Snooker, Racing and Football

After a refreshing break in Devon for a few days I'm back to get us in the black for August!

1.00 Mark Williams to beat Mark Allen 10/11 (LOST 5-3 -5.98 - At 4-0 down it didnt look good, but at 4-3 Lazarus was in the house! Alas a missed black and the door was closed)
Mark Williams played more like Frank Williams at various points last season and relinquished his spot in the top 16, meaning he has to play the first round of many of the tournaments this season. But that extra match seems to have sharpened him up this week. To the point that he dispatched world number three Shaun Murphy 5-2 in the second round. Meanwhile his opponent today struggled past Dominic Dale 5-4. Williams' form last season is why the bookies have it as an even game, but he looks to be showing some of his old form and genuine talent, and that should be good enough to win today.

2.20 Lingfield Gracechurch 3/1 (2nd -6.98 - Unfortunately our man was caught a little naive and too far off the pace and couldnt get the horse up to catch the winner soon enough)
I wouldn't normally get involved in an Apprentice Handicap for £2000, but there is one apprentice out there who is currently ahead of the rest. Louis-Philippe Beuzelin has ridden 3 winners from his 26 runs so far, as well as another 9 horses he has steered home for place money. And of those that havent made the winners enclosure, he has often registered a finishing position better than the horse ranked in the betting ring - an important statistic when looking at apprentice jockeys, given they dont always get the best rides. Better judges than myself have seen fit to rate him - he has already ridden for Sir Michael Stoute, John Gosden and Saeed Bin Suroor amongst others - and it was Stoute who brought him over after seeinghim ride winners in the Caribbean. Look for another cool ride to make it 4 from 27.

6 Omonia Nicosia bt AEK Athens 11/4 (2-2 -7.98 - We were pretty unlucky there with taking the lead twice and AEK equalising late on just after Nicosia had hit the post!)
On first glance you wouldnt hesitate to say AEK Athens will win this match. The Greeks have a long history of European football and successfully negotiated the group stages of last year's UEFA Cup. But Greek club football isn't as strong as it is. You may also at first glance dismiss Cypriot football, but they have come on leaps and bounds in the last few years - particularly at home. In the European Championships qualifying the national side beat Ireland, Wales, Armenia and San Marino at home, and Germany to a 1-1 draw, and many of the Nicosia players make up the Cypriot national side. Nicosia won both legs of their previous round tie, not conceding at home, and then went and surprised a lot of people with a 1-0 victory in Athens. Bookies are still not prepared to dismiss the Greek's hostoric supremacy over Cyprus in footballing terms, so we should take advantage at 11/4 for the home side.