It’s interesting this year because England are fielding a squad so inexperienced that, combined, it’s been over 50 years since there was less caps between the players. A combination of bad behaviour on and off the pitch has seen the old crew decimated in favour of a bunch of lads so thrilled to finally get the nod that the hope is they fear losing their shirt more than they fancy flinging some dwarfs about. Stuart Lancaster has the terrifying job of trying to round up the youngsters into what vaguely looks like a challenging England side, whilst simultaneously crossing his fingers and praying to God that they ‘Seize the day’ rather than go down in flames – either outcome is a distinct possibility!

Surprisingly, non of Ireland’s squad got the customary P45 that was expected after the 2011 World Cup and as a result the squad is more than familiar so Declan Kidney is clearly going with proven experience over fresh young blood. And given that they have three home games, all of which are winnable, even if they did get their asses handed to them by Wales in the World Cup, they would then only have to go to Paris and London and look for a win to potentially win the Championship. No doubt, in familiar fashion, they’ll start off pretty badly, eeking out some wins so that as they progress and get better they’ll end up in a points difference battle that will have grown men shaking in anticipation and gnawing at their finger nails for hours on the last day of the tournament until some other team has won it and we all drink up and go home!

Wales on the other hand have momentum on their side – that is of course if momentum can last four months without actually playing a game! Still aggrieved by the loss to France in the World Cup semi final, it might actually spur them on to give them a taste of their own medicine when they meet in Cardiff on March 17th. I can only hope that they’ve been training hard though I’m sure I saw a few of them pop up in ‘Stella’ on Sky 1 recently, so not much rugby action happening there – actually there wasn’t even any acting involved if the odd one-liner was to be believed – stick to the day job lads. And as second favourites after France to win the title this year they may just do that.

The fixtures are below as are the odds for the tournament!

Sat 4th Feb 12 14:30 France v Italy Stade de France Preview
Sat 4th Feb 12 17:00 Scotland v England Murrayfield Preview
Sun 5th Feb 12 15:00 Ireland v Wales Aviva Stadium

Sat 11th Feb 12 16:00 Italy v England Stadio Olimpico
Sat 11th Feb 12 20:00 France v Ireland Stade de France
Sun 12th Feb 12 15:00 Wales v Scotland Millennium Stadium

Sat 25th Feb 12 13:30 Ireland v Italy Aviva Stadium
Sat 25th Feb 12 16:00 England v Wales Twickenham
Sun 26th Feb 12 15:00 Scotland v France Murrayfield

Sat 10th Mar 12 14:30 Wales v Italy Millennium Stadium
Sat 10th Mar 12 17:00 Ireland v Scotland Aviva Stadium
Sun 11th Mar 12 15:00 France v England Stade de France More

Sat 17th Mar 12 12:30 Italy v Scotland Stadio Olimpico
Sat 17th Mar 12 14:45 Wales v France Millennium Stadium
Sat 17th Mar 12 17:00 England v Ireland Twickenham

The 11-year-old’s latest success at the course was back in April in the Topham Handicap Chase over 2m5f. Tom O’Brien rode the horse to his second victory in the race after he won the Listed contest for the first time in 2010. Anyone placing an ante-post Grand National bet cannot rule him out.

The Peter Bowen-trained chaser jumped the big obstacles with little trouble in the Grand National meeting last year and is using his experience to good effect to complete the course.

This season, Always Waining’s started his campaign at Ffos Lass where he finished a disappointing eighth in a hurdle race in Wales. He then returned to the same track three weeks later to show an improvement by coming home in fourth place in a handicap hurdle. However, the primary goal of both runs was to get rid of any rustiness over the summer break.

His latest start at Aintree was back to chase company where he ran a respectable fourth place in the Becher Handicap Chase, a Listed race over 3m2f. With 68 races under his belt at the age of 11, connections know that they are running out of opportunities to try their luck in the big race. If they don’t make the grade this time, their horse may have missed the chance to compete in the race over 4m4f.

Bowen’s horse missed the cut for the famous steeplechase in Merseyside by one spot last season in the race won by Ballabriggs.

Junior has been given an easy time of things so far this term and hasn’t set foot on a racecourse since finishing some way down the field at Royal Ascot in June where he was bidding to win the two-and-a-half-mile Ascot Stakes Handicap for the second year running having landed a big gamble in the horse racing odds when galloping to glory in the 2010 renewal, beating Elyaadi by five-lengths.

His Ascot victory was followed by a great effort when runner-up in the Goodwood Stakes and his fine run of form continued into the last season’s jumps campaign where the Middleham Park Racing-owned son of Singspiel ran two solid races to be placed at Cheltenham in the winter before returning to the home of National Hunt racing last March where he put up a devastating performance in quite simply running away with the ultra-competitive Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup Handicap Chase, beating the course specialist Faasel by a stunning 24-lengths.

After missing the cut for last season’s Grand National, Pipe has tailored his charge’s preparation this term solely on the ‘world’s greatest steeplechase’ and reports the nine-year-old to be in fine shape ahead of his expected return at Haydock where he may well face a number of other major contenders for Aintree including West End Rocker, Le Beau Bai and former National winner Mon Mome. Bookmakers currently rate Junior a 16/1 joint-favourite for the Aintree spectacular alongside last year’s brave winner Ballabriggs, and a good performance from Pipe’s horse could well see him go off just about advance to clear favourite in the ante-post lists.

Third to the unbeaten Zarkandar in the JCB Triumph Hurdle over course and distance last March, Grandouet held every chance going to the final flight but appeared to struggle to see out the trip in the closing stages prompting Henderson to have doubts that the horse would get a strongly run two-miles at senior championship level on the particularly testing Cheltenham track. Brought down on his subsequent start at Aintree when holding every chance at the second from home, the five-year-old gained his first much deserved Grade 1 success when bouncing back from that tumble to win the AES Champion 4-Y-O Hurdle at Punchestown in May to round off a generally fine season. Those looking at the online ante-post Cheltenham odds will have been impressed.

