m a n a b o u t d o g b l o g

Sharapova and Ivanovic cruising

My two selections, Maria Sharapovea (4/6 to make the 1/4 finals) and Ana Ivanovic (8/1 EW) cruised through their 2nd and 3rd round matches at Roland Garros today.  Unfortunately that means more pictures of these horrendous looking individuals.

Derby Final Card Selections

Its such a tight card I can only go for 4 from the whole night. I expect once I am at the track getting oiled I will squander plenty of money on no-hopers. But these four I am backing prior to heading down to the Don.

• Barnfield Loreto
• Toosey Blue
• Tyrur Kieran
• Mustang Garcia

Cesarawitch heats at Oxford tonight

9.20 Vatican Fyne(SP)

9.50 Directors Chair(SP) 

Ireland vs Colombia at Craven Cottage

Draw 23/10 with Bet 365

The weary Irish team are not in form and Los Cafeteros (The Coffee Makers) should make Trapatoni's men work ahrd before the holidays.

Ana-ther day at the office for Ivanovic

Tipped at 8/1 EW for this year's French Open, last year's runner up 20 year-old Serbian Ana Ivanovic cruised through 6-2, 6-1 yesterday against Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic to book her place in the 3rd round.

Sharapova squeezes through

Maria Sharapova won the deciding set of her match today 8-6 to just go through. Phew! Still, an excuse to put up another couple of pictures(this time from the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue 2006).

Blue Square English Derby Final 2008 - Post your selections here

With the €100 free bet courtesy of Bruce Betting still up for grabs, please post your selections for the Final here.

1. KRYPTONITE
2. LENSON EXPRESS
3. TYRUR KIERAN
4. LOYAL HONCHO
5. TYRUR LAUREL
6. BLONDE DINO

Womens Tennis - Roland Garros French Open 2008

Ana Ivanovic(above) is a standout price of 8/1 with Sporting Bet to win the French Open which started yesterday.  I think she has a clear run right through to the semi finals so I am going to go for an Each Way bet (1/2 odds 1,2 place).

Maria Sharapova (below) is in great form and at 4/6 (Sporting Bet) to make the last 8 it's like buying money.

Strong tipping performance last night.

4 selections, 4 winners last night - can't do any better than that.

It was the semi finals of the Blue Square English Derby and it is turning into the best Derby for many a year.  I returned home from Thurles where I had a disappointment with my own runner, and turned on the Sky+ box and sat back and watched Tyrur Laurel and Loyal Honcho(pictured) firmly put Ireland in the driving seat. Add to these two Tyrur Kieran, the favourite and chasing the ibetX.com million pound bounty, and Irish owned Charlie Lister trained runner Kryptonite and the emerald isle should have cause for celebration next weekend. Blonde Dino and Lenson Express will carry the cockney hopes but these two are the outsiders of a very open looking final.

My selections last night gave me a profit on the night of +€11.00.

• Love Tiger WON at Evs
• Droopys Wells WON at 2/1
• Tyrur Laurel WON at 4/1
• Loyal Honcho WON at 4/1

Peter Meldrum selected 4 dogs last night - like me avoiding the hurdle races - and he got one winner for a loss on the night of -€2.60.

• Side Leg LOST
• Ninja Jamie WON at 2/5
• Kryptonite LOST
• Barnfield On Air LOST

Jonathon Kay was a little shy and only selected in the Derby semis, both losing recording a loss on the night of -€2.00

• Droopys Obafemi LOST
• Seanis Lad LOST

Richard Birch, Wimbledon correspondent, got 2 out of 8 selections up on the night although they were both massive odds-on shots. He suffered a huge loss of -€5.16 on the night.

• Side Leg LOST
• Plough Lane LOST
• Ninja Jamie WON at 2/5
• Hotdog Jack WON at 4/9
• Eye Onthe Flame LOST
• Kildare Lark LOST
• Toosey Blue LOST
• Tyrur Kieran LOST

Jonathon Hobbs had a good night. He had 3 out of 8 including an 8/1 shot. Well done Hobbsy - you scored a profit of +€4.40 on the night.

• Love Tiger WON at Evs
• Plough Lane LOST
• Ninja Jamie WON at 2/5
• Smooth Turbo LOST
• Ballyard Kaiser LOST
• Morell Warrior NB WON at 8/1
• Kryptonite NAP LOST
• Barnfield On Air LOST

So, in the Sky Sports Tipping League, I have made huge inroads on Peter Meldrum and Tony Bullen.

