THE BERNIE THE BOOK COLUMN
PARTY TIME AS ENGLAND ACHIEVE EURO GLORY - TORIES IN FREEFALL… BUT WITH A PARACHUTE
The Book makes no apology for head- lining the Euros in Germany this month. After all it is a seriously meaningful competition, and those of us who are exhausted from wall to wall football will just have
to find
another passion as the nation (England, not Scotland) goes wild in the hostelries up and down the land. But I have never been jingoistic and my focus is on the betting market which has ENGLAND as the 3/1 jollies, and great value that is. Surely with the cream on display that is Foden, Bellingham, Saka and Kane, assisted by Palmer, Watkins and Rice, they can prove victorious? Especially as they have a straightforward passage to the business end of the tournament with an easy group and an unchallenging last 16 and Quarters. They even avoid France and Germany until the final!! If those teams win their groups. The only caveat is that yawn fest, dithering and indecisive Southgate, who has so far under his tenure managed to underperform royally. They lost in the semis of the World Cup in Russia and in the final of the previous Euros, when really they should have done so much better, but at 3/1 (7/2) in places, they are definitely a confident bet. As to the opposition? Never underestimate the Germans at 7/1.
GENERAL ELECTION
We may not be sick of football, but I guarantee come July 4th we will be sick of politics!! And purely from a betting view, I feel the Tory backlash might be overstated. If we look from today all stars are aligned for Starmer but the vagaries of our first past the post system,
as well as certain boundary changes, might hinder a change of parliamentary member.
PHTM JUNE 2024
Some analysts believe the Tories might have fewer than 50 or 100 seats!! Poppycock!!! And whilst their current number of 345 will be dented somewhat, their losses will see a representation in the next parliament of somewhere between 150-199 SEATS. Coincidentally, that number can be backed on the Betfair Exchange at 4.8 - equivalent to just shy of 4/1 in old money. Such is the accessibility of betting on all 650 constituencies these days, a number of layers have priced up every parliamentary seat!! Well that will make it a bit more interesting!
T20 WORLD CUP Starting now is the T20 World Cup – can anyone forget the drama from Lords four years ago?? This time it is being hosted in the West Indies and USA and has been expanded to 20 teams in four groups of five. Favourites are naturally India, but I think the quicker surface in Trinidad et al will favour Australia and certainly SOUTH AFRICA who are packed full of pace bowlers and explosive batsmen. Heinrich Klaasen will shine and the Proteus are confident picks at 13/2.
ROYAL ASCOT Mid-June and what is more quintessentially English than Royal Ascot. All we need now is a horse (sic) to move his blooming arse!! (Devotees of My Fair Lady will know I am talking about Dover of course!!) Horse plans change radically, just look at this year’s Derby scratchings, but my tentative Canadian at this early stage is: CHARYN
POINT LONSDALE WHITE BIRCH
5/1 QUEEN ANNE
ENCHANTING EMPRESS 10/1 ALBANY RAMATUELLE
8/1 COMMONWEALTH CUP 16/1 GOLD CUP
5/1 PRINCE’S OF WALES
If these all win, I might take elocution lessons from Professor Higgins!!.
Until next time, good punting…
Bernie the Book 75
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