Bet365

It’s no surprise that number one seeds the Czech Republic are hot favourites to win the season-opening Hopman Cup 2012 at the Burswood Dome in Perth. The Czechs have a very powerful line-up on paper for the mixed doubles tournament with Wimbledon women’s singles champion Petra Kvitova teamed up with big-serving Tomas Berdych. Berdych won the China Open in 2011 and is ranked seven in the world. The Czech Republic are no bigger than Evens with Skybet and Stan James to come out on top in Perth but neither Kvitova nor Berdych have a doubles pedigree, which may just be their Achilles Heel, and at the odds I’d rather have a punt on France.

The French are in the second group alongside hosts Australia (a general 10/1), Spain (a general 9/1) and China (35/1 with Stan James). The latter include French Open champion Li Na but she’s teamed up with Wu Di, who struggles to maintain a place among the top 500 in the men’s game and is unlikely to contribute many points to the Chinese cause. France, on the other hand, have women’s world number nine Marion Bartoli and the experienced Richard Gasquet. Both are very capable singles players but, just as importantly, have won several doubles titles between them so should thrive in the Hopman Cup format. Victor Chandler are out on a limb in offering 5/1 about the French winning the tournament overall and Skybet‘s 5/4 about them coming out on top in Group B can cover potential level stake losses should they come up short in the final stages.

Considering their short price overall, Betfred‘s 8/13 about the Czech Republic winning Group A will be popular though this is probably the most competitive section of the two. World number one Caroline Wozniacki should give Denmark an edge in the women’s singles and the Danes are a general 20/1 to succeed overall, while the USA team features the fast-improving Mardy Fish who reached the quarter-finals at Wimbledon and the last 16 at Flushing Meadow in 2011. Unfortunately, partner Bethanie Mattek-Sands may struggle to hold her end up and the Americans make little appeal at bet365 and totesport‘s 7/1.

A big weight isn’t necessarily a barrier to success in the Coral Welsh National. Many will remember the brilliant-but-flawed Carvill’s Hill blundering and bunny-hopping his way around Chepstow under a welter burden in 1991. Indeed Synchronised, under an inspired A P McCoy, defied 11st6lb 12 months ago and the six-year-old Halcon Genelardais carried 11st3lb to victory in 2006. But, generally speaking, it’s those with less than 11st to shoulder who have held the upper hand in this traditional stamina test in recent times and ante-post punters this year have latched on to Victor Dartnall‘s Giles Cross.

Available at a general 6/1, the nine-year-old undoubtedly has impeccable credentials. A dual course winner, he was just beaten by Synchronised in the race 12 months ago and comes here at the top of his game having ended a frustrating sequence of placed efforts with victory in the Southern National at Fontwell on his reappearance. Viking Blond is only 8/1 with most layers but doesn’t appear that well handicapped on his form over fences so far and more interesting is Le Beau Bai (10/1 with Betfred). Third in the Welsh National two years ago, he came back to form at the track earlier this month. Though he seems to have been around forever, Richard Lee‘s gelding is still only an eight-year-old though was pulled up behind Giles Cross at Fontwell.

Another interesting contender is Galaxy Rock, who represents last year’s successful trainer. Ahead of Ballyfitz (25/1 with Betfred and Coral), subsequent Newbury Hennessy victor Carruthers (10/1 with Boylesports, Victor Chandler and Coral) and recent Newcastle winner Hey Big Spender (18/1 with Victor Chandler) at Cheltenham on his latest start, Jonjo O’Neill‘s stayer still appears to be improving and should give supporters a run for their money at the general 10/1.

The penalised Cannington Brook (16/1 with Boylesports) isn’t certain to confirm Haydock running with runner-up Our Island, however, and Tim Vaughan‘s lightly-weighted novice could be a decent each-way bet here at Boylesports and Paddy Power‘s 25/1 but I’ll put up David Pipe‘s Master Overseer as the value bet. Very lightly-raced, he didn’t do himself justice behind Le Beau Bai at the track earlier this month but this slog through the mud will be right up his street and he normally jumps better than he did last time. At William Hill‘s 20/1, Master Overseer is probably a few points too big and makes more appeal than As De Fer (12/1 with bet365, Ladbrokes and Boylesports) in this grade.

