back-lay-trade-horses-football: 6/8

Another venture to the Singapore league and I feel Tampines Rovers like playing against Balestier, scoring 3,4,4,5 in their last 4 meetings. They played a good geylang and lost last time and that was not a surprise. I would be a surprise were they to lose against Balestier.

***** 1pm - Balestier Khalsa v Tampines Rovers -back Tampines in the match odds at 1.29*****

Home United won 2-1 - scoring 2 goals again and keeping up their record of winning whenever they score a goal.
An Ghalana won too

Start of the Championship today and a lot of tight matches in store.

1pm - Balestier Khalsa v Tampines Rovers - 1.29 away
HEAD TO HEADS

30.04.2011	D1	Tampines Rovers	5-0	Balestier Khalsa
15.01.2011	CF	Tampines Rovers	4-1	Balestier Khalsa
10.11.2010	D1	Tampines Rovers	4-1	Balestier Khalsa
30.09.2010	Cup	Balestier Khalsa	1-3	Tampines Rovers
27.09.2010	Cup	Tampines Rovers	3-0	Balestier Khalsa
17.07.2010	D1	Balestier Khalsa	0-2	Tampines Rovers

Pretty dominant Tampines historically and scoring a minimum of 3 in their last 4 meetings in all competitions.

LEAGUE POSITION - 10th v 2nd.

HOME TEAM - BALESTIER

RECENT HOME FORM - DDLLLWLWLWL - wins against 7th, 11th and 12th . Losses v 1st, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 8th. Hints at vulnerability against 2nd!

RECENT FORM OVERALL - LLLLWLLLLWLLL - no draw recently ( similarly at home) - only recent wins have come against 7th and 12th

GOAL TRENDS - 4 of last 5 home matches have been over 2.5 goals. 3 wins, 6 losses, 2 draws , 3 clean sheets. 1 scored, 1,73 conceded on average at home.

STREAKS - 18 games overall in all competitions without a draw, 9 at home.

AWAY TEAM - TAMPINES

RECENT AWAY FORM - DWWWWWLWLW - again a lack of a draw recently - recent away losses against 1st and 6th

RECENT OVERALL FORM - WLWWLLWWL - again no draws - losses against 1st, 5th, 6th, and 7th. last loss was predicted by me for a Tampines side then priced at 1.41. Geylang beat them and Geylang had a much better profile than Balestier. 3 losses in last 5 matches and 2 wins were only 1-0's

GOAL TRENDS - 7 wins, 2 losses, 1 draw away - 4 clean sheets - 1.4 scored 0.8 conceded on average away.

STREAKS - 2 away without a loss.

CONCLUSION/NOTES/STANDOUT STATS - solid away form for Tampines tempered by overall form which sees 3 losses in last 5 matches and 2 wins which were only 1-0's. Balestier are not as good as Geylang and the hope is that Tampines can carry on that solid away form.

230pm - W Bremen v Kaiserslautern - certain teams have certain characteristics, and Werder's has been to concede and score goals regularly.

14.05.2011	D1	Kaiserslautern	3-2	Werder Bremen
18.12.2010	D1	Werder Bremen	1-2	Kaiserslautern
28.10.2009	Cup	Werder Bremen	3-0	Kaiserslautern

Limited research includes head to heads which echo the over 2.5 goals theme in Werder's matches.
Last year, Werder finished 13 to Kaiserslautern's 7th.
53% over 2,5 goals at home for Werder but 71% away from home. They tended to lose against top 7 at home. Indeed they lost 1-2 and 3-2 to Kaiserslautern last season home and away.
76% of away matches for Kaiserslautern over 2.5 goals last year will help the goals vibe! Kaiserslautern struggled away to the top 9 sides last season and pretty much won the rest.
THis is by no means a satisfactory way to research matches as there may have been key personnel changes. Ideally I would be waiting to get involved in leagues once they have a fair few matches on the board.

3pm - Derby v Birmingham - 2.9 away - Premiership hardened Brum are without McLeish. A pretty big price for only recently relegated Brum. It will be interesting to keep an eye on these relegated sides to see if one emerges to "do a Newcastle" and dominate.

3pm - Rangers v Chelsea - 1.63 away - The Scottish teams tend to struggle against the prominent English teams as the gulf in quality of both leagues is an obvious on. A friendly in the midst of a pisspoor start for Ally McCoist. Out of the Champions League already for a club which needs cash, and already likely to be behind Celtic as the season progresses. A friendly is not what Rangers need at present. I suspect they will look vulnerable here if a strong Chelsea side is fielded. Remember though this is only a friendly so do not get carried away.

6pm - Metalist v Oleksandria - 1.22 home - only 4 matches into the new season in Ukraine, and Melatist are DWDW - Oleks are WLLD - Metalist have scored 3 goals in 2 matches, Oleks have conceded 2 or more in their 2 losses.
Head to heads go back to 2003 so are irrelevant.