CURRENT SKY SPORTS TIPPING LEAGUE TABLE

1. Peter Meldrum +€10.08; 18/56 (32.1%)
2. Tony Bullen +€1.51; 17/46 (37%)
3. manaboutdogblog +€1.41; 26/85 (30.6%)
4. Phil Donaldson -€0.35 4/8 (50%)
5. Patrick Kelly -€1.65; 3/8 (37.5%)
6. Gary Wiltshire -€2.70 4/11 (36.4%)
7. Jonathon Hobbs -€11.42; 28/95 (29.5%)
8. Jonathon Kay -€14.18; 33/93 (35.5%)
9. Richard Birch -€18.51; 16/48 (35%)

MANABOUTDOGBLOG vs KILHORANKENNELSBLOG Challenge

Amazingly, in a challenge that I had resigned myself to losing, I have hit the front in the shadow of the stand, and unless I lose sight of the hare, I am a hot favourite to beat John O'Sullivan and make it 5-2 in the series.  Interestingly, even though we, like the vast majority of enthusiasts, are registering substantial losses in this renewal of the Derby - that both myself and JohnO are beating the Racing Post Greyhound Editor and the Racing Post Wimbledon Expert.

1. MANABOUTDOGBLOG: 13/49 (26.5%) -€16.33
2. KILHORAN KENNELS: 14/48(29.2%) -€19.79
3. JONATHON KAY 10/46 (22.7%); -€20.58
4. RICHARD BIRCH 13/53; -€27.76

Derby Tipping Competition: Semi Final Scores and Leaderboard

Semi Final Scores

1 Robert Catterson 80
Stephen Jackson 80
John Moyles 80

4 Richard Coleman 45
Kevin Murphy 45
Richard Newell 45

7 Martin Drake 40

8 Helen Moyles 35
Woko 35

10 John Doolin 5
Karen Drake 5
Neil Duggan 5
Colin G 5
Paul Gebhard 5
Livi Noble 5
John O'Sullivan 5
Silver Fox 5
Leigh Smith 5
Symbols Baker 5

20 Sean Hickey 0
Ken 0
Frank Tate 0
Ray Allen 0
Paul Jennings 0

LEADERBOARD GOING INTO THE FINAL
 
  1 COLIN G 490
 
  2 WOKO 435
 
  3 PAUL JENNINGS 430
 
  4 FRANK TATE 420
 
  5 JOHN MOYLES 400
 
  6 NIALL GAVIN 390
   RICHARD NEWELL 390
 
  8 MARK CALDER 385
   NEIL DUGGAN 385
   RICHARD COLEMAN 385
 
  11 HELEN MOYLES 380
   STEVEN JACKSON 380
 
  13 SEAN HICKEY 375
 
  14 KEN 370
   LEIGH SMITH 370
 
  16 JOHN O'SULLIVAN 330
 
  17 CHRIS ALLEN 325
   LIVI NOBLE 325
 
  19 PAUL GEBHARD 300
 
  20 KAREN DRAKE 295
 
  21 SYMBOLS BAKER 290
 
  22 GARY CONNOLLY 285
   RAY ALLEN 285
 
  24 SILVER FOX 280
 
  25 MARTIN DRAKE 275
 
  26 TOM LISTON 270
 
  27 JOHN DOOLIN 255
   KEVIN MURPHY 255
   RICK ROSE 255
 
  30 ROB MURDIE 250
 
  31 STEVE PORTER 220
 
  32 DARREN LEESON 190
   PAUL O'SULLIVAN 190
 
  34 ROBERT CATTERSON 180
 
  35 ROSS BRYANS 170
 
  36 MATT STYLES 155
 
  37 JOSH NORMAN 145
 
  38 C WHELAN 140
 
  39 BUYGEORGE 135
   DANNY FIGG 135
 
  41 NOEL KEANE 105
 
  It's practically all over with COLING having an almost unassailable lead, and if he selects a 2nd place or better in the final I don't think he can be topped.
 
  He is still beatable due to the rules, with all NAP, NB and Bismarcks to be chosen.  So, whichever dog is selected in the final it will score NAP and NB bonuses if it wins so 70 or 75 points will be awarded for a winner which still leaves WOKO, PAUL JENNINGS and FRANK TATE with a chance.  Bismarcks look extremely unlikely in a wide open final.
 
  However it would be folly to bet against COLING winning the €100 bet. In theory there are a maximum 115 points available to be won (including BISMARCKS) so that means all competitors down to Sean Hickey in 13th are still alive.  I know that some of you are having private bets between yourselves also.  Fair play to you all for sticking with this over the month - it's been fun and we will do it again soon.
 
  Thanks to BRUCE BETTING for their kind donation.
 
  Here's how I would price the result of this competition if I had to!!!:
 
  COLIN G 1/6 FAV
  WOKO 4/1
  PAUL JENNINGS 6/1
  FRANK TATE 8/1
  JOHN MOYLES 300/1
  NIALL GAVIN 400/1
  RICHARD NEWELL 400/1
  MARK CALDER 500/1
  NEIL DUGGAN 500/1
  RICHARD COLEMAN 500/1
  HELEN MOYLES 1000/1
  STEVEN JACKSON 1000/1
  SEAN HICKEY 2000/1