This term things started off on a downer with Grandouet travelling strongly upsides Celestial Halo in the Elite Hurdle at Wincanton only to take a crashing fall at the second last, but since then the horse has strengthened up and won Haydock’s Betfair Hurdle in taking fashion before going on to lay his Cheltenham bogey with an authoritative success over Fighting Fifth Hurdle winner Overturn to place himself very much in the reckoning for the Champion Hurdle title.

Bookmakers rate Grandouet a best price 7/1 second favourite to win the race for Henderson, reigning champion Hurricane Fly remaining a rock solid 2/1 favourite despite not having been seen in competitive action since last term.

The Paul Nolan-trained gelding is expected to take the beating at Fairyhouse, and assuming all goes well there the County Wexford handler believes that outing will be enough to put his charge spot on for a bid for the Grade 1 two-mile-five-furlong contest and an attempt at thwarting Jonjo O’Neil’s Albertas Run (amongst many others), the horse who is bidding to win the race for the third successive year. Anyone following the Cheltenham market movers will know he is likely to dominate the betting for the race.

Noble Prince has run at each of the last two Cheltenham Festivals putting up a rock solid effort when fifth of the 28 runners behind the smart Thousand Stars in the 2010 Vincent O’Brien County Hurdle, then last season producing a great performance to beat Wishfull Thinking by four-lengths in the Grade 2 Jewson Novices Chase. Still in front at the second last fence in the Grade 1 Powers Gold Cup at Fairyhouse a month later, Noble Prince crashed out of the race handing the contest to his old rival Realt Dubh, a somewhat unsatisfactory end to what had been a very good season. Fans of Cheltenham horse racing will have expected him to bounce back.

The gelded son of Montjeu made a pleasing return to the fray at Naas in October beating Jigalo comfortably in the Grade 3 Poplar Square Chase, then held every chance at the last but was unable to quicken with the high-class Big Zeb in coming off second best to Colm Murphy’s star in the Grade 2 Fortria Chase at Navan in November. Big Zeb again got the better of Noble Prince last time out at Leopardstown in the Grade 1 Paddy Power Dial-A-Bet Chase, but connections are confident that given better ground and the extra half-mile of the Ryanair Chase, the current 6/1 ante-post favourite will go very close indeed at Cheltenham.

Rules state that ten changes are allowed in a Rugby World Cup year over and above international retirements (Lewis Moody, Jonny Wilkinson, Steve Thompson) and long-term injuries (Andrew Sheridan and Richard Wigglesworth) and Lancaster has used every last one of them.

The England squad will meet for their pre-RBS 6 Nations training camp on Monday, January 23 where no doubt they will all start to get used to each other.

Lancaster said: “Lots of players have been putting their hands up and there were some tough calls to make. However, in line with the selection philosophy about starting new era for English rugby, we have taken the chance to make changes and give players opportunities to be part of the journey towards 2015.

“We have lost some great players who have worn the England shirt with pride and distinction – Lewis, Steve and Jonny – and we should thank them for all they did. Others haven’t been selected for this EPS cycle and I have met them and explained the reasons why as we look for the next player to step up in that position to take us forward.

“We are looking both at the present and just as importantly the future. We wanted to get the right balance in potential and experience and giving us the flexibility to play in different ways. We need to use the upcoming games to build the collective experience and we are confident we have got the right mix to take England forward into this Six Nations and beyond.”

First on the agenda for the new squad is the RBS Six Nations Championship which kicks off in February and all of the latest and best odds for it are below…

Owner John Hales revealed that last year’s Supreme Novices’ Hurdle winner, who will step out of novice company for the first time in the Victor Chandler Chase on January 21, could bypass the Arkle Chase in favour of the Champion.

“We’ve put him in at 8-1 behind the two established chasers, Sizing Europe and Big Zeb, and Finians Rainbow as that’s where we think he is at the moment.

“We’ve afforded the entry a great deal of respect as it does not strike us as tilting at windmills. We’re also non-runner no-bet on the race and that has to be factored in,” said Ladbrokes spokesman David Williams.

Paddy Power stuck their head above the parapet by offering a standout 14-1, while Coral, who eased the Paul Nicholls-trained seven-year-old to 7-1 (from 5-1) for the Arkle, go 10-1 for the Champion Chase.

Friday night the qualification picture in Pools 2 and 5 is likely to become clearer when Racing Metro 92 take on leaders, Edinburgh Rugby, at Stade Yves du Manoir in Paris, and when Ospreys go up against Benetton Treviso at the Liberty Stadium.

Munster Rugby, the only club with four wins in the pool stage to date, will continue their push for a coveted place in the last eight when they host Castres Olympique at Thomond Park on Saturday, 14 January 2012 before rounding off their Pool 1 campaign a week later against Northampton Saints at stadium:mk in Milton Keynes.

Reigning champions Leinster, who are unbeaten in Pool 3, travel to Firhill on Sunday, 15 January where they meet a resurgent Glasgow Warriors, while in Round 6 they will look to reach the knockout stages once again when they host Montpellier at the RDS on Saturday, 21 January.

All the latest and best odds for the Heineken Cup are below…

The 2009 contest went the way of Philip Hobbs’ high class Menorah who subsequently went on to land the Supreme Novices’ at Cheltenham so Tetlami is treading in some fairly serious hoofprints in taking this season’s event, justifying 11/8 favouritism and having his odds for victory in the big race at the Cheltenham Festival cut to 20/1 having been readily available at 33/1 prior to beating Vulcanite by three-and-a-half-lengths.

The winner of two bumpers in the 2009/10 season (including a listed contest at Cheltenham’s New Year’s Day fixture that term), the Susan Roy-owned son of Daylami then suffered a setback and missed the whole of last season before making his hurdling bow at Sandown in early December where he put up a very pleasing performance in defeating Black Thunder by five-lengths, clearly having fully recovered from both breathing problems and a pelvic injury that had kept him on the sidelines for more than 18 months.

