William Hill

Silent film homage The Artist has proved a surprise hit at the box office in America and leads the nominations for the 2012 Golden Globes. The French production, which was filmed in black and white, isn’t out in the UK until the 30th December but has already been tipped for best musical and comedy and its stars, Jean Dujardin and Berenice Bejo, are the early front-runners for best actor and actress.

The annual gala, which takes place on the 15th January, is the first major event of the Hollywood awards season and it’s often a good indicator of opinion ahead of the Oscars. Bearing that in mind, it’s no surprise that The Artist is currently heading the betting for Best Film at the Academy Awards at 7/4 with William Hill and bodog. Stephen Spielberg‘s evocative War Horse, 7/2 with Paddy Power, Skybet and Stan James, is also proving popular with punters in the category and Martin Scorcese‘s Hugo (8/1 with bodog, Skybet and Stan James) could make a late run. The Girl With A Dragon Tattoo (25/1 with Paddy Power and Skybet) has had mixed reviews, however, and looks as though it will continue to divide opinion as much as Stieg Larsson‘s orginal novel.

The good news about the Golden Globes is that Ricky Gervais will again host the event. Having torn Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie to shreds last year, which Hollywood superstar will get the full treatment from the British comic this time? Kenneth Branagh leads the British nominations in the Golden Globes, having been put forward as best supporting actor for playing Laurence Olivier opposite Michelle Williams‘ Marilyn Monroe in My Week With Marilyn. Williams is sure to be a front-runner for Best Actress at the Oscars for her role as the tragic blonde bombshell (currently a general 9/4) but Meryl Streep is receiving much acclaim for her portrayal of Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady. Having seen many Thatcher impersonators over the years, I’m not certain that Streep‘s version of the former PM is any better than Steve Nallon or Angela Thorne‘s depiction and the storyline is a little vague at times but it’s the kind of thing Hollywood loves so it’s no surprise that the multi-accented veteran is only a best 11/10 with Paddy Power, Stan James and William Hill to win Best Actress at the Oscars.

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.

Ireland is expected to realise a €12m increase in betting duty once the new Betting (Amendment) Bill is passed by the Irish Parliament. The new Bill will include an extension of one per cent betting duty to remote channels and the introduction of a betting intermediaries duty, a gross profits tax of 15 per cent to cover betting exchanges like Betfair.

Horse Racing Ireland chief executive Brian Kavanagh has welcomed the government’s attempts to introduce measures to capture betting duty on offshore betting, saying “This will narrow the gap between the duty raised and the funding requirements under the Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund.”

Betting turnover in Ireland this year is expected to exceed €4.5 billion but only €26 million is likely to be raised in duty and Kavanagh thinks that percentage is simply unacceptable. “The introduction of this system provides a basis by which racing can be fully funded through betting duty in the future, rather than by way of an arbitrary annual grant, and we await the details of the Betting (Amendment ) Bill with interest,” he added,” the industry can take heart that progress is being made towards a long-term funding solution.”

Graham Ross, regional manager of Betfair Ireland, is also supporting the new taxation rules which should be in force by summer 2012. “We believe the budget announcement is a positive step forward and look forward to working with the relevant government departments on the implementation of a solution that is pro-consumer.”

The new laws aren’t pleasing everyone, however, and the Irish Bookmakers Association claims jobs will be at risk at the likes of Boylesports and Paddy Power as Irish-based firm are the only ones that will be forced to pay the new rate of duty. Despite the Bill, however, this is the fifth year in succession that funding to Irish racing has been cut.

Across The Irish Sea and William Hill have warned the British government that setting a high tax rate for offshore online operators who take bets from UK-based customers could drive punters to register with unlicensed sites.

The government wants to introduce betting duty for online operators at the point of consumption, rather than at where the bet is taken but an independently-commissioned report by GamblingCompliance highlights that it has been impossible to control consumer behaviour in the past and those consumers who are intent on finding the best commercial odds would have no qualms about dipping into the unregulated sector in the future.

Of course, they would say that. Hills have, after all, footed the bill for the report and would have expected nothing less. But it must be remembered that punters have absolutely no legal protection if betting with these unlicensed operators and there is nothing more infuriating that landing a big bet only to find out you are not going to get paid.

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.

