Bets and Pieces

While nothing like the connection exists between Wales and America as it does with, say, England or Scotland, there is a clear sporting interest in this one. Both teams will open their tournament against one another, knowing they probably need something from this game. Failure to win on game one leaves a match against a likely-desperate Iran and England to come for Wales. America, meanwhile, might already have lost to England and thus will need to pick up something ahead of matchday three.

This is a very interesting tie – both teams have equal quality and probably similar levels of concern. Wales are looking at a disparate team outside of Gareth Bale, who is barely match fit, and the USMNT are glaring in their lack of offensive options. Unfortunately, this could lead to a sterile game that might not go anywhere fast – tactical as opposed to intense is the likely outcome.

Who will win this tie?

Score draw. Both teams will come into this one needing something to get their tournament going early doors. A win on day one would likely set one up for qualification whilst condemning the other to an early exit. This does not look likely, though; the athleticism of America should help to subdue the technical quality of many of the Welsh players.

There is not likely to be much between these teams, so do not expect anything other than a tight and at times challenging to watch affair. For Wales, keeping their emotions in-check will be very important.

VERDICT: 1-1

Owned by Godolphin and trained by Charlie Appleby, Adayar is already a racehorse of not inconsiderable claims to fame. The son of Frankel first attracted attention when comfortably winning his maiden at Nottingham by 9 lengths on his second start as a juvenile in October, 2020. However, following defeat in the Classic Trial at Sandown and the Derby Trial at Lingfield, Adayar was the least fancied of three Appleby-trained runners in the Derby, behind Hurricane Lane and One Ruler.

Nevertheless, Adayar was the subject of late support, into 16/1, for the Epsom Classic and duly prevailed, in taking style. With jockey Adam Kirby opting for a bold run against the far rail, he led approaching the final quarter of a mile and galloped on strongly to beat Mojo Star by 4½ lengths; stable companion Hurricane Lane finished third, a further 3¼ lengths away.

The following month, Adayar also won the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot, thereby becoming the first Derby winner since Galileo – coincidentally his grand-sire – in 2001 to do so. Two defeats, in the Prix de L’Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp and the Champion Stakes at Ascot, followed, but Adayar remains in training as a four-year-old. He is, jointly, the highest-rated horse in Europe, according to Timeform and, according to Appleby, ‘ he is only going to get stronger as he fills into his frame’.

Appleby has nominated the Coronation Cup, back at Epsom, in early June as a likely starting point for 2022, with the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes once again on the agenda. Adayar has been beaten on his last three starts short of a mile and a half, but Appleby will make a decision about dropping back in distance for the Juddmonte International at York in August in due course.

Saturday, April 30, 2022 featured a total of 16 matches in the top two tiers of English Football and became a red-letter day for one lucky football punter. The anonymous fortune hunter staked just £0.60 on a 16-fold accumulator on all the matches in the Premier League and Championship and, amazingly, copped for a massive £157,865.59 after correctly predicting all 16 results.

The winning bet was all the more remarkable for the fact that it consisted just half a dozen odds-on selections and the only draw, Cardiff City versus Birmingham City, in the top two divisions. Alex Apati, Public Relations Manager at Ladbrokes, who laid the bet, said, ‘Our punter has played an absolute blinder here, correctly predicting the outcome of all 16 games in the top two tiers of English football on Saturday.’ He added, ‘…truly remarkable stuff and we’re delighted…’

Thankfully, the final selection, Manchester City, justified odds of 2/7 by cruising to a 4-0 victory over Leeds United at Elland Road in the late kick-off but, earlier in the day, the intrepid gambler had experienced one of two anxious moments. Burnley trailed Watford 1-0 for much of the game at Vicarage Road, before late goals from Jack Cork and Josh Brownhill rescued the tie for the visitors. At St, Mary’s Stadium, the situation was even more tense, with Crystal Palace needing a winner from Wilfried Zaha, deep into injury time, to keep the bet alive. Nevertheless, the fickle football gods were on the side of the punter on this occasion and his, or her, luck held long enough to land eye-watering accumulative odds of 263,109/1.

Trained by Lucinda Russell in Kinross, in the Scottish Lowlands, Ahoy Senor is a 7-year-old gelding who developed into one of the best staying novice steeplechasers in training in 2021/22. A winning pointer for previous trainer, Melanie Rowley, Ahoy Senor sprang a major surprise when winning the Grade 1 Sefton Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree at 66/1 in April, 2021, on just his third start under Rules.

However, sent over regulation fences in 2021/22, the son of Prix de L’Arc de Triomphe winner Dylan Thomas proved that result was no fluke. He unseated rider Derek Fox on his steeplechasing debut at Carlisle in late October, but made amends when making all to win the John Francome Novices’ Chase at Newbury the following month by 31 lengths, unchallenged. At Kempton on Boxing Day, he was made marginal favourite to beat his old rival Bravemansgame in the Kauto Star Novices’ Chase but, having nearly unseated Derek Fox again, at the fourth-last fence, had to settle for second, beaten 7½ lengths.

Ahoy Senor was next seen at Wetherby in early February, where he once again made all the running for an impressive, 5½-length victory over subsequent Grand National winner, Noble Yeats, in the Towton Novices’ Chase. Next up was the Cheltenham Festival, where Ahoy Senor ultimately proved no matched for the hitherto unbeaten L’Homme Presse, but nonetheless finished a highly creditable second, beaten 3½ lengths.

On his most recent start, in the Mildmay Novices’ Chase at Aintree, Ahoy Senor was sent off 4/1 third favourite to reverse his earlier form with Bravemansgame and L’Homme Presse. However, neither of those rivals gave their true running, leaving Ahoy Senor to beat Fury Road – who, while no slouch, was sent off 14/1 outsider of the four runners – by a comfortable 5 lengths.