Henderson had always hoped that the six-year-old gelding would make up into a decent horse and throughout the Kempton race he was always travelling strongly under Barry Geraghty, leading at halfway then staying on too powerfully for Vulcanite, a 101-rated Flat performer, who nonetheless ran a cracker on his hurdling bow to be second ahead of some useful opposition. Henderson insists that Tetlami must have decent ground to be seen at his best so he won’t be asked to slog through the mud in mid-winter, but should the ground remain ‘good’ then he could be asked to tackle the Grade 1 Tolworth Hurdle at Sandown in late-January.

Having tracked the leading trio for the much of the way in the two-mile contest, Barry Geraghty sent Molotof (2/1) up to challenge the odds-on Hazy Tom on the home turn before moving into the lead approaching the second from home, anyone looking ahead to 2012 Cheltenham racing would have been impressed. Going to the final flight Peckhamecho loomed up looking a big danger under Tom Scudamore and when Henderson’s charge fluffed his lines in spectacular fashion at the last obstacle it looked for all the world as if Scudamore would get the better of the argument on board Rebecca Curtis’ charge.

Henderson’ four-year-old refused to let that blunder spoil the day though and rallying in tremendous fashion under a strong ride from Geraghty he forged back into the lead 100 yards out to win going away again. It would seem fair to assume that Molotof would have won in somewhat easier fashion but for the blunder and most firms appeared impressed with the gelded son of Smadoun who was cut from as high as 28/1 in the ante-post market for the Supreme Novices Hurdle at the Cheltenham festival 2012 prior to the Ascot race, to as short as 16/1 in the aftermath of the exciting contest.

Molotof was recording his third victory of the term having won at Wincanton on his seasonal bow before stepping up to listed grade to land the odds at Haydock in mid-November, beating Our Joe Mac in the timeform.betfair.com Novices Hurdle.

Although Azerytioup broke that drought, Nicholls Festival record has got infinitely better since then as his first six visits only brought him 4 winners from 80 runners. Since those years early in that decade however he has always scored with more than one winner at the Festival, with his scores being 2004 – 4/22, 2005 – 2/34, 2006 – 3/29, 2007 – 4/34, 2008 – 3/34, 2009 – 5/35, 2010 – 2/31 and last year he had a further 3 winners from 28 runners. So since 2005 his overall record reads much better than those early years giving him 22 winners from 225 runners, managing two or more winners in each of those years at around at 10% strike-rate, not bad for the most competitive National Hunt fixture of the entire year. Those looking at the Cheltenham betting should certainly keep an eye on him.

But as ever it’s useful to break his record down and see where those wins come from and his strong and weak points. Of those 22 winners since 2005 – 12 have come in chases, 10 in hurdles with none in the National Hunt Flat race sphere, where he has only had five runners in the Championship bumper. But was is clear is that Nicholls wins far more races in the novice and championship events than he does in handicaps, breaking down those 22 winners the split becomes 17 in non-handicaps and just five in handicaps, in fact following Nicholls in handicaps at the Festival since 2005 results in a massive 54 point loss, and he has had a fair number of horses beaten at relatively short prices in handicaps including all seven that started at 7/2 or shorter. So we would take great care in supporting Nicholls short priced horses in handicaps during Cheltenham Festival racing.

Already this year Nicholls has demonstrated that he is going to go to the 2012 Cheltenham Festival with a very strong team but backing all of his runners rarely results in an overall profit and selectivity is the key to making a profit with this powerful stable, especially when you are looking at their handicap candidates.

The race has a long and rich history, having taken place at Aintree almost every year since at least 1839. Only during the Second World War was the race cancelled; the First World War only forced a brief relocation. It is recognized as one of the most challenging steeplechases in the world for both jockey and horse, with the majority of starters failing even to complete the race. Some of the fences have become infamous, such as Becher’s’ Brook, which has been described by some as being like “jumping off the edge of the world”, because of the 6 foot 9 inch drop on the landing side. The difficulty of some of the fences has caused controversy because of the danger presented to both horse and rider.

The National, as it is also known, has produced some of horse racing’s legends, including Red Rum, who won the race three times in the 1970′s, and Foinavon, the 100/1 outsider who won the race in 1967, ridden by jockey John Buckingham. Last year the winner was Ballabriggs, ridden by Jason Maguire, and trained by Donald McCain, Jr. for owner Trevor Hemmings. The prize was equivalent to around $1,470,000.

While the Grand National itself takes place on Saturday, April 14th this year, it actually forms part of a three day festival, including Liverpool Day on the 12th, and Ladies’ Day on the 13th. Ladies Day has become as famous for fashion as it has for horse racing, offering a chance for the rich and famous to shine, often with outrageous hats like the one that grabbed last years’ headlines, based on novelty doughnuts.

But the centerpiece will be the National itself: at four miles and 856 yards, and with 30 fences, it ranks as of one of the most difficult and prestigious horse races in the world.

Punters sent Tony Martin’s charge a off marginal 13/8 favourite ahead of Invictus (7/4) to land the two-and-a-half mile Totepool Novices Chase, but Alan King’s gelding was always travelling with plenty of verve under Robert Thornton who rode a canny race in nipping through on the home turn when four of the runners were tightly grouped, at which point Invictus showed a smart turn of foot to suddenly scoot clear leaving his pursuers toiling in his wake. People looking at the best Cheltenham betting odds should remember this.

King believes there is better still to come from his five-year-old Flemensfirth gelding who he may next aim at the Dipper Novices Chase at Cheltenham’s New Year’s Day fixture after which the Barbury Castle handler has now set his sights on the Cheltenham Festival, fully aware that should he manage to bag one of the top flight races with Invictus there would be a £60,000 bonus paid by Plumpton racecourse who offer the prize to the connections of any horse who can win at the Sussex track and then go on to follow up at Cheltenham’s showcase fixture.

At this stage the most obvious targets for Invictus would be the Centenary Novices Handicap Chase or the Jewson Novices Chase (already quoted at a best price of just 16/1), both over the two-and-a-half mile trip that so thoroughly suited the Plumpton winner on his most recent outing. King is no stranger to landing the bonus money having done so back in 2006 with the tremendously popular Voy Por Ustedes.

