This week I need to start with a big “thank you” to all those BETDAQ layers who helped me build my account balance over the last six months or so to the extent that I could afford a little racing trip abroad for the last week, which was frankly amazing – Singapore is a fantastic place, the racecourse at Kranji is first class as is the racing, though I have to admit the temperature and humidity take a bit of getting used to and I failed dismally.
Amusingly, I can travel anywhere and everywhere in the racing world and still draw a blank with my bets lol, though once again I did bet on BETDAQ and beat the local odds on each and every occasion – I just needed to find a few more winners to actually make it pay. Before I moan about my luck in Asia I have to say we all rushed back from our evening meal to crash through the hotel doors looking for the racing channel and a chance to see how Frankel would get on with his return to action at Newbury.
Sadly, and perhaps because our press failed to give the Singapore Group One’s enough coverage (shame on you British press), they were showing some handicaps from elsewhere and ignored the living legend, but we only had to wait a few minutes to watch a replay on line on my I-pad so it wasn’t all bad. He was visually impressive in the paddock before hand (he looks to have strengthened to me but what do I know?), and was just as good in the race itself, putting in little more than a workmanlike performance to win going away from Excelebration and Dubawi Gold, pretty much exactly the same form as last season (maybe a length better), so I learnt next to nothing! He is clearly a star, and clearly the best of last season’s milers but his true test could come when he takes on the best three year olds of 2012 (and giving them weight), then we can all find out just how good he really is?
The football was equally fascinating though I did get it wrong predicting Blackpool though it was a close run thing and we can all welcome (?) West Ham back to the premier league next season, though how long they will stay there is another question and one I will have a look at when the relegation prices come out at the beginning of the new season and after all the transfer business has been done and dusted. Staying up to 2.45am local time to watch the Chelsea game seemed a bit daft but the Champions League final only happens once a year and with some sizeable bets on in advance I needed to know how it went in real time. For reasons beyond me (I am an Everton supporter), I concluded that Chelsea were the likeliest winners and backed them to win overall at BETDAQ odds of 4.8 and 4.7 which seemed generous though at my age, I really must look for bets that don’t raise my blood pressure! I admit I drifted in and out of sleep while watching, but it seemed to me Chelsea rode their luck time and time again in normal time and extra time with a mixture of good fortune and heroic defending, and when it went to penalties, even I sat up feeling wide awake. Looking at the BETDAQ odds I was tempted to go in again on the blues with Petr Cech likely to make the difference but having lumped on once I didn’t take the risk and sat back biting my nails instead. We all know the outcome and we all know my BETDAQ bets were landed, but I did gain a few extra grey hairs and would prefer something a little easier next season!
Looking ahead what am I going to bet on with the football season finished? Luckily, BETDAQ cover more sports than I can shake a stick at (I was going to count them but that would take until the weekend), so I will have to tread outside of familiar territory soon, but in the mean time, there is still a little football left! Huddersfield Town take on Sheffield United in the Division One play off final Saturday afternoon, and I find the 2.85 with BETDAQ for the first named excellent value. Overall, layers are undecided on this one which is almost too close to call, but I get the feeling that manager Simon Grayson may just have the tactical edge over rival Danny Wilson and with Jordan Rhodes having one last chance to impress all the Premier league managers considering a summer bid, I will back him to be first goal scorer with BETDAQ if the odds are around the 5.5 mark.
Looking for something a little different, I think I will have a small bet on the Monaco Grand Prix, not that I know much about the sport so I had better be a quick learner. Reading up on line, we all know Sebastian Vettel is the current world champion, so it seems fair to say he is pretty handy behind the wheel, and with Red Bull on his side all things are possible. He set the pace last year so obviously drives the circuit as well as any and although as I write Fernando Alonso heads the practice times, that could all change by the time you read this! BETDAQ odds of 8.6 seem overgenerous and at that price, it has to be worth risking a point of all our profits over the last few months.
Finally, I may not be a DAQMAN when it comes to picking the winners, but that never stops me loving the horses, and I have to partake of one bet at least, each and every weekend. As I am still in globetrotter mode I will only have a small bet in Ireland at The Curragh this Saturday when they put on their 2000 Guineas, A Group One over a mile and as intriguing a contest as I have seen in a while. Looking at the betting, Parish Hall seems sure to go off favourite and on juvenile form is the best of them having seen off Power at Newmarket in the Dewhurst Stakes last Autumn. However, there is no evidence that he has trained on as yet, and I thought he was being aimed at the Derby in which case this could be little more than an after thought, and I will take the risk with the highly promising Takar who could be anything or nothing. He went in to every notebook going when hacking up in his maiden last season and reappeared here in a Listed race when he quickened up nicely on tacky ground to win with his head in his chest in what was little more than an educational run. He seems sure to have improved for that race and should have a fitness advantage over the jolly, and at BETDAQ odds of 6.1 or thereabouts he will be my throw away bet this week.
This week’s suggested bets (odds correct at the time of writing):
Football:
1pt Win HUDDERSFIELD to beat Sheffield, United Division one playoff Saturday at BETDAQ odds of 2.85
1pt Win JORDAN RHODES to be first goal scorer Huddersfield v Sheffield United Saturday if BETDAQ odds are around the 5.5 mark.
Motor racing:
1pt Win SEBASTIAN VETTEL to Win the Monaco Grand Prix this weekend at BETDAQ odds of 8.6
Horse Racing:
1pt Win TAKAR Irish 2000 Guineas, 3.15pm The Curragh Saturday at BETDAQ odds of 6.1
Did you know that as well as checking the realtime prices on BETDAQ below – you can also log into your account and place your bets directly into BETDAQ from BETDAQ TIPS.
