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Kathryn Bigelow was divorced from James Cameron in 1991. They continued to work together, however, Bigelow directing Strange Days in 1995 to Cameron’s script and, according to Hollywood sources, remain good friends. Cameron, director of Titanic and the Alien franchise, may have to swallow a little pride however if, as expected, his sci-fi epic Avatar is pipped at the post by Bigelow’s powerful Iraq War drama The Hurt Locker for the Best Picture at this year’s Oscars. The Hurt Locker’s budget pales into insignificance alongside the $300million splashed out on Avatar, but Bigelow’s film about US bomb disposal teams has hit all the right notes with critics whereas Cameron’s spectacular animated yarn has been more popular with cinema-goers, who nowadays seem to prefer adventure to gritty drama. The Hurt Locker (evens with bwin) wiped the floor with its likely chief rival at the Baftas, which are usually a decent guide to how the voting will go in Hollywood, but Avatar remains popular with punters who think the’blue’ movie will come out on top this week and it’s now no bigger than 5-4 (bet365 and betfred) to scoop the Best Film award. Whatever her fate in this section, however, Bigelow will surely win the Best Director award for which she is best 1-4 (victor chandler, Paddy Power, bwin). Colin Firth earned rave reviews for his performance in A Single Man but can be backed at 18-1 on betfair to be handed the Best Actor award with most pundits predicting Jeff Bridges already has that category sewn up with his portrayal of a fading country and western singer in Crazy Heart (Bridges‘ best price is 1-6), while the Brits may also be left out in the cold in the Best Actress category. Both Dame Helen Mirren (66-1 with Coral) and relative newcomer Carey Mulligan (12-1 with bwin) have been nominated but face Hollywood big guns Sandra Bullock (4-6 with betfred, blue square and 888sport) and Meryl Streep (a general 2-1). I must admit, I thought Streep, who last won an Oscar in the early 80s, was brilliantly funny as chef Julia Childs in Julie And Julia, almost funny enough to make me forgive her for Mamma Mia, and she’d be my choice ahead of Mulligan, who still has a big future in the movie business if her early work is an indicator.

Nacarat’s demolition of a 20-strong field in last year’s Racing Post Chase at Kempton will live long in the memory and Tom George appears to have specifically prepared his charge for a repeat bid 12 months later. I’ll accept that the grey is closely matched with top weight Madison Du Berlais (9-1 with Victor Chandler) on their run together behind Kauto Star in the King George over the same course and distance in December but David Pipe’s gelding disappointed at Cheltenham next time and it remains to be seen if first-time blinkers instead of his usual cheekpieces will re-ignite his enthusiasm. Nacarat, on the other hand, has plenty going for him here not least the fact that Tony McCoy, on board for two of his three wins over fences in this country, is back in the saddle. This is a race in which the classier chasers towards the head of the handicap have dominated in recent years so Nacarat, set to carry 11st8lb, is firmly in the preferred weight range and may still be a bit of value at Paddy Power’s 4-1. There has also been support this week for Emma Lavelle’s Kilcrea Castle (into a general 6-1), who was third to The Sawyer over 2m6f at Ascot last month. But I can’t see any reason why he should overturn that form with runner-up Miss Mitch, despite having a slight turnaround in the weights. The Alners’ mare has never won over 3m under rules but she gives every indication the extra distance won’t worry her and looks a cast-iron each-way alternative at 7-1 with sportingbet. With Paul Nicholls‘ Fistral Beach (6-1 with William Hill) set to race from out of the handicap proper, the pick of the lightweights may be Oedipe. He was only 10th in this last year but was much more like his old self when fourth on his belated reappearance at Sandown earlier this month and is now dangerously well handicapped on the form he showed when landing a valuable handicap at Aintree in April 2008. Providing he doesn’t get too far behind in the early stages, a small each-way saver at a general 14-1 could reap some reward.