As far back as early November Henderson informed punters that the seven-year-old was not as far forward as he would have hoped at this stage of the season having missed the second half of last term after sustaining a hairline fracture to his pelvis when slamming the very useful Gauvain by an impressive 10-lengths to land the Grade 1 Betfair Ascot Chase in February. The plan had then been to bid for the Ryanir Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, but all bets were off as the son of King’s Theatre was immediately stood down for the rest of the season once his injury was discovered.

Owned by actor James Nesbitt, Riverside Theatre ran a tremendous race in last season’s belated King George at Kempton in January to chase home his imperious stable companion Long Run, taking the scalp of Kauto Star amongst a number of top staying chasers in finishing an honourable second those looking at the best horse racing websites online will have been impressed.

The shortening of his odds for this month’s renewal of the great race is somewhat puzzling given Henderson’s insistence that his charge is unlikely to be ready in time for the race, but then again punters are probably recalling that Henderson said exactly the same thing about Binocular being ready for the 2010 Champion Hurdle, a race he eventually went on to win having been matched at a massive 999/1 on Betfair when news first broke that he was an almost certain non-runner.

Like elephants, punters have very long memories!

Synchronised, the 2011 winner – don’t get confused, it was supposed to be the 2010 Welsh Grand National but freezing weather meant a change of date and so it subsequently took place in 2011 – was a great win for AP McCoy and Jonjo O’Neill and is, once again, favourite to take the title although no horse has ever won back to back so the odds are not in his favour. What is helpful though is the fact that he rides off the same handicap as last year, 11-06, though that in itself is still very high. He is available, ante-post, at odds of around 11/2.

Competition will come on the form of Galaxy Rock, another Jonjo O’Neill horse, who had an absolute blinder at Cheltenham on November 12th. Beautiful Sound is making plenty of the right noises too. The Gordon Elliott trained nine year old is second favourite but watch out for Carruthers, who having just won the Hennessy Gold Cup, has had his odds slashed for the Welsh Grand National.

Master Overseer is also a firm favourite especially as the David Pipe team bypassed the lucrative Becher Chase at Aintree in order to run him at Chepstow, indicating that the preparation for the Welsh National so they are definitely taking this seriously.

The best and latest odds for the Welsh Grand National are below…

Ante-post punters and fans of the star chaser have been waiting to hear whether he will bid for a fifth King George at Kempton but Nicholls is remaining tight lipped about the prospect, advising that a decision will not be made until about a week before the race.

Paul Nicholls and owner Clive Smith keen to avoid racing the veteran unless he is at his absolute peak with Smith telling the Guardian: “We’ve always said that he’s in great shape after Haydock and he’s surprisingly good just a week and a half afterwards, but then he’s always been a very exceptional horse for getting fresh again after a race.

“We just want to take our time and see how he is, and we probably won’t make up our minds until a week or so before the race. We don’t want to say yes now, and then have him run flat.”

Still an ante-post favourite with the bookies, Kauto Star is generally around 4/1 behind favourite Long Run who tops the odds at 13/8. Master Minded and Somersby are also scheduled to run as are Kauto Stone (Star’s half brother) and Diamond Harry.

Simon Cowell may now be regretting his decision not to appear as a judge in the latest series. Losing the ratings battle is just one of the crises to hit the show in recent weeks. Judges Kelly Rowland and Tulisa locked horns a few weeks ago over contestant Misha B, who on the live show, was accused by Tulisa of bullying. They now both say they have ‘kissed and made up’ with Tulisa saying “Yeah there’s some tension but it’s not done deliberately. I’m so passionate about this and sometimes people might think I’m being stroppy or whatever but that’s just me.”

Louis seems to be stuck in a bit of a rut, repeating the same old, same old jingles week after week, re-enforcing the view that anyone over thirty has nothing interesting to say. Gary Barlow is still very cute but has dented his credibility as a judge by confessing his recent remarks about Frankie Cocozza were aimed at keeping him in the competition, not a true reflection of his performance. Well that worry’s over now for Gary, as the 18 year old with the doubtful voice has managed to get himself kicked off the show. After being overheard by production staff boasting about his Saturday night shenanigans, which include getting just 30 minutes sleep and claims about cocaine fuelled sex sessions, the wild child is off the show and back home in Brighton. Simon Cowell in an unforgiving mood said he only had himself to blame and had blown a wonderful opportunity.

Over at the BEEB things seem much calmer although the series has had it’s moments. Lulu became the fifth celebrity to leave the show and the coolness between her and professional dancer Brendan has not gone unnoticed. After some criticism of the dancers outfits at the beginning of the series, have they been toned down just a little, well it is a family show after all. Holly Valance will not be dancing with her partner Artem Chigvintsev this week as he is injured. Artem has been advised to rest and Brendan has stepped in to his shoes for this weeks show. Poor Artem, having to stay home with the gorgeous Kara Tointon, his girlfriend from the last series, it must be hell!. Both series are now roughly half way through and the Great British Public WILL decide who comes out on top in the final ratings war.

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The Becher Handicap Chase is a Class 1, 3m2f, open to 5 year olds and over with the winner picking up a very nice £56,270 from the prize fund.

Grand National veterans Niche Market, West End Rocker and Hello Bud are all lining up alongside favourites, Noel Meade trained Another Palm and Peter Bowen’s Always Waining (who is being aimed at the 2012 National) but odds are short and no clear favourite has yet emerged with 12 of the 15 entries all currently on odds of 14/1 or shorter!

The Going is expected to be Soft which explains Another Palm’s position although he’s never run at Aintree and never won passed 2m6f! Niche Market has never won at Aintree but has the experience of winning at that distance and clearing the notoriously difficult fences – he just needs the ground to firm up a little and if it goes to Gd/Sft then he could be one to watch.

