THE BERNIE THE BOOK COLUMN
AMERICAN GOLFING ELITE TO CONQUER ST ANDREWS: PRE-SEASON ANTE-P0STS IN FOOTBALL
These summer months are all about winding down, taking stock and preparing for the autumnal battleground with the common enemy…Mr Ladbroke et al. WHAT A LOAD OF BOLLONEY There is always something of interest and while I accept that this autumn/winter is going to be special with a football World Cup in Qatar (more next month on my belief it is to AFRICA where the Jules Rimet trophy might rest) – YOU WONT FIND ANOTHER TIPSTER BEING THAT BOLD. there is nevertheless plenty to be involved in and at a solid return on investment. But before all that, I hoped you followed my tips for Royal Ascot which I will now remind you of. Firstly I advised KYPRIOS at a whopping 9/2 for the Gold Cup. Result… Victory at 13/8. Persian Force for the Coventry at 11/2... placed at 7/2 and ABOVE THE CURVE at 9/4…. result victory at 2/1. And so firstly to mid-July and the Open Golf at legendary St Andrews. Home of Golf it may be, but it is not the hardest on the rota and an attritional course it is not, unlike Carnoustie or Muirfield. Why is that important? Because if you look at the winners here, they tend to be good putters and to a lesser degree American. This isn’t a course for gaelic guile, knowledge of climatic conditions – just a fine exponent of the flatstick. So looking through the field, my three against it are... PATRICK CANTLAY at 28/1, XANDER SCHAUFFLE at 25/1 and last year’s winner, COLLIN MORAKAWA, at a
very generous 18/1. The friction between the two tours and LIV golf will lead to further cracks and I believe the breakaway golfers will not be received kindly in Scotland and therefore for those who play these markets, I would lay missing the cut for DJ, DeChambeau and Brooks. Strangely enough though, I quite fancy the South African, Charl Shwartzel, at bigger than a hundreds. Away from golf, July is all about preseason bets for our domestic leagues, as they will be beginning in early August and therefore previewed here.
PREMIER LEAGUE
Much has been made in the press recently over the continuing troubles at Man U (I don’t buy into) and the likely success at White Hart Lane (largely in agreement)
JULY 2022
but there are only fringe markets available (top 4 etc) and they hold no great attraction for me. Similarly the race for the title between Pep and Jurgen – but again of no real interest. However, I think backing the HAMMERS in the without the top 6 at a whopping 4/1 is a licence to print money. The 2/1 favourite is Newcastle and to my mind is being priced up on expectation, and Leicester might be declining in their admirable efforts over the last few years. Brighton too might have reached their plateau, so the 4/1 is SUPER GREAT VALUE (a la Bullseye!!)
CHAMPIONSHIP It’s a tough, tough league and often despite the parachute payments from the Premier League, relegated teams can really struggle in the Championship and I can see a bleak future for perennial yo-yo club Norwich (who are joint favourites to win the Division!!) and sack the manager if he loses four consecutive games... Watford! However not so the holistic approach adopted by BURNLEY with the inspired appointment of Man City legend Vincent Kompany and at a whopping 14/1, Burnley can not be ignored. Second
preference is for Middlesborough who at times last season looked like the best team
in the Division, but ran out of steam. At 10/1 they represent good value.
DIVISION 1 Initial preference is for two teams who did reasonably well last season without really threatening promotion (a quick dalliance with the play-offs) and my fancies are the OWLS (Sheffield Wednesday) at 7/1 and my main pick, OXFORD UNITED at 14/1 at this embryonic time.
DIVISION 2 and NATIONAL LEAGUE And finally, as to Division 2, my two fancies are MANSFIELD TOWN at a very generous 12/1 and finally, promotion beckons for SALFORD CITY at an acceptable 8/1. There is no doubt that the better teams in the National League are probably stronger than their counterparts in Division 2 and my preference is for solid, big money spending CHESTERFIELD who ran out of steam last season at a eye watering 10/1. I hope you followed my Wimbledon tips last month and at the time of writing, Novak is still unbeatable.
Love (geddit)
Bernie the Book 89
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