Take out the brilliant Denman and five out of the last six winners of the Hennessy Gold Cup Chase have been second-season chasers. That should narrow down the options for punters in this year’s 18-strong field and makes Wymott a very interesting proposition at the general 7/1 off only 10st 2lb.

Donald McCain‘s seven-year-old clearly goes well fresh as he won at Bangor on his reappearance last year and went on to win twice more in his first season over fences. Something was clearly amiss when he was pulled up in the RSA Chase at the Cheltenham Festival in March but he wasn’t the only one to disappoint that day as Aiteen Thirtythree (a general 11/2) and The Giant Bolster (a general 20/1) also failed to finish. Wayward Prince stayed on strongly to finish third, however, and can be backed at a general 8/1 for the Hennessy. The distance of 3m2f will suit Ian Williams‘ charge but Wymott did beat him off level weights over hurdles at Haydock 18 months ago and receives 6lb at Newbury.

Great Endeavour carries a 4lb penalty for his win in the Paddy Power Gold Cup but had plenty in hand at Cheltenham and appears to have improved since last season. The grey was third over the longer distance of the Hennessy over hurdles earlier in his career so should last home but two efforts over the trip over fences have proved inconclusive and his 7/1 quote from William Hill looks short enough as there are never any prisoners taken in this race. With front-runners Carruthers (a general 20/1), Fair Along (a general 40/1) and Balthazar King (66/1 with sportingbet) involved, this year won’t be any different and they may expose stamina limitations in Planet Of Sound (a general 12/1) and Muirhead (a general 25/1). Sarando (a general 14/1) has paid the price with the handicapper for a recent win at Carlisle, incurring a 4lb penalty, but Paul Nicholls has been quite bullish about the chances of Michel Le Bon. He’s been off the track for a long time but won his only start over fences at Newbury by a distance two years ago and has been backed into a general 8/1.

Last season’s Scottish National winner Beshabar is lightly-raced and available at a general 12/1. He makes more appeal than the more exposed Blazing Bailey (a general 40/1) but Wymott should go very close if back to his best.

There are more than 18,000 golf courses in North America and over 6,000 in Europe – but how long will it be before China overtakes both? The strength of the yuan at the moment in comparison to other major currencies, and a seemingly endless supply of able workers, means that China can afford to build like no other nation on the planet and the Omega Mission Hills World Cup has another new venue this year. The Blackstone course at Mission Hills Haikou has been described as immaculate by those who have already tested its recently-planted turf, though this will be no stroll in the sunshine. Carved, in part, out of volcanic rock, there are a number of irregularly-shaped bunkers designed to trap the unwary and the back nine will test the world’s best.

Brothers Edoardo and Francesco Molinari are bidding to become the first to retain their crown for more than a decade when they line up for Italy on Hainan Island and can be backed at a general 11/1. But this year’s competition, which features two rounds of fourball and two rounds of foursomes, looks a lot tougher than 12 months ago and Francesco is struggling with a wrist injury so we’re not looking any further than Ireland. Rory McIlroy and close friend Graeme McDowell are both Major winners and tied for second place when the event was last staged two years ago. They are bidding to become the first Irish pair since 1997 to lift the World Cup but are undoubtedly, on paper, the best team in the competition and Victor Chandler have rather gone out on a limb in putting them up at 9/2.

England are represented by Ian Poulter and Justin Rose and should also be thereabouts at the 7/1 offered by Ladbrokes, bodog and sportingbet, though the former has been a bit out of sorts lately. The USA once dominated the event but haven’t triumphed since Tiger Woods and David Duval stormed to victory in Buenos Aires in 2000. This year’s pair, Matt Kuchar and Gary Woodland, are nowhere near that class and worth opposing at the general 9/1, unlike South Africa. Like Ireland‘s pair, both Charl Schwartzel and Louis Oosthuizen are recent Major winners and the pair are also in form. The former is fourth in the European money list and impressed in last week’s President’s Cup, while the latter has finished in the top 10 in every tournament he’s contested since the start of last month. South Africa, who have won the World Cup five times, look a big threat at the general 11/2 while Scotland‘s pair of Stephen Gallacher and Martin Laird are likely to be competitive and could be worth a small each-way interest at William Hill‘s 33/1 but we’ll stick with the classy Irish to bring home the yuan.