• Master Overseer (Each-Way) in the Welsh National at 20/1 with William Hill
• Our Island (Each-Way) in the Welsh National at 25/1 with Boylesports and Paddy Power

There looks a to be a cracking four-match Test series in prospect when Australia take on India, the action getting under way at the MCG on Boxing Day.

It’s a fascinating clash with Australia a team in transition but showing commendable resilience to win in Sri Lanka and draw a two-match series in South Africa after losing the Ashes earlier this year. They were, however, unable to beat New Zealand at home recently, showing their inconsistency. The Aussies do have some new talent coming through like Ed Cowan, who gets his chance at the top of the batting order alongside David Warner with the Australian selectors finally losing patience with Phil Hughes. Daniel Christian and Mitchell Starc are also in the home squad but Shane Watson and Ryan Harris still aren’t fit and Mitchell Johnson‘s contribution with bat and ball will be badly missed. Question marks, too, about how much longer Ricky Ponting and Michael Hussey will be around. Both look increasingly vulnerable against pace and, while their influence in the dressing room remains invaluable, there will come a time when one or the other will be blocking the progress of a promising youngster.

Given the possible susceptibility of the Australian middle-order to fast bowlers, therefore, India will be expecting much of Ishant Sharma and Zaheer Khan – but therein lies the problem of predicting how this series will develop. Both have been troubled by ankle problems in recent times, indeed Sharma has already been struggling in the Indians’ warm-up games. Without their quickies, it’s very difficult to see how India will take 20 wickets in a match despite the Aussies predilection to self-destruct on occasion. Let’s face it, there is unlikely to be much help for the spinners (though Graeme Swann enjoyed himself Down Under last winter). Likewise, however, how is Australia’s inexperienced attack to bowl out India‘s formidable batting line-up twice? MS Dhoni and his team have bounced back well from their humiliation in England, beating Bangladesh and the West Indies in subsequent series. Their ageing squad isn’t quite ready for the scrapheap just yet on that evidence and I fancy they may just know too much for their hosts, though don’t expect too many close finishes.

India can be backed at 107/50 to win the Test series in Australia with betfair and the 33/1 available at Ladbrokes and sportingbet for a 0-1 correct score could be interesting. I wouldn’t look beyond the 9/2 available at bet365, Skybet and Stan James about David Warner being Australia’s top batsman.

• India to win Test series in Australia at 107/50 (betfair)
• India to win series 1-0 at 33/1 (Ladbrokes and sportingbet)
• David Warner to be top Australian batsman at 9/2 (bet365, Skybet, Stan James)

Lee Westwood is a best-priced 4/1 with Victor Chandler to win his first Major in 2012 after ending this year with a victory in the Thailand Championship. No one would be more deserving of a Major next year than the Worksop-born 38-year-old, who has been at the very top of his profession for more years that anyone cares to remember, but that first success in one of the four big tournaments of the year continues to elude hime. If he could just put together four rounds of the quality he showed in the opening 36 holes in Thailand, there are few in world golf who could live with Westwood. Rounds of 60 and 64 had the prize in safe-keeping at the halfway stage and his final 22 under-par total was seven shots too good for US Masters champion Charl Schwartzel.

Another English golfer still seeking a maiden Major  is world number one Luke Donald. I suspect if asked, the world number one would have traded his five victories in the US and Europe in 2011 for one of the Majors but, at 34, he still has a few years ahead of him in which to gate-crash one of the big ones and can be backed at the same 4/1 as Westwood with Victor Chandler to end his wait next year with the US Masters (16/1) currently rated his best chance with William Hill. You can get 9/4 with Victor Chandler that an Englishman wins a Major in 2012, which on the face of it appears fair value as the likes of Justin Rose, Paul Casey and Ian Poulter have all shown enough to suggest they’ll be thereabouts in at least of the couple of the Majors.

It’s been a traumatic year for Tiger Woods but the former world number one has shown he is no back number over the last couple of months and can be expected to storm back up the rankings again in 2012. He is only 7/4 with Boylesports to win a Major next year and 9/2 with sportingbet and Victor Chandler to top the US PGA Tour money list. Donald can be backed at 12/1 with Skybet to repeat this season’s notable achievement while Rory McIlroy is 9/1 with the same firm. American sensation Webb Simpson is 18/1 with bet365 and Paddy Power. McIlroy is 9/2 with Skybet to top the European rankings and win the Race To Dubai.

