February 2020

BARRY GERAGHTY PREVIEWS 

Barry Geraghty: Champ schooled great ahead of Kelso next week 
Friday 7th February, 2020 – : I schooled Champ at Nicky Henderson’s on Friday morning and he was in great form. He jumped and felt really well, so I was very happy with him.  
 
He doesn’t seem to be feeling any ill effects of the fall at Cheltenham and all roads lead to Kelso next week. Hopefully we can get things back on track ahead of the Festival in March. 
 
He’s [Champs] a horse to look forward to and so is Buveur D’Air who is coming along well since getting that injury in the Fighting Fifth.  
 
We won’t see him again this season, but he should be back next season and fingers crossed he’s back to his best.  
 
I’m looking forward to getting back on Chantry House in the novices’ hurdle (1:15pm).  
 
He’s improved each time he’s run so far and he felt sharper at Cheltenham the last day compared to Warwick. He looks great and Nicky is very happy with him, so we’re hoping for another good showing.“  
 

BARRY GERAGHTY PREVIEWS 

Barry Geraghty: Defi Du Seuil is shaping up to be another Moscow Flyer or Sprinter Sacre  
Wednesday 12th February, 2020 – Defi Du Seuil is a horse I’ve always really liked. Even as a juvenile, I remember saying to Philip Hobbs and JP [McManus] that this fella can go jumping fences as a five-year-old. 
 
He missed out that season but he started back out over fences last year and did really well as a novice..  
 
It probably took him a run or two just to lower his gauge and really find his rhythm over fences, but after his first two runs he was brilliant. He’s been really, really good this season.  
 
You’d like to think he’s good enough to win a Champion Chase at Cheltenham with what he’s done this season. Particularly the Tingle Creek and the Clarence House were two really good performances, but it is a strong race.  
 
Altior is the defending champion, he’s a high class horse who went 19 runs unbeaten. There hasn’t been any before to do that so you can never dismiss him. Chacun Pour Soi really looks like a progressive type, so it will be a very strong race.  
 

REDS TO STAY UNBEATEN 

Liverpool 4/1 to finish season unbeaten  


Wednesday 12th February, 2020 – Liverpool are 4/1 to go unbeaten for the rest of the Premier League season with  Sporting Index.   
 
Jurgen Klopp’s side travel to CarrowRoad on Saturday with bottom side Norwich 17/2 to end Liverpool’s unbeaten streak, as the Reds bid to go one match closer towards breaking Arsenal’s Premier League record of 49 games unbeaten.  
 
The league leaders are seven matches away from equalling the Gunners’ record and can do so against Manchester City at the Etihad. Pep Guardiola’s side are 6/4 favourites to inflict a first Premier League defeat of the season on Liverpool.  
 
Next in the betting to stop the Reds are city rivals Everton, where the Toffees can be backed at 6/1 to taste victory in the derby. Watford are 7/1 to be the first team to take three points from Liverpool this season.   
 
Neville Burdock, head of trading for Sporting Index, said: “Liverpool will be looking to come out the traps strongly after the winter break to preserve their unbeaten status, and we now make them 4/1 to go undefeated in the top flight for the rest of the season.“ 
 

BARRY GERAGHTY PREVIEWS 

Barry Geraghty: Sporting John is a lovely type with plenty of speed and hopefully a big future 

Friday 14th February 2020 – The weather has been wreaking havoc with racing all week and it obviously scuppered plans to run Champ at Kelso on Thursday.
 
I wouldn’t be worried about that, though. He had the race in the bag at Cheltenham before tipping up at the second last and he showed plenty that day to suggest he’s up to running a big race at the Festival..  
 
He’s schooled so well since that I wouldn’t be at all concerned about him not having a race between now and the RSA. 
 
There’s a Plan A and a Plan B this weekend as things stand. 
 
If Ascot is on then Sporting John will take his chance in the opening novices’ hurdle (1:15pm), but if it’s called off I’ll head to Exeter with him on Sunday and take two rides at Haydock on Saturday instead. 
 
Whether he runs at Ascot or Exeter, it’s a step up in grade for Sporting John but that’s exactly what we need to do to find out where we are with him. 