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.

Martin Johnson has paid the ultimate price for England‘s controversial failure at this year’s Rugby World Cup in New Zealand. The coach and former skipper of the national side falling on his sword when it became obvious that he’d be forced to become part of a new coaching set-up as a condition of carrying on. Bookmakers have a had a market prepared on who will be his successor but are still largely divided on the respective odds of likely contenders.

Northampton coach Jim Mallinder is among the leading fancies for the vacant role and Paddy Power have him as short as 7/4. However, most other layers have him at 3/1 and 888sport have taken a firm view about Nick Mallet. They have the former Springbok and Italy coach at 9/4 following a glowing recommendation by South Africa‘s World Cup-winning captain John Smit.  Under the current set-up, however, he’d still have to report to performance director Rob Andrew and that wouldn’t go down too well with the forthright Mallet, which probably explains why he’s a 6/1 chance to with sportingbet and Paddy Power to get the job.

Johnson’s decision to quit was clearly unexpected by William Hill, who were offering 11/4  that Johnson would quit before the Six Nations just hours before his resignation but failed to take a single bet of note. They are currently among a number of layers hanging fire on betting on a new coach while the RFU is in a state of flux, but Skybet have nailed their colours to the mast of Graham Henry. He’s just guided New Zealand to World Cup glory and looking for new challenge having allowed his contract with the All Blacks to run down. The English RFU wouldn’t have to pay anyone compensation, therefore, and he’s already expressed a desire to return to the Northern Hemisphere. Henry is 7/4 with Skybet but can still be backed at 13/2 with 888sport and Blue Square.

Shaun Edwards is available at 50/1 with Skybet and Ladbrokes, even though he’s just signed a new contract with Wales and is looking for a way back into club rugby, while others quoted include John Kirwan (16/1 with Blue Square, 888sport and Coral), who has done a good job with Japan, and Ian McGeechan (a general 33/1) but too much water has passed under bridge to take Dean Richards‘ 25/1 quote from Ladbrokes seriously.

It’s not difficult to work out why Mon Parrain has been heavily punted ahead of Saturday’s Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham. With stablemate Poquelin (28/1 with Stan James) standing his ground in the Grade 3 handicap chase that’s worth over £85,000 to the winner, Ruby Walsh‘s mount only carries 10st8lb and will take some stopping if in the same form as when winning by 22 lengths at Sandown on his UK debut in March. He looked likely to follow up in the Topham Chase at Aintree the following month but just found course specialist Always Waining too strong in the closing stages. There’s more to come from Paul Nicholls‘ five-year-old but his age group haven’t a great record in this contest and his price (a best 7/2 with totesport, Betfred and William Hill) has contracted that much that we are forced to seek value elsewhere.

The obvious alternative is Wishfull Thinking, who never stopped improving last season. He was second in a Grade 2 over 2m4f at The Festival at Cheltenham in March before winning at Aintree and Punchestown and is 15/2 with sponsors Paddy Power. However, Loosen My Load‘s connections will fancy their charge to reverse track form with Philip Hobbs‘ charge on 11lb better terms and he’s twice the odds (a general 16/1), while the once well-regarded Calgary Bay is weighted to beat Wishfull Thinking on their run together over C&D earlier and he’s available at 40/1 with Stan James and Coral.

Great Endeavour (14/1 with Stan James) was a leading fancy for this race 12 months ago but could only finish sixth and races off a 5lb higher mark this year, while Irish raider Finger Onthe Pulse (a general 33/1) may have had his day. Lightly-weighted pair Aerial (25/1 with Stan James) and Quantitiveeasing still have scope for further improvement, however, and the latter is entitled to reverse C&D running in March with Divers (a general 14/1) on 7lb better terms. He could be a decent each-way bet with Betfred, sportingbet and totesport at 20/1 but I’m hoping for a big run from The Giant Bolster.

The six-year-old may hail from an unfashionable yard but he has first-class credentials for this having won over the C&D in January and contested many of last season’s top novice events. He may well have given the classy Time For Rupert something to think about had he not crashed out here a year ago and his reappearance over hurdles last month hinted at another profitable season. Boylesports offer 14/1 against David Bridgwater‘s gelding, which is simply too big if he gets into a rhythm, and he is the value against the market leaders.