Paddy Power Gold Cup winner Great Endeavour certainly isn’t being allowed to rest on his laurels and the grey will line up for the Spinal Research The Atlantic 4 Gold Cup at Cheltenham this weekend just two weeks after another brave run in the Hennessy at Newbury.

The grey will no doubt appreciate the drop back in distance as 3m2f clearly taxed his stamina in the Hennessy but he’s gone up a further 6lb in the weights recently and may be worth opposing now at the general 8/1 as there is every chance that both Quantitiveeasing and Divers, second and third in the Paddy Power, can now turn the tables. The pair are old rivals having finished second and first respectively in a valuable novices’ handicap at The Festival in March. Just under three lengths separated them that day and Nicky Henderson’s charge is now 3lb better off. Available at 7/1 with Boylesports, Coral and William Hill, Quantitiveeasing may just be the more progressive and can finally get his head in front over C&D though Divers certainly shouldn’t be ignored at the general 8/1 as Ferdy Murphy‘s stable is beginning to show signs of a revival after a low-key start to the season.

Great Endeavour is undoubtedly David Pipe’s first choice but the Nicholshayne trainer has four entries in total including the consistent I’msingingtheblues (19/1 on betfair), Matuhi (33/1 0n betfair) and Salut Flo. The latter could be a real fly in the ointment as he looked a very smart prospect early last year before being sidelined by injury. Still only a six-year-old, he may well be capable of landing a nice prize off his current mark and Conor O’Farrell’s claim is worth a further 3lb this weekend. Salut Flo is 16/1 with most layers.

Woolcombe Folly (a general 25/1) looks to have too much weight and is better over 2m but stablemate Ghizao (a general 7/1) deserves another chance as he looked as though the outing would do him good when fourth to Medermit (12/1 with betfred, Boylesports and totesport) at Exeter. Paul Nicholls‘ seven-year-old is 4lb better off in this. Sunnyhillboy, one of three running in the colours of JP McManus, could also be a threat as he was third behind Poquelin and Great Endeavour in the race last year. AP McCoy‘s mount (15/2 with sportingbet) is now 12lb better off with the latter so has every chance of turning the tables as he had a pipe-opener over hurdles at Haydock last month. Sandown winner Roudoudou Ville is improving but this represents a big staep up in class for bet365 and Skybet‘s 14/1 chance, while Irish raiders Roberto Goldback and Finger Onthe Pulse (33/1 and 80/1 respectively on betfair) no longer look good enough at this level.

A sports editor at the BBC has described the 10 nominees for this year’s Sports Personality of the Year as ‘one of the strongest fields I have ever seen on my time on the show’.  That’s a bit of a tall boast, given the number of ‘minority’ sports represented and the fact that there are three golfers on the list. The lack of female presence has also been noted. I can accept that it’s been a quiet year for British football, with no European Championships or World Cup, which explains the rare phenomenon of no overpaid Premier League players on the list, but why no women? Rebecca Adlington and Keri-Anne Payne both won gold at the World Swimming Championships in Shanghai, England’s women footballers only lost out in the quarter-finals of this year’s World Cup on penalties and Beth Tweddle has become a true superstar in gymnastics. The nation’s leading sports writers decided none of the above were worthy of the chance to challenge the men, however, though I must add that no-one sought to ask my opinion. Maybe it’s something to do with the fact that women’s sport is 20 times less likely to appear on British TV than the men’s equivalent. Good to see equality is being followed fervently in that quarter then.

Rant over and back to the list, however, and the widely-held belief that sprint cyclist Mark Cavendish will finally get the recognition his efforts deserve. This year’s Tour de France green jersey winner was recently awarded the MBE and victory in the Sports Personality of the Year would cap a memorable 12 months for the 26-year-old Isle Of Man cyclist, who also won the Road World Championships in September. He is now a best Evens with Betfred, Ladbrokes and totesport to pick up the award.