Hello Bud is 13 years old and Shalimar Fromentro is only five with virtually no real experience and having looked at all the runners my money is going on Nicto De Beauchene. Loves soft ground, had a good second place finish at Bangor a few weeks ago when he carried 11-11 but only got 10-07 for the Becher. He’s 10 years old, a good chaser and I just hope that the gap between races was enough to have him in peak condition tomorrow!

Master Overseer was the previous favourite but trainer David Pipe has passed over the lucrative Becher in favour of running him at Chepstow on the same day, clearly with Welsh Grand National preparations in mind. Pipe said: “He doesn’t run in the Becher. The owners weren’t keen on going to Aintree so he goes to Chepstow instead.”

Notable absences at Aintree tomorrow will be Ruby Walsh who rides Kauto Stone in the Tingle Creek at Sandown, one of his six races of the day and AP McCoy who heads to Chepstow to partner Teafortree on his only ride of the day.

Initially you would have thought that Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea would have been shoe-ins for qualifications with Arsenal, based on some shockingly bad Premier League performances, trailing somewhere in the middle of no where in this competition but all of that has been turned on it’s head.

Arsenal, surprisingly, are currently on top of Group F with three wins and two draws from their first five games. Manchester City have the worst results with two losses from their five, United have only managed two wins and three draws and Chelsea have flatlined with two wins, two losses and a draw to date.

With only one game left in the group stages every one of them need to absolutely hammer it to have any chance of making it to the last 16. Basically Manchester City have to beat Bayern Munich, United have to get at least a point away to Basel, Chelsea have to beat Valencia at home and Arsenal are sitting pretty having already qualified!

If you’re confident that your team can not only get through, but make it all the way to the Final, then the latest and best odds are below.

Here’s a run-down of how the groups will be decided…it’s tricky enough to follow but go with me while I fumble together an explanation…

UEFA has announced the seedings for the UEFA EURO 2012 finals draw at the Palace of Arts in Kyiv, Ukraine at 18.00CET (19.00 local time) on Friday 2 December.

The 16 teams that have qualified will been drawn into four groups of four teams each (Groups A to D). Four seeding pots have been created, with the host associations Poland and Ukraine being top seeds. Poland will be automatically placed in Group A as A1, Ukraine in Group D as D1.

The reigning champions Spain will be placed in Pot 1, together with the Netherlands, the team with the highest national team coefficient, as established at the conclusion of the play-off matches.

The other 12 qualifiers have been allocated to the remaining three pots according to their respective coefficients.

Pot 1: Spain, Netherlands
Pot 2: Germany, Italy, England, Russia
Pot 3: Croatia, Greece, Portugal, Sweden
Pot 4: Denmark, France, Czech Republic, Republic of Ireland

The draw will start with Pot 1 in order to fill position one in Groups B and C. The draw will continue with Pot 4, from which a team will be allocated to each group consecutively, from Group A to Group D. This procedure will then be repeated for Pot 3 and finally for Pot 2.

The position of each team within its group (2, 3 or 4) will also be determined during the draw.

UEFA General Secretary Gianni Infantino will conduct the draw, which will be shown live by more than 70 broadcast partners, covering more than 150 territories around the world on December 2nd!

So basically Ireland will be in the first pot that is allocated to the Groups and England will be one of the last drawn. But if you fancy England’s chances before the groups have even been drawn then the latest and best odds for them are below!

The 2010/11 competition was incredibly disappointing for Munster and their fans as it was the first campaign in 13 seasons when they didn’t qualify for the quarter finals. Older players, retirements and a general need for an injection of youth has meant an overhaul at Thomond Park. And with so many young fresh players on the pitch you would have been forgiven for thinking that it would take some time for them to gel.

Not so, with incredible discipline, patience, stamina and skill the machine that it Munster has hit the ground running and managed two wins from two in their opening games. Scarlets currently top the group due to an additional Try bonus point so the next match, Munster V Scarlets, is going to be a cracker, with the winners almost certainly going through to the knock-out stages!!

It takes place on the weekend of December 9th/10th/11th along with all of the other Round 3 games so if you’re a fan get your money on your team as all of the latest and best odds are below.

Punters were unable to separate the two principles at 2/1 joint-favourites, despite the fact that Paul Nicholls’ dual Champion Chaser was officially rated 12lbs higher and the pair were racing off level weights, but in the end Master Minded banished the memory of a shocking effort at Aintree on his reappearance last month by wearing down Somersby on the run to the second from home, before being driven out to maintain a three-length advantage at the line.

It was noticeable that having led to the second last before being headed, Somersby was keeping on stoutly all the way to the finishing line making Daryl Jacob work hard on keeping his charge going all the way, strongly suggesting that the step up to the five furlong longer trip of three miles at Kempton is really going to play to the strengths of Henrietta Knight’s horse. I, for one, would back Somersby to finish ahead of Master Minded in a match bet of the pair in the big Christmastime feature chase over three miles. Anyone looking at the Kempton Park Betting odds should remember this.

Somersby’s previous nonchalant dismissal of Hennessy Gold Cup market leader Aiteen Thirtythree over two-miles-five-furlongs at Kempton last month demonstrated his stamina strengths and his liking for the Sunbury track, and at current ante-post odds of around 16/1 he will doubtless appeal to many as the each-way value in what is building up to be a tremendous contest.

Top weight has gone to the oldest horse in the race, the Paul Nicholls trained Neptune Collonges, who at 10 years of age will weigh in at 11-12. At the other end of the spectrum is Qhilimar, the seven year old who goes off on 9-9, who is also the rank outsider with the bookies at 40/1.

Favourite for this race is the Paul Nicholls trained, Aiteen Thirtythree, who will be ridden by Ruby Walsh and will go off at odds around 6/1. He’s followed very closely by Great Endeavour, the David Pipe horse who stormed Cheltenham a couple of weeks ago when he romped home to win the Paddy Power Gold Cup 2011. Timmy Murphy will once again be on board and hoping to repeat his success.