Let’s be honest, nobody is going to get rich backing England to win their three-match one-day series in Bangladesh at a best 1-4 with betfred so we are going to have to examine alternative options to keep the wolves from the door this week. Backing Graeme Swann to take most wickets is certainly viable. Swann (11-4 with Victor Chandler) has given every indication he will thrive on the Bangladesh wickets and, following a tremendous Ashes series and another solid showing in South Africa, is showing no sign of letting his standards drop. He again shone in last week’s two T20 games against Pakistan in Dubai and in England’s warm-up match against a Bangladeshi Board XI and is a near-certainty to start all three one-day games and be given his full quota of overs with the rest of England’s attack having a fragile look about it at present. Stuart Broad, 11-4 with Stan James and Ladbrokes, is probably the only other of England’s bowlers likely to feature in every match but the youngster can still blow a little hot and cold and looks a risky proposition at that price to me. James Tredwell, England’s second spinner, can be backed at a general 6-1 while Yorkshire team-mates Tim Bresnan and Ajmal Shahzad are a best 11-2 (bet365 and extrabet) and 25-1 (skybet) respectively to take most Bangladesh wickets. You can almost certainly guarantee yourself a profit by scouring the correct score markets as well. Let’s not forget, England have played and beaten Bangladesh eight times in the 50-over format of the game and most of those victories were by wide margins. This may be a bit of an experimental squad being led by Alastair Cook but it’s still one that contains proven one-day and Test performers in the shape of Swann, Broad, Cook, Collingwood, Pietersen and Prior and they will have no excuses if failing. Given that, Victor Chandler’s 5-4 for a 3-0 England whitewash shouldn’t be missed, though you can still employ a safety net in the shape of totesport’s 11-5 for a 2-1 scoreline should the England selectors decide to give some fringe players an outing or a touch of complacency creeps in. Either result would still turn you a profit. Kevin Pietersen, incidentally, heads the top England batsmen market at a general 3-1 but you can get 5-1 with skybet against him being upstaged by England’s new ‘South African’ scoring sensation Craig Kieswetter. 

The weights for the John Smith’s Grand National in April were published this week and, as always, they’ve invoked optimism and disappointment in equal measure. Trainers who have been pleasantly surprised by the weight their charges have been allotted are usually, understandably, coy about revealing their feelings but those who feel the handicapper have served them an injustice are never slow in letting those involved know about it! One such is Mouse Morris, who has all but already ruled out former Gold Cup winner War Of Attrition (quoted at 20-1 by Blue Square and 888sport) telling the Racing Post he was, "more than a bit baffled and very disappointed" having been given 11st1lb. Former winners Mon Mome (33-1 with Stan James), Comply Or Die (a general 25-1) and Silver Birch (a general 50-1) remain on track for the big race, however, as do Tricky Trickster and Niche Market, first and second in Newbury’s Aon Chase. The former heads the early ante-post market at a general 12-1, while the latter can be backed at a general 16-1 along with Dessie Hughes‘ Irish raiders Vic Venturi and Black Apalachi, first and second in the Bobbyjo Chase at Fairyhouse and both already winners over the Grand National fences. Coral will give you odds of 2-1 that an Irish horse wins the race again in 2010 and another interesting runner from the Emerald Isle could be Willie Mullins’ Arbor Supreme. Successful in long-distance chases at Punchestown and Fairyhouse in 2008 and usually at his best in the spring, the eight-year-old has been lightly campaigned this season and  is by no means overburdened with 10st8lbs. He can be backed at 40-1 with sportingbet, Coral and William Hill. Big Fella Thanks (20-1 with Ladbrokes and William Hill) looks to be the number one hope of the powerful Paul Nicholls yard but I like the early look of Character Building at 33-1 with Victor Chandler, Ladbrokes and William Hill. John Quinn’s grey, winner of last season’s Kim Muir Handicap Chase at Cheltenham, proved his stamina when runner-up in the 4m National Hunt Chase when only a seven-year-old and looks to have been campaigned with an Aintree bid in mind this term.