At 5/2 with sportingbet, Open champion Darren Clarke is the shortest-priced of the three golfers ahead of US Open champion Rory McIlroy (9/1 with bet365 and Stan James) and world number one Luke Donald (40/1 with bet365), though the veteran Ulsterman is largely that short on sentiment. For consistency at a high level, Andy Murray surely deserves more recognition than the general 100/1 quote though one suspects he’ll never win any like this until he cracks one of the Grand Slams. Alistair Cook is 66/1 on betfair but probably deserves a nomination more than his England Test captain Andrew Strauss (100/1 with Betfred, Coral and William Hill) but doesn’t appear to have any chance of beating either Mo Farah or Dai Greene. Considering we are still nine months away from the London Olympics, it’s remarkable that two athletes have made the top 10. Farah, winner of the 5000m at the World Championships, could be a shoe-in in 12 months time but may still be worth opposing at the general 8/1 this year as many potential voters will still know little of him.

Barely have the tyres cooled and the pit lane garages been locked up for the winter than bookmakers are already looking ahead to the 2012 Formula One season with Sebastian Vettel a best 11/8 with Betfred, totesport and Victor Chandler to complete a hat-trick of World Drivers’ Championships after running away with the title this year.

The German had the crown in safe keeping with four races to spare in 2011, becoming become the youngest-ever driver to win back-to-back titles, and it appears punters think he will prove a cut above the opposition again next year. Vettel won 11 times during the season and the 24-year-old’s next target will be to surpass Michael Schumacher‘s record of 13 victories in a year. Vettel described his team Red Bull as ‘faultless’ after finishing second to team-mate Mark Webber in the final Grand Prix of the year in Brazil and they are 11/10 to win the Constructors’ Championship next year with Skybet ahead of McLaren (13/8 with William Hill) and Ferrari (6/1 with bet365 and Skybet).

Behind Vettel, McLaren driver Lewis Hamilton is a best 5/1 to win his second world title, with Ferrari‘s Fernando Alonso available at 6/1 with Skybet and Hamilton‘s team-mate Jenson Button 7/1 in several places. Hamilton‘s problem this season has been inability to steer clear of trouble. Some of his fellow drivers believe the Briton is much too aggressive on the track and lets his heart rule his head on occasion. His long-running feud with Felipe Massa certainly did neither driver any favours. Hamilton now has a few months to cool off and there are signs that McLaren are beginning to close the gap on Red Bull, but whether they’ll do that before the new season gets under way again in the spring is questionable given that F1 made a big effort to make the sport a more level playing field just 12 months ago and it’s unlikely there will be any more radical changes to rules over the winter.

Most eyes will be on the return to action of Cheltenham Gold Cup winners Kauto Star and Long Run in the Betfair Chase at Haydock this Saturday but there’s also a terrific Grade 2 contest at Ascot in the shape of the Amlin 1965 Chase.

The latter sees the second appearance this season of the brilliant Master Minded and Stan James may have their fingers burnt if they hold steady on their 6/4 quote about Paul Nicholls‘ former champion chaser, who won the race 12 months ago. The eight-year-old disappointed on his return to action at Aintree when last of three. But that run was just too bad to be true as he’d trounced the winner, Albertas Run, over the same C&D in April when Ascot rival Somersby (5/2 with Blue Square and 888sport) was a well-beaten third. Henrietta Knight‘s seven-year-old did finally end a frustrating sequence of placed efforts in a small race at Kempton last month but had also had a rear view of Master Minded on two previous occasion last term prior to that Aintree race and it’s difficult to see him reversing that form if the Nicholls chaser is back to his best.

Perhaps the most interesting runner in the Ascot feature is the grey Medermit. It’s never easy for second-season chasers but he made a solid start to the new campaign when making the most of Captain Chris‘ mishap to land the Haldon Gold Cup at Exeter earlier this month. He beat subsequent Arkle Chase winner Captain Chris fair and square at Sandown in February but was found wanting at both Cheltenham and Aintree in the spring suggesting he has a bit to find to trouble the likes of Master Minded and Somersby at Ascot. However bet365, sportingbet and Ladbrokes‘ 5/1 is probably a fair price given that he’s got a lot more scope than his rivals.

The Sawyer is a 100/1 chance with Boylesports and deservedly so as he appears to have a lot to find at the weights and isn’t getting any younger but there may be a few interested in Kalahari King at Boylesports, Paddy Power and William Hill‘s 8/1. Ferdy Murphy‘s charge has a Grade 1 win on his CV but is another who was a long way behind Master Minded in a couple of races last season. He should get a lot closer to Kelso conqueror Stagecoach Pearl (25/1 with Coral) on much more favourable terms however. But this is Master Minded‘s for the taking if he brings his A game to the table.