Donald McCain’s offering is Wymott, who is going to be up there as a joint favourite on the day. At seven years old he has excellent form (111P-) and has a good seven pounds on his main rivals as he goes off on 10-02.

For all of the best and latest odds for this race just check out the details below.

According to champion trainer Paul Nicholls, his beloved Kauto Star is still showing all the signs that he is ready to get back into battle this season despite ending last term being pulled up at Punchestown in May. That below-par effort gave rise to calls for the four-time King George VI Chase and dual Cheltenham Gold Cup winner to be retired, but the Ditcheat handler is convinced that the 11-year-old retains most of his ability and enthusiasm for the game and is not ready to be pensioned off just yet. Anyone following the horse racing betting online should remember this.

Kauto Star is a horse who has always shown high-class form on his seasonal bow and has won Haydock’s Betfair Chase on three previous occasions; it would have been four but for him stumbling after the last when leading in the 2008 renewal. Last term Nicholls decided to send him instead to Down Royal where he defeated subsequent Queen Mother Champion Chase winner Sizing Europe in the JNwine.com Chase, and it shouldn’t be forgotten that he ran a cracker to be a gallant third behind Long Run in the Cheltenham Gold Cup in March.

I would suggest that the best chance Kauto Star will have of beating Long Run this season will be at Haydock where the reigning champion may be just a shade ring-rusty and where Nicholls near legendary performer has such an outstanding course record. At odds of 10/1 he really does look tremendous each-way value.

Pool 1 sees Castres Olympique do battle with Munster, Northampton Saints and the Scarlets which, by anybody’s standards is the group from hell. After failing to reach the knockout stage of the Heineken Cup for the first time since Keith Earls was in nappies, Munster will be extra anxious to prove that the empire isn’t crumbling. They’re up against Northampton in their first game and although their performance in the 2nd half of the final last year will be remembered as one of the more famous chokes in the history of the competition, the truth is that is was a steep learning curve and the Saints will no doubt want to shake it off and prove themselves as worthy on Sunday.

Pool 2 is home to Cardiff Blues, Edinburgh, London Irish and Racing Metro. Not a lot to say about this group really – London Irish look like they could be top at the end as Racing Metro have had a horrendous season so far in the french league and will be lucky to come away from the group with any points, this will be Edinburgh’s big chance to win a game but that’s about it for them. So you’re left with the Blues who have some solid, decent players in their squad and London Irish to battle it out for the group win…

Pool 3 is host to Leinster, Bath, Glasgow Warriors and Montpellier. Up until a few days ago, all looked rosy in the garden of the defending champions Leinster. Their returning World Cup stars were easing their way back into top form and in their absence, the team had been going along nicely. Since then however the most open secret in rugby was confirmed – Brian O’Driscoll has been playing with an injury for months, if not years, and needs surgery. He’s expected to be out for about 6 months, but most of the reports relating to the story included a line along the lines of ‘he is expected to be fit for the quarter-finals in April’ – an addition with the whiff of arrogance which pretty much tells us all we need to know about the draw the Blues have been handed. It’s pretty easy and they’re expected to progress as pool winners.

Pool 4 consists of Leicester, ASM Clermont Auvergne, Aironi and Ulster – I wish had some interesting and exciting insight to this group but frankly if the Leicester players can’t stroll through to the top of the group then they should start re-considering their career choice – maybe, just maybe Clermont might give them a run for their money but that’s only wishful thinking…

Pool 5 is Benetton Treviso, Biarritz, Ospreys and Saracens and initially you think ‘oh please, Biarritz are going to piss that group’ but on closer inspection Saracens’ capture of their first Premiership title in the club’s history and a start to the domestic season like team on fire AND John Smit (Springbok) can only help their European challenge. In contrast, Biarritz have had a terrible start to their season, Treviso are only there to make up numbers so that leaves the Ospreys to challenge but sadly over the summer, they’ve lost enough talent to make a top class sevens team and that will be hard to replace.

Pool 6 – last but not least Toulouse, Connaught, Gloucester and Harlequins – only second to Pool 1 in the toughness stakes. No least becuase Toulouse are expected to sail through but Gloucester have had a great start to the season and Harlequins top the Aviva Premiership – sadly Connaught don’t have a shot in hell so the others will no doubt be hoping to rack up the points against them to bolster their own chances and perhaps get enough points for a best-runner-up spot.

This year sees the big guns all up against each other with Paul Nicholls, Nicky Henderson, David Pipe, Philip Hobbs and Nigel Twiston-Davies all with entries into this showdown. So how are they going to fair because, and this should could as no surprise, only one can win! Although a cheeky each way bet could still net you a few quid so look further afield than the top favourites if you hope to make anything out of the race.

In a week when Paul Nicholls has racked up his 2000th career win, he’s still chasing the Paddy Power Gold Cup (and the Grand National!). It has thus far eluded the champion trainer but consensus is Mon Parrain, the favourite, could yet break that duck on Saturday. He’s giving it everything and has already booked Ruby Walsh for the ride so he’s definitely confident.

But…there’s always a but…though stats and trends shouldn’t be a determining factor in anyone’s selection process, there’s only been one winning five year-old since 1960 (1998 Cyfor Malta). As short and worthy favourite as Mon Parrain is his competition is tough and I think Nicholls will be waiting another year.

Loosen My Load has plenty of positives in his favour. He’s seven, ran recently and Henry De Bromhead has trained plenty of winners at Cheltenham. His triumph over Wishful Thinking at level weights in the Jewson at the Festival was seen as a strong case for him in the Paddy Power. Largely ignored is the fact Loosen My Load was third in the Jewson and is 10lbs better off than Wishfull Thinking, the seven year old will be a strong fancy on the day. Keep in mind though that there’s only been one Irish trained winner in the last ten years.

Nigel Twiston-Davies, 2010 winner of the Paddy Power Gold Cup with Little Josh, is a trainer who knows how to “find a mark” for a horse to win. Swincombe Rock could be that horse this year. Nigel’s son Sam getting the leg up on Billie Magern isn’t a concern, in fact it may put some off the scent. Despite the Rock’s rating and being out of the handicap, he has the profile of a Paddy Power winner. A novice last season and from a stable that have won the race twice in the last three years. Seven of the last ten winners have come 1st or 2nd in their previous start, a criteria the six year old meets.

