Snooker, Racing, Football

What was Riise doing? Imagine how much stick his son is going to get at school today! And then after they stopped teasing him for being ginger, they'll ask him what the f*ck his dad was doing last night! So the Champions League party moves from the Capital of Culture to the clearly much less cultured city of Barcelona. And the big guns make their debuts at the Crucible. Which Ronnie will turn up?

10am Doherty, O'Sullivan & Maguire Treble Evens (LOST+10.11 - out at first hurdle as Ken went down with barely a whimper to new Chinese sensation Liang Wenbo)
Early start today and with two relative unknowns taking on recent winners and most people's alternative to Ronnie starting his campaign this seems like a good opportunity to enhance some short odds. Ken Doherty (2/5) starts at 10am against Liang Wen Bo, Ronnie (1/10) at 2.30 against Liu Chuang, before Stephen Maguire (3/10) faces Anthony Hamilton at 7.00 while Ken will be finishing off. The latter two matches will then conclude tomorrow.

4.15 Punchestown Sher Beau 50/1 e/w (LOST +9.11 - yes one of those days! No more to say really!)
This is a difficult horse to pick. Fragile is an understatement! So much so that he now has his own stall in the field away from the other horses to protect against him catching anything! I have to confess I know the son of the owner of this horse, and yes that's always the way with Irish horses at Punchestown, but this is more a case of the fact I have followed the horse's progress. He was third in the John Durkan two years ago, and since then has struggled to be right, but his Grade 3 chase win in the Heavy at Navan last month saw him back fully fit and approaching his previosu form. Nothing more than small stakes each way but if he does run to potential he could get us some tasty palce money.

7.45 Barcelona v Man United Less than 2.5 goals 4/6 (WON +9.78 - could have been different if the buck-toothed diver had slotted his penalty, but otherwise it was a relatively comfortable result)
This might seem a strange bet for two of the more attacking sides in European football, but Barca have yet to hammer anyone at home in Europe this season. They saw off Schalke and Celtic 1-0 in the knock out rounds, and beat Rangers 2-0 in the final qualifying game. Their last two Primera Liga home games have finished 0-0 as well, as Frank Rijkaard's side are not firing on all cylinders. But surely United will take advantage I hear you cry? United won 2-0 in Lyon with a truly world class performance, but had drawn 1-1 in Lyon and Rome previously as well as a 1-0 win in Lisbon. Only the bizarre 4-2 win in Kiev has seen more than 2 goals from a United away game in Europe this season. And at home they have picked up the points but not with the ease they were a few months back - a 1-1 draw at Blackburn, lucky to get all 3 points v Arsenal and a 2-2 at Middlesbro suggest things are not quite full steam ahead at Old Traffford either. But then I'm not one to question Fergie. However, I dont see things being settled tonight and hence the total goals bet.