Football and Horse Racing

Apologies for the late publication today. However, I would still have skipped the first round of the World Matchplay golf as the first round is like Court Number 2 at Wimbledon - graveyard of the seeds. So I'll focus on the football tonight and a tasty filly at Kempton.

7.45 Barcelona to beat Celtic 1-0 11/2 (LOST+1.78 - So much for a cautious approach from Barca! Celtic are one of the luckiest sides I've seen - they should be 6 down after this leg. Spread betters, buy Barca supremacy in the second leg as it could be as high as Jimmy Anderson's economy rate!)
Everyone knows about Celtic not being beaten at home in Europe since September 2004, but it is amazing really for a decidedly average team in terms of European football. The record has been protected due to some credible draws against some of Europe's leading lights, but tonight Gordon Strachan will know a draw is no good. To stand any chance whatsoever of getting through this tie, Celtic have to win at Parkhead, unlike Barca's trip to Ibrox earlier in the season, when their hosts were happy to defend for a draw. However, that will allow Barcelona to play and when you have a frontline of Eto'o, Henry, Ronaldinho and Messi, they are more difficult to keep quiet than 17 hangings in Bridgend. And it could be Celtic's European dreams left dangling by a string when those four get going tonight, and that record is left in tatters. Oh, and the last team to win at Parkhead in European competition? Barcelona. However, believe it or not Barcelona have only netted 7 goals in their last 8 games, although Ronnie has been injured and Eto'o at the African Nations Cup. Expect Barca to do enough to allow them to turn on the tricks in the Nou Camp in the second leg.

8.20 Kempton Tuning Fork 9/2 (LOST +0.78 - was well backed but Kirsty couldn't quite get him to go with the front two and he came a couple of lengths down in 3rd)
This horse finished a half length second in the Dante Stakes in 2003 on only his second ever run, winning £32,000, and tonight, less than 5 years on is racing in a £2,000 0-50 handicap at Kempton. He has now run 6 times on the all weather, and seems to be enjoying a shorter trip as he ages, with a 3rd and a 2nd in his two runs over 7f. Those two places have also come while being steered by this blog's favourite female jockey, Kirsty Miczarek, and I think he has a decent chance of making up the length and a half he lost by last time and reclaiming some glory.