The Cheltenham Rollercoaster

I experienced two extremes of emotion whilst watching events unfold from Cheltenham on Gold Cup day. Emptiness and elation. They came in sudden bursts throughout this superb afternoon of the Sport of Kings at its very finest.

On the one hand I was Jack the gambler – a fool of the greatest magnitude who had been sent on a wild goose chase by the bookies and his own last minute change of hearts.

On the other I was Jack the horse racing lover who was not so much sent on a wild goose chase but more on a journey to the centre of what this and every other sport is all about.

Jack the gambler spent the late hours of Thursday 17^th March and the early ones of Friday 18^th poring over the form. I had been at the meeting on Tuesday and Wednesday and had perhaps suffered from listening to too many opinions, not least every trainer, jockey, owner and tipster with an interest in the race. This had proved unsuccessful although I did come perilously close to decent wins on a number of occasions.

So, I spent a very enjoyable few hours doing it my own way and promising to myself that I would not be drawn away from my chosen path. I emerged with a bet of great potential: an each-way treble on Zarkandar (7/1 in the Triumph Hurdle), Mossley (12/1 in the Albert Bartlett) and either Final Approach or Notus De La Tour (10/1 and 16/1 respectively in the County Hurdle).  If all three of these won then I was looking at a massive win certain to contain four figures. If they all came in the places then I was still looking at the biggest win of my life.

I bounced down to the bookies early doors. I had one decision to make and that was either Final Approach or Notus in the second race? I plumped for Notus as he looked sure to run his race while I felt Final Approach was either capable of winning or coming way back but not much in between. I played it safe for once and went with Notus.

Zarkandar, as predicted, ran a blinder in the opener and obliged at 7s. A hell of a good start. Then it was Notus’ turn. He looked for all the world like he was on for a big run up the final hill. He then may as well have stopped and was going backwards by the end. That was the bet over. Another punt of great potential fallen by the wayside. Annoyed as I was happy with it and the research was solid but this is Cheltenham after all – the most competitive racing in the world. However, it was the winner that really niggled at me – you guessed it – Final Approach.

Then came another kick in the proverbials. Mossley came surging up the hill in the three miler and claimed a valiant second. That means that had I backed Final Approach and not Notus I would have left Billy Hill with a rather large wad in my pocket.

Jack the gambler was upset.

Then came the Gold Cup. This is what racing is all about – the best staying chasers in the business going at it hammer and tong to see who will be crowned king for the year.

This was no ordinary Gold Cup either with three previous winners saddling up not to mention the first six-year-old winner of the King George since 1951 plus a myriad of other up-and-comers hungry for their moment of glory.

The race ended up living up to and surpassing all expectations. Alistair Down and the Channel Four team, who have seen dozens and dozens of Gold Cups, called it one of the best horse races they have ever seen.

It was not a classic because of the closeness of the finish, Long Run won and won well, but because of the romance.

Long Run is the youngest winner of the race since the legendary Mill House in 1963. He is ridden by an amateur, Sam Waley-Cohen, who became the first winning amateur of the race in thirty years.  He is owned by Sam’s father, Robert, who had the faith and belief in his son to keep him on board despite calls for a so-called pro to take the ride. This was a great Gold Cup story.

However, it was not all about Long Run. Kauto Star, a two-time winner in 2007 and 2009 and the only horse in history to regain the Gold Cup, ran a blinder to finish third after leading for a long time. Denman, a winner in 2008 and along with Kauto the most popular horse in training, also ran another super race to finish second for the third time in this blue riband race.

They were expected to go quite well but it was the manner in which they ran which took one’s breath away. The emotion with which they were greeted in the winner’s enclosure will not be forgotten by connections who must be delighted to have been involved with horses who have transcended their sport over the past five years. Their many wins will always be in the record books but surely the love held for these two legends by the public is the greatest gift for respective owners Clive Smith and Paul Barber.

I must admit that I had a tear in my eye. It was what this wonderful sport is all about. In fact, it is what sport in general is all about. Great stories unraveling in front of us and dreams being lived around us.

Jack the horse racing lover was ecstatic.

Of the two feelings experienced throughout the day, elation certainly overcame emptiness as I realized that gambling is just a part of the sport and although having an interest is certainly enjoyable, it is not everything, not by a long chalk.

Emptiness did come in another form though. I had that sinking feeling similar to that when you have finished reading a great book and have no idea what to do now that it is over, or that feeling of despair as a weekend that you have enjoyed so much draws to a close. Cheltenham is over for another year and for a while I did not really know what to do.

However, although I felt a little empty now that it is over, I am elated at the prospect of similar emotions next year in what is fast becoming my favourite sporting event of the year.