Miko De Beauchene, 10-1 with sponsors Blue Square and 888sport to win this year, managed the feat and Dream Alliance can follow in his hoofprints in 2010. What am I talking about? The Coral Welsh National/Blue Square Gold Cup double! Philip Hobbs has been unstinting in his belief that his gelding would one day develop into one of the country’s leading staying chasers and Dream Alliance finally appeared to come of age at Chepstow in December. Runner-up to subsequent Gold Cup winner Denman in the Hennessy in 2007, connections of the nine-year-old than had to endure a frustrating sequence of runs in which Dream Alliance failed to complete. But it transpired he had a tendon injury that required complete rest, indeed there were fears that the horse may never race again. But, after 18 months on the sidelines, he delighted his trainer with a second over hurdles in November and proved he was back to his best when storming to victory in the Welsh National, beating Silver By Nature, Le Beau Bai, Miko De Beauchene, Ballyfitz and Coe in the process. Now some would argue that a few of those behind have every chance of turning the tables here with the winner racing off a 9lb higher mark and Le Beau Bai (6-1 with Blue Square and 888sport) has won over hurdles since to prove his wellbeing. But I think Dream Alliance (7-1 with Blue Square, 888sport and William Hill) will be even better over this slightly shorter trip and could yet prove he is a high-class stayer. Of those behind at Chepstow, Coe (a general 7-1) is arguably the most interesting this weekend as he travelled strongly for a long way in front before tiring and has a decent record around Haydock. Another with a proven track record is Our Vic (20-1 with Victor Chandler and Stan James) who had 2009 Grand National winner Mon Mome (a general 12-1) trailing under a similar weight over 3m here last month. His welter burden may bog him down over this extra half-mile, however, and a more interesting each-way prospect could be Nick Williams‘ mare L’Aventure (a general 16-1) who is a former Welsh National winner herself. She won over 4m at Kelso in December so clearly retains plenty of ability and is the type to run a big race off a light weight in the mud around here.

It’s probably fair to say that the Winter Olympics didn’t figure too highly when British bookmakers were compiling their list of potentially lucrative sporting events in 2010. Full marks to a few, however, who have priced up most of the major competitions and have made an effort to attract UK punters unfamiliar with many of the athletes by also quoting on things like which country will top the final medal table and what will be Britain’s eventual medal haul. One also gets the impression that a few of the odds compilers are rather fencing in the dark when it comes to some of the markets and there are opportunities for backers with a little knowledge to back up their judgement. For example, all talk pre-Games in the women’s alpine skiing events has centred around Lindsey Vonn. Undoubtedly, the American is a talent as a record of nine World Cup victories this winter suggests. But bookmakers seem to be almost brushing under the carpet the fact that Vonn has a shin injury which may yet mean her missing the Olympics. One would presume, therefore, that the blonde pin-up would be concentrating her efforts on winning her favourite event the downhill (for which she is a best 2-1 with Paddy Power) rather than risk all in the women’s combined which contains a slalom section. Now I can’t profess to having an insight into the best technique for the slalom but I’m pretty sure all that twisting and turning at high speed is the last thing you’d need if your shins were aching. Slalom, anyway, isn’t Vonn’s speciality and she shouldn’t be able to challenge Maria Riesch in the women’s combined. Riesch has finished on the podium in six of her last seven World Cup starts overall and has made the frame in four of seven slalom events, while her likely main rival hasn’t even managed to complete in three of this winter’s races in the more technical event. Riesch can still be backed at 2-1 with betfred to win the women’s combined, that price will almost certainly contract in the days ahead. The men’s downhill is the Games‘ blue riband event with skiers bidding to carve their name on a role of honour that includes superstars like Jean-Claude Killy, Franz Klammer and Fritz Strobl. Didier Cuche is the market leader (9-2 with coral) as he bids to become the first Swiss winner of the Olympic downhill since the great Pirmin Zurbriggen in Calgary in 1988. Home favourite Robbie Dixon has been showing up well in training on the Dave Murray piste in Vancouver as he bids to emulate Ed Podivinsky, the only previous Canadian to have won a medal in the downhill, and might be worth an each-way interest with coral at 25-1 as he is only half that price with many of the other leading layers. But this could be the competition in which young gun Carlo Janka finally comes of age. The 23-year-old Swiss showed what he is capable of when winning three World Cup races in as many days in Colorado at the start of the season and, with Cuche slightly hampered with a broken thumb and desperate to succeed in what is probably his last Games, may be able to cash in on the weight of expectation on his team mate’s shoulders. The 14-1 on offer from Victor Chandler and William Hill is simply too good to resist.

