The Armchair View
The month of May signals the business end of the season for many high profile events, while also heralding the start of the GAA championship and the final countdown towards Euro 2008. When you add in the Beijing Olympics, which opens on the 08/08/08, and the All Ireland Poc Fad competition in the Cooley Mountains, it’s a veritable treasure trove of sporting action all the way.
I can just see the script writers of the various soaps sharpening their pens in an effort to spice up their storylines as a counter attraction. Let the battle commence!
Guineas Weekend
Now that the National Hunt scene has wound down, it is time to focus on the first Classics of the season, with the 2000 Guineas and its fairer sex equivalent down for decision at Newmarket this weekend.
In the colts Classic (Saturday 3.25), Jim Bolger’s New Approach certainly advertised his claims for success with hard fought wins in the National and Dewhurst Stakes at the end of the last season. There is no doubting his stamina and his determination, and despite that fact that he has not run so far this term, you would think that any kind of improvement should see him home.
Regarding his rivals, Raven’s Pass has done enough to justify being second favourite following his runner-up position behind Henry Cecil’s Twice Over in the Craven Stakes. The latter looks to be a hot prospect and will figure prominently in the longer events as the season progresses. Raven’s Pass, however, would need things to come right for him on the day, the main thing being a sufficient drying of the ground.
Yet, the Craven runner-up has often gone on to win the Guineas, and if tempted by the 3/1-4/1 starting price, John Gosden’s colt may attract many friends before the stalls open. Others to watch out include Godolphin’s Ibn Khaldun and Aidan O’Brien’s Henrythenavigator (subject to a lot of ante-post bets), while Michael Stoute’s Perfect Stride (available at 20s if you can get him) could be the value bet of the lot.
Moving on to the 1000 Guineas, (Sunday 3.10), Natagora, last season’s Cheveley Park winner, is attracting positive vibes from her French base. The connections are also bullish that their hope will stay the mile and so become the first French-trained winner of the race since 1992. Infallible is an obvious danger, as she impressively won her trial (Nell Gwynn), while John Dunlop’s Fred Darling winner Muthabara will also be vying for favouritism.
As for the Irish contenders, it is hard to see any of them being in the shake up, with Aidan O’Brien’s Savethisdanceforme, the liveliest of our hopes.
The Premier League – ‘Squeaky Bum Time’ (The Premiership – RTÉ Two, 7.30pm)
Alex Ferguson coined the above phrase, in reference to a title race that would go down to the wire. For the first time in five years, we have a race that will be decided in the month of May. At the other end of the table, this year’s scramble to avoid the drop to the Championship is just as compelling.
Starting at the top end, Manchester United v West Ham (Saturday 12.45) should on paper see Fergie’s men extend their advantage to three points over Chelsea for 48 hours at least. I know West Ham are United’s bogey side (remember the last day of the 1994/95 season) but you would have to think that with home advantage and the title within their grasp, that a slip up here is unthinkable.
Ladbrokes certainly thinks so at odds of 1/3 for them to retain their title. The big question relates to West Ham’s propensity to be party poopers again? Their recent form suggests such an act is beyond them. Remember, this was a team that was booed off the field by their own supporters following a 2-1 home win against the ‘mighty’ Derby County.
Newcastle v Chelsea (Monday 8.00) from this remove, and taking into account Newcastle’s improved form, could prove a tricky assignment for Avram Grant’s side, in spite of them booking their tickets to Moscow. Kevin Keegan has promised his ‘friend’ Alex Ferguson to give Chelsea a dose of the blues on Tyne side. In any event, this tie could be a real Bank Holiday cracker, possibly a 2-2 draw, or it could be a dour affair, with Chelsea, as they have done so often in the past, eking out a 1-0 win.
A win by any manner of means will do Bolton as they take on the now safe Sunderland (Saturday 3.00). They might just do it. Fulham v Birmingham is the proverbial six pointer. Going into it, Roy Hodgson’s side have chalked up two successive away wins, (it really did happen!), while Birmingham of late have resembled a litter of nervous kittens as they hide for cover as games approach the 90th minute. This one could make could make good television viewing, perhaps with some slapstick comedy thrown in for good measure.
GAA – The Calm Before the Storm
This weekend is quiet on the inter-county front, with pride of place going to the Cadbury’s All Ireland U-21 football final between Kerry and Kildare (Saturday, 7.00pm in Thurles). The Kingdom, with senior player Killian Young in inspirational form, are slight favourites to win their first title since 2002 (4/7 v 9/5).
When you consider they stuttered to beat Mayo in the semi-final, while Kildare overcame a fancied Down side, who were impressive All Ireland minor winners three years ago, is their favourites tag purely based on the their name and tradition?
Viewers to this match will no doubt be looking to see, who among the Kerry team will be likely to figure in the senior side in the coming years, while also assessing Glen Ryan’s Lilywhites outfit as the county bids to climb back up the football hierarchy. Hopefully, this encounter will whet the appetite for the coming months. A draw at 7/1 may not be out of the question.
Rugby – Leinster to seal the deal.
The penultimate round of matches in the Magners League takes place this weekend. Leaders Leinster face the Newport Gwent Dragons at the RDS (Saturday 6.00pm). A win will see Michael Cheika’s side claim the Magners title and would expect them to wrap it up, though not before the Dragons put them under pressure for at least 20 minutes in the first half. In the second half, Leinster will have found their rhythm and will cruise to victory.
That’s how I think it will pan out. Silverware for Drico & the boys, but also a feeling of envy as they watch Munster prepare for another big day in Cardiff!
