are set to return against England, and with home advantage, they could overtake Brian Ashton’s side on the index. England are priced at 34-37 with the French out in front on 47-50. The index offers 60 points to the winner, 40 to second place, 20 to third, 10 to fourth place, five for fifth and 0 for sixth. Wilkinson and Robinson seem to be the only source of points for the English. It’s no wonder Sporting Index give Ireland the advantage on the supremacy market when these two lock horns. They’re tipped to win this by a 4 to 7 point margin. England could only muster the one try against the Italians and it’s tough to see them penetrating a bolstered Irish midfield at Croke Park. England’s total tournament tries spread has dropped with Sporting Index quoting a spread of 10.5-11.3 tries. Although questions remain over whether the French can pull off the clean sweep, the disappointing Welsh are expected to be brushed aside with ease by Sporting Index. Gareth Jenkins side are predicted to lose by a margin of 13 to 16 points.

United may have left it late in Europe, but early goals are often the story when these two meet. The last three games have seen goals scored in the sixth, second and seventh minutes. Sellers might therefore be heartened to learn that Sporting Index reckon the first goal will be scored in between the 34th and 37th minute.  Just how many goals will be scored? Well, United have found the net 10 times in their previous three Premiership games and are predicted to fire in 2.0 to 2.2 goals despite being far from incisive against Reading and Lille. This fixture has been a high scoring affair of late with 17 goals in only the last three games. Sporting Index could see interest from buyers on their total goals spread of 2.7 to 2.9 goals. Fulham may have shipped four against Spurs, but the total goal minutes market was a very profitable one for the buyers! Given the recent goal glut here, Sporting Index’s total goal minutes spread of 135-145 minutes should catch the attention of those eagle-eyed punters. Could Rooney trouble the Cottagers once more? He has struck three times in their last two matches and his goal minutes spread is 24-27 minutes. So who does Sporting Index tip to take the three points? United are unsurprisingly predicted to win this by a 1.2 to 1.4 goal margin - however Fulham could upset the form guide given their solid six game unbeaten home run in the Premiership.

Arsenal stuttered to a 1-0 defeat against PSV, failing to penetrate the Dutch defence amidst all the gloom. What chances they’ll trouble the Chelsea defence with Terry back to his best? Sporting Index reckons they’ll manage to score 0.9 to 1.1 goals in Cardiff. That could be one market to attract the sellers given the Gunners miserable record of breaching the Chelsea defence - they’ve only scored two goals in their last five encounters. Expecting a high number of goals could be wishful thinking with an edgy contest always on show. Sporting Index predicts 2.2 to 2.4 total goals in the match.  With only eight goals in their previous five games, it could take a brave decision to go high on that spread. It might not need such a courageous individual to go high on Baptista’s goal minutes. He’s netted six times in the Carling Cup and his goal minutes spread is 12-15 minutes. You’d have to go back eight matches to see the last time Arsenal emerged victorious over Chelsea and it’s no wonder Sporting Index have the Blues to shade this by a 0.2 to 0.4 goal margin. Drogba scored twice last time they met in Cardiff in a 2-1 Community Shield win and is always a handful for Toure and co. His goal minutes spread is 17-20 minutes.

Spurs fans rarely get the chance to claim bragging rights over rivals Arsenal. So after going 2-0 up after 20 minutes, Sporting Index saw few sellers with them as favourites on the goal supremacy quote of 1.9-2.1. The office taunts were surely being scripted by the white half of North London, however they forgot that the Carling Cup script is being written by Baptista this season. Sporting Index predicts the Gunners to win the second leg by 0.6-0.8 goals.

Despite this, Jol’s men looked sharp with Lennon buzzing over the weekend and they did grab a draw away to their foes last season. Defoe’s importance is magnified with first leg scorer Berbatov injured. With four goals already in the competition, buyers will no doubt take interest in his goal minutes spread which is priced at 13-16 minutes. Given that Van Persie, Ljungberg and Hleb are in the treatment room, will those injuries place too much pressure on Wenger’s youngsters? He’ll look to the fact it’s been 17 games since Tottenham last beat Arsenal and that they’re unbeaten at the Emirates this season. 20 goals in their last seven matches in all competitions will surely provoke interest in the Gunners’ total goals spread. They’re predicted to score 1.6-1.8 goals by Sporting Index in tomorrow’s match.

Four against Cardiff and three on the weekend against Southend shows Spurs aren’t exactly struggling in the goal scoring stakes, so goals could be in the offing. Sporting Index predicts there to be 2.6-2.8 total goals in the match. Spurs will have to show passion and dig deep, but will they keep their cool in the process? There were four bookings in the first leg and Sporting Index reckons there’ll be five (10 points per yellow card) and quote a spread of 48-52 points in the bookings market.

Liverpool v Chelsea (Saturday: 12.45 Sky Sports 1)

Mourinho and Benitez revive their bitter rivalry, but can the Spaniard finally grab three points over his nemesis in the Premiership? A tight affair is to be expected when you take into account 11 of their last 13 meetings in all domestic competitions have been settled by the solitary goal. No surprise then to see Sporting Index predict a stalemate in this one.

With all the talk of ‘civil war’ in the Chelsea boardroom, it’s easy to forget that the former Porto manager has masterminded five consecutive Premiership wins over Liverpool. The Blues have won only two out of their last five despite the good form of Drogba, and will be looking to Schevchenko for a repeat of his Community Shield strike against the Merseysiders. Whereas the Blues have been jittery of late, the Reds lead the Premiership form chart with only one defeat from 11 and have conceded only one goal during that impressive run. Rafa’s men have been scoring for fun in recent weeks so it’s perhaps a little surprising that Sporting Index predict them to score just the once.

This fixture has often seen the ref reach for his top pocket. Last season saw Reina sent off as well as three yellow cards. This season, Ballack received his marching orders and five others were cautioned. Could it be just as fiery this time around? Sporting Index certainly think so and are predicting 5 bookings at Anfield - although Liverpool have shown a disciplined streak recently and haven’t picked up a single yellow card in their last three Premiership matches!

Arsenal v Man Utd (Sunday: 16.00 Sky Sports 1)

Despite some early worries about the effect a new stadium would have on Arsenal, they have remained unbeaten at their new home throughout the season and Fergie’s men will find it difficult to improve on a decent record in North London where they have not lost in four.

Both sides have been on fire in recent weeks averaging 2.8 goals a game in their last 5 league outings. Therefore Sporting Index’s prediction of just two goals at the Emirates should stir up some interest. If goals don’t make the headlines, Mike Riley probably will. However with Gilberto missing in the middle of the park for the Gunners through suspension, tempers may be a little less frayed than usual. Nevertheless, Sporting Index still predict that 5 bookings players will be cautioned. 

Wengers men triumphed over the Red Devils early on in the season, but it was their first win over their foes in nine meetings. With both sides on such a good run of form, Sporting Index find it hard to see past a stalemate. However Wenger will have to keep his eye on United’s young stars Rooney and Ronaldo who have both grabbed crucial goals against his side in recent seasons.

Hopefully that’s given you something to think about. For all the latest prices and to apply for your Sporting Index account, click here.