8pm - Marseille v Sochaux - 1.56 home

12.02.2011	D1	FC Sochaux	1-2	Olympique Marseille
25.09.2010	D1	Olympique Marseille	2-1	FC Sochaux
14.04.2010	D1	FC Sochaux	0-1	Olympique Marseille
07.04.2010	D1	Olympique Marseille	3-0	FC Sochaux
01.02.2009	D1	FC Sochaux	1-0	Olympique Marseille

Marseille have had the upper hand in the last 4 encounters and this is the first match of a new season. Again personnel changes, especially for the perceived bigger team?
2nd v 5th from last year. Marseille only lost 2 at home last year so will seek to remain strong with home advantage.
Sochaux lost away to 7 of the top 10 they could play ( as they were 5th ). They won the other 2 matches. Lost v all top 5 sides away. Potential vulnerability today?

9pm - Barcelona v CF America - 1.34 home - from those friendlies that I have watched, and even with a 2nd string, Barca have clearly dominated in possession and attempts on goals and corners . More of the same again? Bet will be strengthened by team news. Barca have been tinkering with the team enormously. Last 2 friendlies have been defeats and a 1-4 defeat last time saw the opponents' goals all coming after the 63rd minute which signals massive changes at halftime.

810 AYR

BETTING FORECAST: 6/4 Circus Clown, 7/2 Tillietudlem, 5/1 Terenzium, 7/1 Morning Time, 10/1 Ancient Times, 10/1 Ballade De La Mer, 14/1 Birkside, 33/1 Clueless.

SPOTLIGHT VERDICT: It is hard to get away from CIRCUS CLOWN (nap), who returns to the Flat on a bargain-basement mark after showing improved form over hurdles and is taken to beat stable-companion Tillietudlem. [Richard Young]

8 horses - 3 places and 7/4 - -3/1 - - -11/2 price gappers -obviously too early to be bullish as the market needs looking at nearer 8pm

320 HAYDOCK

BETTING FORECAST: 15/8 Heavenly Dawn, 3/1 Submission, 11/2 Off Chance, 13/2 Jacqueline Quest, 10/1 Golden Delicious, 12/1 Sylvestris, 16/1 Blaise Chorus, 16/1 Crystal Gal, 20/1 Belle Royale, 66/1 Madonna Dell´orto.

SPOTLIGHT VERDICT: Provided the 111-rated Jacqueline Quest consents to race, she may not need to run to her best form to get back on the scoresheet and it's encouraging that she's passed a stalls test since blotting her copybook at Royal Ascot. She's also reportedly settled in well to her new yard but she still needs to prove she's the same filly that was first past the post in last year's Guineas. A few progressive alternatives include HEAVENLY DAWN who looks just the type to make her mark at this level. Submission is also respected.[Steve Boow]

Only 5 under 20/1 here and Heavenly Dawn is 6/4 currently

530 KILBEGGAN

BETTING FORECAST: 11/10 God´s County, 9/4 Rockofinspiration, 8/1 Like A Comet, 8/1 Substitute, 12/1 Caracal, 16/1 Masterofthebree, 33/1 Askasilla Lane, 33/1 Grandparson, 33/1 Steviekey, 50/1 All There, 50/1 Planters Den, 66/1 Swift Accordian.

SPOTLIGHT VERDICT: GOD'S COUNTY has a golden opportunity to get off the mark over hurdles, despite having to give 8lbs or more to the remainder. Of those, Rockofinspiration has the strongest claims, but he is no star and laboured here last time. [Johnny Ward]

The favourite has 3 2nd places already and Davey Russell is onboard today -a top Irish Jumps jockey

420 NEWMARKET

BETTING FORECAST: 4/6 Cops And Robbers, 7/1 Monopolize, 7/1 Rysbrack, 8/1 Asaid, 8/1 Light Blow, 10/1 Old Navy, 50/1 Meshfi, 50/1 Rose Of Sarratt, 100/1 Pride Of Mine, 100/1 Ulla.

SPOTLIGHT VERDICT: Rysbrack is bred to be useful on the Flat and the experience he gained while winning a bumper on debut will stand him in good stead here. That said, if COPS AND ROBBERS can confirm the promise of his debut here last month then he is going to be very hard to beat. Bred to be smart, he found only a 95-rated rival too strong on that occasion and his inexperience was evident. He can go one better here before moving on to bigger and better things.[Paul Smith]

Massive price gapper here, albeit a one time out 3 year old. 4/7 - - - -6/1 in the live market.

440 REDCAR

BETTING FORECAST: 11/8 Icy Blue, 3/1 Needwood Park, 5/1 Andiamo Via, 6/1 American Lover, 16/1 Sendarose, 20/1 Isle Of Ellis, 20/1 Secret Lodge, 25/1 Kwik As Kwik, 33/1 Colamandis, 33/1 Think, 50/1 Indigo Sands, 100/1 Shoulder Arms.

SPOTLIGHT VERDICT: Not many 13-race maidens take the eye from a punting perspective but ICY BLUE holds serious claims here on his recent handicapping exploits. Andiamo Via is one of the few feasible alternatives, along with Needwood Park if the latter's debut effort is taken at face value.[Alistair Whitehouse-Jones]

4 under 16/1 currently. 11/10 - - 7/2 - - - -- - - 7/1 price gapper and 4 under 12/1 in the live market.

Plenty of experience from Icy Blue, especially placed form.

SHORTLIST