BARRY GERAGHTY PREVIEWS 

Barry Geraghty: Impossible to focus on counting numbers when you’re in a dingdong battle  
Friday 21st February, 2020 – We all have to work to improve the image of racing.  
 
I think jockeys in particular have been working hard to adjust to the new rules over the years and if further regulations and harsher penalties around the whip are put into practice then we’ll have to go with those too.  
 
It is very difficult for us jockeys, though. When you’re in the zone, pushing away on a horse in a ding-dong battle in the final furlong it’s not easy to count the number of times you use your stick.  
 
You’re pushing so hard and are so focused on winning the race that having the clarity to be counting to eight at the same time is not an easy thing. I actually couldn’t compare it to anything else in life!   
 
It’s nearly impossible to have your focus on counting numbers when you’re in the zone like that, but we will have to work hard to play by the rules and help racing move forward.“ 


FURY THE COMEBACK KID 

Gypsy King 80/1 to win from off the canvas in the 12th  

Friday 21st February, 2020 – : Deontay Wilder is Sporting Index’s 10/11 favourite for his headline clash with Tyson Fury in Las Vegas this Saturday, but the betting firm are also offering specials on the Gypsy King reproducing his heroics of the 2018 bout. 
 
Fury is 8/11 to suffer a knockdown at any point in the fight, 7/2 to pick himself up from off the canvas and win and 80/1 to do so in the 12th round.  
 
Wilder can be backed at 15/2 to win on points, while Fury is 6/4 to win on points and 5/1 to win by KO. Another draw is longer odds of 20/1 with the online betting firm, who are also reporting good support for a Wilder win by KO..  
 
Neville Burdock, head of trading for Sporting Index, said: “Deontay Wilder is known for his punching power, and if either is going to land a knockout we think it will come from the American.
 
All the money so far is going on Wilder by KO at 5/4, while we’ve also opened up a number of specials on Tyson Fury hitting the deck during Saturday night’s fight. Like in 2018 but going one better, he can be backed at 80/1 to crumple in the 12th, get back up and win the fight.“   
  
 

EDERSON FROM THE SPOT 

Ederson 50/1 to take next City penalty  
Tuesday 25th February, 2020 – Manchester City goalkeeper Ederson is 50/1 with  Sporting Index to be called upon to take his side’s next penalty.  
 
Following Pep Guardiola’s recent comments that the Brazilian could be called upon, speculation continues after Sergio Aguero failed to convert from the spot against Leicester last time out.  
 
While the Citizens’ previous three Premier League penalties were missed by Ilkay Gundogan, Gabriel Jesus and Raheesm Sterling, Aguero is still 4/6 favourite to take the next spot kick.  
 
Jesus has missed four penalties for club and country since last January and is 5/1 in the betting to take City’s next one behind Aguero. Sterling and Gundogan have also missed recently, with the latter third in the betting at 10/1 to be on spot kick duty next.  
 
Neville Burdock, head of trading for Sporting Index, said “This isn’t the first time that Manchester City goalkeeper Ederson has been suggested for penalty-taking duties and it’s not surprising given their miserable conversion rate lately. He’s 50/1 to step up for their next spot kick.“ 

PREMIER LEAGUE TEAMS TO ADVANCE IN CHAMPS LEAGUE 

Premier League sides 66/1 to reach Champions League quarter-finals  
Tuesday 25th February, 2020 –  Sporting Index make it 66/1 that all four Premier League teams will reach the quarter-finals of the Champions League this season..   
 
Liverpool and Tottenham both trail 1-0 against Atletico Madrid and RB Leipzig in their respective ties, as Chelsea host Bayern Munich on Tuesday night and Manchester City head to Real Madrid on Wednesday for their first leg matches.  
 
And the traders at Sporting Index believe it’s a long shot to expect all four sides to progress to the quarter-finals, despite this happening in last year’s tournament when Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham all did.  
 
It's even longer for all the remaining Premier League sides in the competition to reach the semi-finals of the competition this season, with the betting firm pricing the possibility at 5000/1.  
 
Neville Burdock, head of trading for Sporting Index, said “Last season we saw four Premier League sides reach the quarter-finals of the Champions League, but with Liverpool and Tottenham already trailing from the first leg ties, we make it 66/1 that all four English sides will go through.“