Darts, Racing and Baseball

Welcome back. Sorry, been a bit busy of late, but its time to get some more blogs posted and start playing with the McDowell profit. You didn't miss much though - I largely steered clear of The Open with an e/w on Cink and a final afternoon e/w on Poulter. Anyway, we've got darts on again this week, so we'll be getting stuck into the lords of the tungsten.

1.10 Priestley & Painter Double 5/4 (LOST +18.59 - Dennis won 10-8, and Painter recovered from 8-4 down to 8-8, but then fluffed some doubles and lost 10-8)
Dennis Priestley is a fighter, both on the oche and off it as his recent battler with cancer has proved. But now he's over that he's thrown some good darts in recent tournaments, beating James Wade in a recent non-TV event and losing in the semi's of the US Open to The Power. Adrian Gray is no mug, but Priestley should see him off to set up an interesting 2nd round tie with the still out of form Terry Jenkins.
Kevin 'The Artist' Painter showed how good he can be when he made the World Champs semi's last year and averaged 103.68 in Vegas a fortnight ago - which only The Power could beat. He will relish taking on Barney in the 2nd round, so while 1/2 is that enticing, the 5/4 double is worth a decent go.

3.45 Yarmouth Quaroma 3/1 (WON +21.59 - an excellent ride by Frankie McDonald on a good horse who could yet have more improvement in her)
4 runs on turf and has finished 3rd, 1st, 5th and 2nd, so should feature today in what looks to be a match between the favourite Punchin, and our selection. The 2nd by a length last time out was her first step up to 6f from the minimum trip, and she looked to come on for it. Punching has recorded 2 wins from 10 runs and today carries 5lbs higher than his winning mark, so I'm willing to take him on.

5.00 Ayr Casino Night 15/4 (LOST +20.59 - looked like a good day when leading with 2f to go, but then faded badly)
Another 2 horse race on paper, and another one to take on the favourite with. Our salecetion won nicely when made all and staying on over 7f at Beverley in May, for which she went up 6lbs. Since then she has shown little, until tried in cheekpieces last time out and was a 2l second, but a further 7l clear of the rest. She now races off 2lbs lighter than that Beverley win. Bourse also won in May off the same mark of 60 coincidentally, his couple of 3rds from 4 runs has meant he still carries 4lbs more than that win, so hence I'm siding with Casino Night.

12.05am Toronto & Detroit Double 3/1 (LOST +19.59 - Toronto lost 8-3 with the 5th innings being decisive as with 2 outs, the Orioles picked up 2 further runs to lead 5-3 rather than remain tied. Detroit however look to me like World Series potentials now, and battered KC 19-4 with 10 runs in the 8th taking the score to 19-0!)
The battle of the basement in the East Division of the American Laegue tonight with Toronto heading north to Baltimore after a 9-4 victory at division leaders Tampa Bay last night, giving the Blue Jays a 60% win ratio in their last 10 games. Alex Rios found the middle of his bat at last and that could be the key to beating basement side Baltimore who have lost 7 of their last 10 and went down 5-1 at home to Detroit last night. That win for Detroit was laregly down to Justin Verlander only allowing six baserunners and at one point retiring 16 consecutive batters. Their opponents tonight, Kansas City, won a tight encounter last night 8-7 against the White Sox, largely due to a poor first innings from John Danks, who conceded 4 runs. The Tigers wont allow such a start, so I fancy Detroit to make it an away double tonight.