THE BERNIE THE BOOK COLUMN
IT’S TIME FOR PIMMS, CLARET AND EX PMs AS THE BRITISH SUMMER CONTINUES
Mungo Jerry and George Gershwin sang about the Summertime, but I’m struggling in those lyrics to find a mention of Novak Djokovic, as he looks to add to his seven Wimbledon titles; a feat he will surely achieve come 16 July, but odds on 4/6 shots won’t pay the rent, so we need to look elsewhere for our wages. Having just witnessed Queens, new World No. 1 and top seed, Carlos Alcaraz, who is second favourite at 7/2, won’t be troubling the layers, nor will any number of a host of big names, including popular players such as Andy
Murray, Nick Kyrios, Alex Zverev and Cameron Norrie. Is it any wonder that it’s 20/1 bar the first two!!! Whilst Novak can’t be opposed in the bottom half, I am more than willing to throw a few darts at the top half of the draw where Alvarez sits , as he is simply not a grass court player and anyone who thinks he is remotely a 7/2 chance needs their head examining. Lay on Betfair and back the following - especially if you can back them in the Name the Finalists market or betting without the Serb. Check that the suggestions are not in Novak’s half SEBASTIAN KORDA at 50/1 FELIX A A at 66/1 HUBERT HURKACZ at 60/1 LORENZO MUSSETTI at 100/1 Away from the Men’s, the Women’s is a lot more competitive, largely due to the huge influx of Eastern Europeans with unpronounceable surnames, which added to excessive letters in those surnames, makes differentiating between them extremely difficult!! No matter as I think the Wimbledon final will be won by either IGA SWAITEK at 4/1 or KAROLINA MUCHOVA at a whopping 14/1. You may remember they served up a terrific final at Roland Garros last month.
THE OPEN Back on Merseyside after nearly a decade, Hoylake provides a stern test of golf. In 2006 ,Tiger Woods went round the course famously winning by taking an iron off every tee!! And despite advances in technology which might allow some of the big hitters to circumvent some
PHTM JULY 2023
hazards, don’t expect Royal Liverpool to give up her Claret jug easily. So look for a plotter rather than a titan and first among my trio of picks is the resurgent TOMMY FLEETWOOD who hails from just down the road in Southport. Totally at ease with links golf and now equally at ease with his swing and club changes, Tommy Fleetwood is a confident pick and at a general 25/1, he should not be overlooked. My alternate is the next best thing in Norway’s VICTOR HOVLAND, also at 25/1 and my final pick is the invigorated BROOKS KOEPKA at 16/1. Both men are thinkers and bottle putters, something that can’t be said of McIlroy, Scheffler and Rahm. Take the first three in the betting out of your staking plan and now your portfolio becomes a whole lot more appetising.
THE ASHES
Another small trophy which will be awarded this month (it’s the remains of the burnt bails from England’s defeat by Australia in the 1880s) will be an urn to the victor in the Ashes series and this will be retained by Australia. But with the series already two games in, where to find a bet? Back the correct score at 4-1 to Australia and 3-1 which covers the latest outcoming. The series score suggestions can be backed at 5/2 and 9/2 respectively. The Lords Test will tell us more and the members of the MCC (and ex-premiers will surely concur) won’t they Mr Major? Finally, I don’t wish to crow, but I need to list some recent wagers I shared with you: Auguste Rodin (Derby) advised 3/1 – won 9/2!! Paddington (St James Palace) advised 7/2 – won 9/4 Coltrane (Gold Cup) advised 6/1 – second 4/1 Casper Rudd (French) advised 20/1 EW – runner-up 20/1 (10/1 a place) Next month football is back and I will be previewing selections for the forthcoming season, you might remember that last year in July I picked out BURNLEY at a whopping 20/1! Just thought I’d remind you! Good punting…
Bernie the Book 75
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