Also keep an eye on Great Endeavour from the David Pipe Stable, Wishfull Thinking from Philip Hobbs and Dave’s Dream who will be heavily backed simply because ‘Dave’ is in the name – still a good each-way bet though!

Most eyes will undoubtedly be on Kauto Star who appears an intended runner as he bids for a fourth win in the race having won in 2006 and 2007, been in front at the last when unseating his rider in the 2008 renewal (eventually won by Snoopy Loopy), before returning to get the better of one of the most memorable duels in recent times when getting back up on the line to defeat subsequent Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Imperial Commander by a nose in the 2009 race. Those who bet on horse racing will have been impressed by the performance.

Last season Nicholls decided to send his great horse to Down Royal instead of Haydock and the Clive Smith-owned 11-year-old won again on his seasonal bow, so this term, despite being perceived to be somewhat on the wane, his current odds of around 10/1 could prove very good value for a horse who has never lost a completed start at the Lancashire venue.

Last year the fragile but very talented Noland returned from a long spell on the sidelines to run well, most particularly his head defeat of stable companion What A Friend in the Grade 2 Aon Chase at Newbury in February on what proved to be his final outing of last term. Mon Parrain looks a horse with a massive future after two sterling efforts last term but seems most likely to bid for the Paddy Power Gold Cup a week earlier, whilst What A Friend is the other possible contender for the Nicholls team having run a satisfactory race when a distant third to Restless Harry in the Grade 2 West Yorkshire Hurdle at Wetherby recently, a run that should have blown the cobwebs away and brought him closer to concert pitch.

The eight-year-old had been an intended runner in last week’s Melbourne Cup but he narrowly failed to make the cut after finishing a close third behind subsequent big race winner Dunaden in the Geelong Cup a couple of weeks earlier. Cumani decided to take the opportunity to run at Flemington this weekend having travelled so far to compete and the gelded son of ran with credit but could only finish fourth to Ironside, having been sent off a strongly fancied 11/10 favourite in the horse racing odds.

Connections decided that enough is enough for a horse who has given his all over the years and who will remain in Australia where owner Simon O’Donnell reports that the winner of over £540,000 in career prize money has been offered the opportunity to work at Flemington as mount for the clerk of the course. He may yet reach the hallowed Melbourne Cup winners’ enclosure, if only as the accompanying horse to future winners!

A rock solid staying handicapper, Bauer hit top form in the autumn of 2008 when sent to Australia and won the Group 3 Geelong Cup Handicap in style before heading for the Melbourne Cup itself. In one of the closest finishes in history he finished like an express train under Corey Brown leaving many observers convinced he had prevailed over Viewed in the very last stride. The photo-finish however showed he had been beaten a hair’s breadth and was declared runner-up by a nose.

After a long spell on the sidelines through injury Bauer returned to the track this summer and won the Old Borough Cup at Haydock in September on what turned out to be the final success of his exciting and brave career.

Leading up to the narrow final defeat Lièvremont grew increasingly eccentric, hitting out at his squad on the eve of the biggest game in world rugby, describing them as “spoiled brats” after their unconvincing semi-final win over Wales.

France tasted defeat twice during the pool stages against the All Blacks and Tonga but rallied to defy free bets (http://www.bigfreebet.com) placed in the knockout stages to beat England and Wales before just missing out in the final by a point.

Lièvremont frequently cut a frustrated figure throughout the tournament and appeared at a loss over how to get the best out of his talented but unpredictable side, and Harinordoquy, who was key as Les Blues rallied back from their morale sapping defeats in the pool stages, revealed that after losing to Tonga the players took matters into their own hands.

“After the defeat against Tonga I did not attach too much importance to what Marc said,” Harinordoquy told Midi Olympique.

“It was our adventure. It was meant to be the nice experience of 30 men. We had to free ourselves from his supervision.” He added.

The experienced number eight added that the players felt unsure of what to do under Lièvremont’s supervision and that led to them becoming the free bet underdogs for the tournament because of their under-par play: “He cast the stone at us too often. When something goes wrong, we’re all in the same boat. There are no good or bad guys. I felt he was lost, I will not miss him.”

Toulon head coach Phillipe Saint-Andre has taken up the reins following Lièvremont’s exit having agreed to take over the role before the World Cup got underway.

The All Blacks have the hopes of a nation on their shoulders ahead of this weekend’s clash with Australia, but Hansen is convinced that it is something they are more than capable of handling.

Referring to playing under pressure, he said: “I’d say it’s been like that for four years. Everyone feels pressure, it’s how you react to it that’s the key.”

“We’re really excited and looking forward to the challenge of the semi-final. It doesn’t get any bigger. As long as you can walk towards the pressure then you’re in control of it, it’s not in control of you.”

Hansen also believes that his side are mentally prepared for the battle with Australia. He is also fully aware that the team who knocked out those in 2011 South Africa Shirts () in the last round are a dangerous side.

He continued: “The preparation’s got to be dead-set genuine and you’ve got to take yourself to the right places mentally. You’ve got to make sure you’ve got your game plan clarity right.”

“Once you’ve got clarity you can have intensity and purpose about what you do and that gives you accuracy as well.”

“If we can get those things tidied up, then we get on the track on Sunday night and it’s going to be all on.”

“Your top players in the big games have to play as top players, you can’t afford them not to be world class and that’ll be what it’s like on Sunday.”

New Zealand v Australia is the second semi-final, following Wales v France on Saturday as four teams aim to take part in the 2011 Rugby World Cup final.

Alsindi landed some hefty bets having been the subject of a significant gamble on the morning of the race when getting up in the dying strides to beat the John Gosden-trained Questing in the Group 3 Sakhee Oh So Sharp Stakes on the Rowley Mile course on Cheveley Park Stakes day at HQ to maintain her 100% record having opened her account at the first time of asking when proving too smart for Silke Top on her racecourse bow at Yarmouth in August. Even those following the Breeders Cup betting will have been impressed.

