It sums up the crazy racing calendar in this country that it still feels like winter, yet we are on the verge of the first two Classics of the season. Newmarket has to be the bleakest sporting venue in the country and it will be miserable for punters if this awful weather lasts in to the weekend.
Let’s hope the racing warms up and if we get a performance half as spectacular as Frankel last season we will be in for a treat. Ballydoyle look to have a stranglehold on both Guineas, though I have heard little about Camelot over the winter since he looked like a potential superstar in the Racing Post Trophy.
In contrast, people have been raving about their filly Maybe in the 1,000. Five out of five last season, she could be very special indeed and I fully expect her to win on Sunday. For me, it’s definitely Maybe.
In the Premier League, the incredible journey goes on. The absorbing title race, which we thought was all over a few weeks ago, swung back in City’s favour on Monday. On Betdaq City are now available to back at 1.5 and United at 2.93.
Monday’s game never hit the heights we hoped it would but it was still a compelling match to watch from start to finish. It was an incredible experience to present a game that was watched all round the world and to sit alongside Gary Neville. Gary explained brilliantly just how much the derby meant to the city of Manchester and how painful defeat would be for one side and how jubilant the winners would be. It’s therefore been a long week for the red half of Manchester, dream land for the blues.
However, it isn’t over yet and this is just the type of opportunity Manchester City sides from the past would have thrown away. On Sunday we will find out what Roberto Mancini’s side are made of as they have a tough assignment at Newcastle. This is the first of two live matches on Super Sunday and if City win then surely a first title in 44 years will be theirs. City had the look of champions to me on Monday night with ‘winners’ like Vincent Kompany, Joe Hart and Yaya Toure in the side they looked so focussed and left the field quickly knowing the job was not done.
Now Man City go to Newcastle, where they have won the last four Premier League meetings.
Going further back, City are unbeaten in ten League meetings with the Geordies, winning seven of the last eight.
Newcastle’s stunning win at Chelsea on Wednesday was bad news for City who have drifted since then to win on Sunday from 1.59 to 1.73 with Newcastle back from 6 in to 5 on Betdaq.
It is such a tough place to go but I would be surprised if Man City slipped up.
I’ll be presenting that game from Old Trafford – live from 1pm on Sky Sports 1HD and in Sky 3D – after which we will focus on Manchester United’s response against Swansea. The Champions will have to respond to whatever City have done that day and from the crushing defeat in Monday’s Manchester derby. Roberto Mancini described this as an “easy” game for United and traders on Betdaq seem to agree with United at 1.2 to back and Swansea at 20.
My best bet for the weekend is a win double on QPR and Fulham. QPR have been woeful on the road but brilliant at home, winning their last four against against Liverpool, Arsenal, Swansea and Spurs, while Stoke have not won any of their last eight Premier League away games, losing five of the last seven. Likewise Fulham are so strong at Craven Cottage, whilst Sunderland season seems to be petering out. Fulham are unbeaten in the last five meetings without conceding and have now gone 488 minutes eight hours and eight minutes) since they last conceded against Sunderland, when Kenwyne Jones scored the winner at home in January 2009.
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