The frost may have deprived us of one major national hunt betting heat at Doncaster last week but the weather forecast for Town Moor looks more favourable for this weekend and I fancy the talented Tartak to go very close in the Blue Square Handicap Chase. Traditionally, this is a race in which the up-and-coming classy chasers excel. No horse carrying less than 11st has triumphed since 2003, while you would have to go back another year to find a winner aged nine or older. Take into account those stats and what, on paper, looks a very tricky puzzle to solve suddenly becomes less complex. I’ve a lot of respect for top weight Kalahari King (available at 10-1) but trainer Ferdy Murphy has already stated that his season-long target is the Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham in March, for which he is also a general 10-1 chance, so this run might be needed after a 287-day break. Not surprisingly, Paul Nicholls‘ two runners are well to the fore in the betting with stable jockey Ruby Walsh preferring the consistent Free World (5-1 in most places), who has been placed in his last six starts, ahead of last year’s winner I’msingingtheblues. The latter, available at a general 8-1, is 7lbs higher in the weights this time around. But if you’re looking for value (and who isn’t), how about Tartak? The seven-year-old can be backed at 12-1 with totesport, betfred, victor chandler, Paddy Power, Ladbrokes and William Hill, who seem to have priced up Tom George’s gelding on the basis that he’s never won over a trip this short before. His stamina, however, is what attracts him to me in this contest. He’s been pitched in against top-class opposition so far this term and was far from disgraced when 5th in the Arkle Chase last season over 2m when finishing ahead of I’msingingtheblues (4lbs worse off). The weights today also give him every chance of reversing that form with runner-up Kalahari King and, with a plethora of front-runners to ensure a strong gallop, Tartak should also have the race run to suit. You only have to go back to Aintree last year, when Tartak beat Deep Purple, Planet Of Sound and Calgary Bay, to realise that he shouldn’t be anywhere near his current price!

It was once drummed into me that value is all a matter of perception. Take, for example, this week’s Victor Chandler Chase at Ascot. Twist Magic is a general 11-8 favourite to land this prestigious Grade One contest and, on form, you’d probably say deservedly so. He won at this level at Punchestown last season and was most impressive in accounting for Forpadydeplasterer and Well Chief in the Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown last month. The third re-opposes here but has 24 lengths to find on Tingle Creek form and at the age of 11 can hardly be expected to find the improvement to reverse the placings. Not only that, David Pipe’s charge traditionally doesn’t stand a lot of racing so the fact that this is already his fourth run of the campaign may count against him. Twist Magic is much more resilient and also seems happier on a right-handed track like Sandown and Ascot. Evidence this week suggests the cold snap hasn’t set Paul Nicholls‘ string back as far as some yards so there shouldn’t be any doubts surrounding a fitness but let me introduce, nevertheless, a note of caution about the favourite. He was beaten in this at odds-on two years ago off the back of a win in the Tingle Creek and is a horse that can be pressured into mistakes. So will be the one that takes him on be Petit Robin? Nicky Henderson has always held this French import in high regard and he began to fulfil his potential last season, progressing from handicaps to finish third in the Grade One Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival in March. Always prominent when beating Well Chief by just under four lengths on his reappearance at Kempton over Christmas, Tony McCoy will be under orders to ensure there’s a fast pace here to bring the seven-year-old’s stamina into play and Coral’s 11-4 is likely to come under pressure given connections. Back, though, to the question of value. Imagine you have £40 to wager, do you lump it all on Twist Magic at 11-8  for winnings of £55 – or would it be better invested as £20 each way on a 25-1 chance with Ladbrokes who looks to have been underestimated. The latter would win you £80 for making the frame and, while I’ll admit at first glance Oh Crick has no chance of reversing Exeter running in November with either Cornas (a best 9-1 here) or Twist Magic, first appearances can often be deceptive. Alan King’s yard was woefully out of form when Oh Crick finished fifth in the William Hill Gold Cup and his trainer freely admitted afterwards that his charge was in need of the run more than most. One only has to cast one’s mind back to Cheltenham and Aintree last spring to recall how much untapped potential lies within Oh Crick. Few handicappers are progressive enough to defy a penalty at the Grand National meeting after winning one of the big handicaps at the Cheltenham Festival but the seven-year-old achieved the task and also had the form of the second success franked by the runner-up shortly after. King reports that Oh Crick is as fit as he can get him and is promising a much-improved performance from Exeter. Given that the master of Barbury Castle isn’t normally given to rash statements, that 25-1 quote will be enough to tempt me this weekend.