Having won on soft ground on her debut there were some doubts as to whether the daughter of Acclamation would prove quite so effective on the quick ground at Newmarket, but after being held up in the early stages of the contest by Tom Queally, Brittain’s filly made good headway to deliver her challenge at the furlong marker before eventually wearing down the front-running Questing in the last few strides to score by a hard-fought neck. Fans of Betfair horseracing would have taken note of the performance.

After giving the matter plenty of consideration and discussing plans with the filly’s owner Saeed Manana, Brittain decided to bypass a trip to France and believes that the extra week break should allow his very promising youngster to arrive back at Newmarket in tip-top shape for the further step up in class. The Rockfel Stakes has proved a fair guide to classic pretensions in recent years with both Speciosa (2005) and Finsceal Beo (2006) going on to win the 1000 Guineas the following spring.

Fallon was aboard the son of Dutch Art for the first time in the colt’s eight-race career when partnering him to an impressive success over Redact in the Group 2 Mill Reef Stakes at Newbury on September 17, and confessed he was taken by surprise with the manner in which the youngster quickened up in moving from last of the nine-runner field to hitting the front in a matter of strides. In hindsight Fallon feels that he probably hit the front too soon as McCabe’s charge just began to idle in the closing stages, but Fallon believes the Newmarket-based horse has everything required to go very close indeed in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile on November 5 at Churchill Downs. People looking at the Breeders Cup betting should bear this in mind.

Now a winner of three of his eight outings, Caspar Netscher was adding the ‘Mill Reef’ to his victory at York in August in the Group 2 Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Gimcrack Stakes in which he showed a clean pair of heels to the very useful Lilbourne Lad, scoring by two-and-a-quarter lengths. Earlier solid efforts in finishing third of 24 to the now Hong Kong-based Frederick Engels in the Windsor Castle Stakes at Royal Ascot, and occupying the same position behind next season’s ante-post 2000 Guineas betting favourite Harbour Watch in the Group 2 Tanqueray Richmond Stakes at Glorious Goodwood, reveal a hugely progressive profile for McCabe’s stable star.

Fallon is certain that Caspar Netscher is getting better with every run and openly admits to doing everything possible to persuade McCabe to let his colt take his chance in the richly endowed elite US event.

If you’re not too knowledgeable on the race, don’t worry, here’s a quick run down to bring you up to speed. The Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe is a Group 1 flat horse race in France which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 2,400 metres (about 1½ miles), and it is scheduled to take place each year, usually on the first Sunday in October and in this year, 2011, it will be on Sunday October 2nd.

Popularly referred to as the “Arc”, it is the most prestigious horse race in Europe, and one of the most renowned international events in any sport. Many of its winners are subsequently regarded as champions, and its roll of honour features such highly acclaimed horses as Ribot, Sea Bird, Dancing Brave, Zarkava and Sea The Stars.

The present sponsor of the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe is the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club (QREC). The sponsorship agreement between France Galop and the QREC was signed in Doha in 2008, and it covers the five runnings of the “Arc” from 2008 to 2012. As a result of this deal the prize fund of the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe was doubled from €2 million to €4 million making it the world’s second richest turf race (after the Japan Cup), and the third richest overall, behind the Dubai World Cup.

The purse for the whole weekend of the “Arc” meeting now stands at €6.7 million (about US$ $10 million). It includes seven races classed at Group 1 level, and four with Group 2 status.

Given the vast amount of money up for grabs at this race, it’s now easy to see why there’s so much interest in it. This year is as competitive as ever so for the latest and best odds available just check out the details below.

Lucy Rhodes, spokeswoman for William Hill, said ‘Having successfully substituted for Nathaniel in the St Leger, Masked Marvel will require another step up if he is to cover for his stablemate for a second time’

With Nathaniel now a live possibility to appear at the £3 million Qipco Champions’ Day, William Hill have trimmed John Gosden to 10-1 from 12-1 for the trainers’ championship, whilst easing Sir Henry Cecil to 3-1 from 11-4.

German raider Danedream has seen recent support, with William Hill trimming the three-year-old to 20-1 from 25-1.

Current prices with William Hill for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe: 3-1 Sarafina, 4-1 So You Think, 6-1 Galikova, 7-1 Workforce, Reliable Man, 12-1 Meandre (needs to be supplemented), Snow Fairy, 16-1 Masked Marvel, 20-1 Danedream (needs to be supplemented), Hiruno D’Amour, Nakayama Festa, 33-1 St Nicholas Abbey, Treasure Beach, 40-1 Shareta, 50-1 Seville, Silver Pond, Testosterone (EW ¼ 1,2,3)

Moore sustained a broken thumb and a broken humerus in a nasty fall at Goodwood at the end of July and the prognosis then was that it would be highly unlikely that the former champion jockey would be back for the end of the season in early-November. But the 28-year-old has surprised medical professionals by healing far quicker than anticipated, and after seeing his specialist he was give the green light to prepare to return to the saddle. Anyone looking for Betfair horseracing tips will be wondering how quickly he can get back to his best.

Moore still has to be passed fit enough for race riding by the Dr Michael Turner, the BHA’s chief medical advisor, and the man who makes all the decisions about exactly when a professional jockey is fully fit to return to duty, but Moore’s father (the Sussex-based trainer Gary), sounded upbeat about his son’s prospects of coming back in time to partner Workforce, the horse on whom he enjoyed famous successes in the 2010 Investec Derby at Epsom, and in the Arc last October. People following the horse racing betting will be keen to see the pair reunited.

Workforce has only ever been ridden by Moore, so having him back in the saddle would clearly be a massive boost to his chance at Longchamp. The four-year-old is set to have one of his final pieces of strong work before the big event when going through his paces in a racecourse gallop at Sandown, the outcome of which may well see an adjustment to his current ante-post price of 6/1.