Ladbrokes are refunding all losing outright bets on the ATP World Tour Finals if Andy Murray wins and that could cost the Harrow-based bookmakers a pretty penny.

Murray is only a best 3/1 with sportingbet to end his season on a high despite being drawn in the same first-round group as world number one Novak Djokovic (a general 9/2). The Serb was forced to pull out of the recent Paris Masters with a shoulder injury and has been struggling to regain full fitness ahead of the season finale at London’s O2 Arena. Murray also beat him at Cincinnati before the US Open, though again Djokovic was hampered by his shoulder. Also in their group are David Ferrer (66/1 with sportingbet and bwin), whom Murray beat in the final of the Shanghai Masters, and Tomas Berdych. Given Djokovic‘s current problems, it may well be the Czech (22/1 0n betfair and with bet365) who provides the Scot’s biggest challenge in the group matches as he holds a 3-1 career advantage over Murray and knocked him out of the Paris Masters at the quarter-final stage.

The second group sees yet another clash between Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer but it’s the Swiss who comes into the ATP World Tour Finals in the better form. He’s won back-to-back tournaments in Basel and Paris and has already won this event six times. Nadal may have won 17 times in head-to-head encounters compared to Federer‘s eight but hasn’t won a tournament since beating his old rival in the final of the French Open in May and was a long way below his best when losing to Florian Mayer in Shanghai when last on court. There’s a chance a rest will have done him some good but sportingbet think otherwise and are prepared to offer 6/1 against the Spaniard. Federer, on the other hand, is a best 21/10 with Boylesports to go on and win the event after emerging relatively unscathed from a group that also includes world number six Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and American Mardy Fish. Fish (90/1 with Paddy Power) has only won one of seven previous meetings with Federer and, as the rankings and betting suggest, looks the weak link in the ATP World Tour Finals but Tsonga has had a good year, winning in Vienna and Metz, and will give both the Swiss and Nadal a game.

Stan James have also opened a book on naming the two finalists and lead with a Federer/Murray showdown at 11/4. They would have to be the two on current form, while Ladbrokes are out on a limb in offering 6/5 against Murray reaching the final.

Fresh from dominating the final round of the Australian Open the Internationals team, made up of non-European players, are determined to buck the trend and beat Team USA in the Presidents Cup for only the second time in nine attempts.

Since its inception in 1994, the Americans have dominated this Ryder Cup-style competition, enjoying far more luck against their largely Australian and South African counterparts than the Europeans, and team captain Fred Couples again has a strong line-up at his disposal. The likes of Dustin Johnson, Steve Stricker, Phil Mickelson and Webb Simpson will don the Stars and Stripes, while Bill Haas and 14-times major winner Tiger Woods are included as Couples’ wild-card picks. Tiger looked to be coming back to his best in Sydney and will be one of the chief attractions at the Royal Melbourne Golf Club where he is a 7/1 chance with Betfred to be Team USA‘s top points scorer. Likely playing partner Stricker is a general 9/1 to be his team’s top scorer, while the ever-improving Matt Kuchar is rated a 10/1 shot with Skybet, Paddy Power and Stan James.

The betting to be the International team’s top scorer is equally open with in-form Jason Day vying with Adam Scott for favouritism at a general 6/1. The interesting one in this market, however, may be Robert Allenby. One of five Aussies in the International squad, he boasts a terrific record at Royal Melbourne and it would be no surprise to see him come back to life after a largely disappointing 2011 on the US PGA Tour in which he’s only managed four top 10 finishes and seen his FedEx Cup world ranking slip 27 places. This is his local course and he’ll have a vociferous following on the tees and fairways so could be a worth a small interest at the general 12/1, while South African Charles Schwartzel is also a decent bet at Skybet‘s 8/1.

Royal Melbourne saw Team USA’s only Presidents Cup defeat in 1998 and 2011 could see history repeating itself. The Internationals are a best Evens with Ladbrokes and Stan James to notch a rare win, while the USA are 11/10 with bet365 and Victor Chandler to retain the trophy. Most layers are offering 14/1 against the tie. Team USA have six Presidents Cup rookies but nine of their 12 players have Ryder Cup experience so shouldn’t be fazed by the format or pressure but the ‘home’ team may just have their measure on this occasion.