Here we go again – will 2010 prove to be another year waiting for Andy Murray to finally come of age and land a Grand Slam, or will he prove all of his doubters wrong? I’m going to stick my neck out and say it will the latter because, put quite simply, Murray is simply too good not to make the breakthrough sooner rather than later.  The 22-year-old Scot shows no sign of being under pressure to end a frustrating run of near-misses in the tournaments that really that matter and his patience could well be rewarded in the Australian Open at Melbourne over the next couple of weeks. Hardcourt is undoubtedly Murray’s favoured sphere (five of his six tournament wins on the ATP Tour last year were on the surface) and he looked in pretty good nick in last week’s Hopman Cup, despite a surprise singles defeat in the final to Tommy Robredo. Some might argue that dropping to fifth in the world rankings has done no favours to Murray in Melbourne. Holder Rafael Nadal is now a possible quarter-final opponent with US Open champion Juan Martin del Potro seeded to await the winner of that one in the last four. However, there are big questions marks against those two at present. Del Potro, a general 6-1 chance, pulled out of last week’s AAMI Classic with a wrist injury and has been nursing a sore knee for the past few weeks, while reigning champion Nadal hasn’t won an ATP title for more than eight months. The Spaniard (4-1 with totesport), despite holding a 7-2 career verdict over Murray, clearly doesn’t get around the court as quickly as he did before last year’s serious injury and, though still having all the shots in his arsenal, may be vulnerable against Murray’s mobility. Of course, even if he reaches the final, the Scot (13-2 with betfred, Victor Chandler and Paddy Power) will still have to beat either Roger Federer or Novak Djokovic. Federer (3-1 with boylesports and extrabet) is bidding for an amazing 16th Grand Slam, having bounced back from defeat in an epic final against Nadal in Melbourne 12 months ago to win at both Roland Garros and Wimbledon. He also lost out to Djokovic here in 2008, however, and maybe this tournament comes a little too early in the season for him nowadays. Indeed, I believe Djokovic may be the one to emerge from the top half of the draw. He’s been in cracking shape on the ATP Tour over the last few months, winning in Beijing, Basel and Paris at the latter end of 2009, and betfair’s 8-1 is a cracking bet considering he’ll make the semi-finals at least on all known form. Backing the Serbian and the Scot at either end of the draw seems a sensible policy to me with doubts over their three main rivals.

After last weekend’s round of Premier League fixtures, there are now 144 people left in Paddy Power’s Last Man Standing competition (tournament 15). 834 people entered three weeks ago, although some unusual results (such as Manchester United losing at home to Aston Villa) meant that the field was drastically reduced to 162 people. It appears that many people (like myself) went for Arsenal last weekend and, after a nervous opening, the Gunners’ 3-0 win saw 144 of us survive to week 3.

There’s a new tactic which could be deployed for the forthcoming set of fixtures (although I had already selected Liverpool to beat Wolves before thinking about it!). Namely that if you select a team who has a match postponed, then you automatically progress to the next round. Therefore, it might be worth waiting to see which games are in danger of not going ahead before making your selection.

A new competition starts every week, with £10,000 in guaranteed prize money available to the winner(s). In the first week, it’s better to take a small risk as you get a free entry if you are eliminated, while you have the option to include the draw during one week.

In addition, the Irish bookmaker have just announced some generous cashback specials for Boxing Day. The first one focuses on the Liverpool v Wolves match, where Fernando Torres will be looking to fire his team to victory. Paddy Power have offered to refund all losing 1st / last goalscorer, correct score & scorecast singles if the Reds number 9 scores the last goal of the game. On the basis that Torres is 3/1 to score the last goal, this is a decent offering.

The second offer is arguably more tempting, with Paddy offering to refund all losing 1st / last goalscorer, correct score & scorecast singles if Aston Villa win the match. I personally think that the Villans have a decent chance of landing victory at the Emirates after their recent success at Old Trafford, so this again represents good value. Put together with the Torres offer, there’s a reasonable chance of one of these outcomes happening.

Stan James have also got into the festive spirit as far as the Arsenal v Aston Villa game is concerned. Have a first goalscorer bet with this bookie and if the player fails to score the first goal but scores at any other time, you’ll get your money back as a free bet. Not bad if you think a few goals will be scored and it prompts me to back the excellent James Milner at big odds.

Meanwhile, we’re at the halfway stage of the football season and Victor Chandler have created some ‘half-time season specials’. The Gibraltar-based bookmaker offer an enhanced 9/1 that Chelsea, Newcastle, Leeds and Rochdale all win their respective divisions, while they also have a special price of 5/1 that Chelsea, Barca, Inter and Bayern Munich all win their domestic divisions.