March, 2015 | Bookie Buster!

It’s hard to get too excited about the England team playing nowadays, as any short term excitement always seems to end with a big letdown. Granted they easily dispatched of Lithuania (4-0) at Wembley but in terms of ability on a football pitch they’re hardly up there with the best. Still, at least with Tuesday’s Italy vs England match held at Juventus Stadium, Turin, we’re up against a world class team, so it should prove much more of a test even though it is a Friendly.

England’s record against Italy isn’t great, four losses (albeit mostly narrow) and one win since 2000. They are typically low scoring affairs too, on account of Italy’s defensive style of play. That being said, there are some reasons for optimism though, or at least interest. Harry Kane, who scored 79 seconds after coming on in the Lithuania game, is set to make his full international debut against Italy. He’s being built up to be the next big thing more by the day so we’ll soon get to see if he can live up to the hype while wearing an England shirt.

Odds wise, the teams are really evenly matched in this game with Italy currently at 7/5, England 21/10 and the draw 21/10. I’m not seeing a lot of value there really. If I really wanted to bet on the result, I’d maybe be more tempted to go for the half-time – full-time result bet of Draw/Italy at 9/2, on the basis that these encounters are typically low on goals and just edged out at some point during the game. If you’re looking for a bit more excitement though and tend to bet patriotically in England Internationals, why not plump for the dream debut of Harry Kane to be the first goal scorer at 7-1. Enjoy the match!

Selections: HT-FT Draw/Italy at 9/2 or Harry Kane to be first goal scorer at 7-1 Tipster: GC

A.P. McCoy already has a healthy 6-15 (40%) strike rate over hurdles for Neil Mulholland and there are good reasons for believing that he can improve that record on Southfield Royale in the Shoreclean Ventilation Ductwork Cleaning “National Hunt” Novices’ Hurdle (2.10) at Huntingdon on Tuesday. The Presenting gelding weakened before the third last when tailed off over 2 miles 7½ furlongs at Exeter in February, but is probably better judged on his earlier form at, or around, 2 miles 4 furlongs.

He won on his debut over hurdles, under A.P. McCoy, at Fontwell in November and although no match for impressive winner War Sound at Exeter on New Year’s Day, still pulled 26 lengths of the third horse on that occasion. His subsequent second, beaten 2¼ lengths, behind Oscar Sunset in a 0-135 handicap hurdle at Taunton was another decent effort in the context of this race and he can resume winning ways.

His sole win over obstacles came on heavy going, but he comfortably won a ‘bumper’ at on good going on his racecourse debut at Market Rasen last June, so he should run his race regardless of whether or not the forecast rain affects underfoot conditions. Neil Mulholland has 4-25 (16%) overall strike rate at Huntingdon over the last five seasons, but A.P. McCoy is far and away the leading jockey at the Cambridgeshire track in that period, with a strike rate of 38-111 (34%), so the statistics are favourable.

Huntingdon 2.10 Southfield Royale to win Tipster: David D