Festival Fancies

Monkerhostin in the 2004 Coral Cup was my first Cheltenham winner. He flew up the hill to win at 13/2 for Phillip Hobbs and the lovable Richard Johnson. I watched the race on my own in the tv room in my house at school, screaming him home like a mad man before skipping down to the bookies on the sly to pick up my winnings – a cool £25. It was a thrill and a half.

I thought at the age of 17 and only one or two Cheltenham bets down that I had cracked this gambling game – how naïve!

Betting at the Festival is a precarious business. Many get caught in the classic trap of backing a couple of losers and trying to gamble their way out of trouble. Considering it is a four-day meet, this is dicing with death so discipline is the name of the game.

Having said that, I have seen many have the same thrill as I have been lucky enough to have a few times. My good friend Harry Stein’s legendary pick of Katchit in the 2008 Champion Hurdle led to a monumental celebration in the bars of Newcastle.

The big question is, will the readers of this blog be filling the till of the local boozer after backing one or heaven forbid more winners this week? I certainly hope so. What I will say is be careful.

This is the most competitive week of racing you could hope to see and almost every runner in every race can win. Granted, some horses are more equal than others and stand a better chance of glory than others but so often a relative unknown comes down the blind side at 33/1 to land the spoils to the chagrin of the gambling public who then claim they circled that runner in their race card only to have plumped for a more celebrated alternative.

It is a case of doing your research and sticking to your guns. If your technique is based on following your favourite named horse or your favourite colours then fair enough – whatever works for you is fine. If you enjoy the info like me then buy Monday’s Racing Post and do your worst to navigate your way through the maze of stats in front of you. What is not debatable is that it is slightly more interesting if you have a financial interest in a race…!

So, here are a few of my tips for the week. I hope they bring you fortune…

I have also outlined some of the key things to look for when picking a Cheltenham winner. I wish you all the best of luck – we will all need it in the annual battle against the bookies that is the Cheltenham Festival.

Top five things to look for:

1. Jumping – this is more important round Cheltenham than anywhere else as the fences and hurdles are stiffer than anywhere else. If your pick is a dodgy jumper then don’t expect to be entering the winner’s enclosure any time soon.
2. Festival Form – time and again runners who have won or ran well in the Festival before come back for more. It is as good a signpost as any as the races are so competitive that to be able to say my nag has been there and done it is a nice safety net. Beware the improvers though…
3. Ground – this is always important. The going is good to soft which is pretty much perfect. Some like it faster while others love the mud – check the weather and pick accordingly.
4. Bottle – this is hard to tell as some don’t know they have bottle until they are in a dog-fight up the legendary Cheltenham hill. But, listen to the commentators and read the papers, they will be able to tell you which horses like a ding-dong tussle and which are chokers.
5. Trainer / Jockey – obviously this is key. Some are better than others. Those riders with a fine record are Ruby Walsh, Barry Geraghty, AP McCoy, Richard Johnson, Paul Carberry and Paddy Brennan especially. There are others too but these stand out. Successful trainers who always seem to farm winners are Paul Nicholls (not good in handicap chases though) Nicky Henderson, Willie Mullins, David Pipe and Phillip Hobbs. Venetia Williams is a good one for outsiders in the handicaps as are Donald McCain and Ferdy Murphy.

Gold Cup – Imperial Commander

Unusually, the reigning champion is the horse in the race receiving the most attention – this has not been the case this year in the week’s blue riband event to be run on the Festival’s final day, Friday. Nigel Twiston-Davies’ charge, a most impressive winner of this last year when he gate-crashed the Kauto Star / Denman party, has flown under the radar as NTD has wrapped him up in cotton wool, giving him only one run all season. He won the Betfair at Haydock in November with relative ease and has since been off the course. There is no reason to think that he is anything less than the horse he was last year and with question marks over all the other runners, the biggest prize of the National Hunt season looks to be at his mercy.

He jumps, travels and loves the course having won six times there. He has a jockey who knows his way round in Paddy Brennan and is good value at 7/2.

Ryanair Chase – J’y Vole

This one has come a bit out of left field but in an under-par renewal of this 2m5f chase set to be run on Thursday it is primed for a slightly less fancied runner. Willie Mullins’ eight-year-old was third in this last year having been badly hampered in running and could go close again. She has not had the greatest season in the world but is consistent and unlike some of the other runners, loves the 2m5f trip. She is 8/1 to take this back to Ireland.

This race could go anywhere though so if you want a real outsider, have a look at Hey Big Spender. He is running at 40/1 and hails from the yard of Colin Tizzard who’s horses are on fire at the moment.

Champion Hurdle – Menorah

I, like many, have been a fan of Menorah ever since he out battled Get Me Out Of Here in last year’s Supreme Novices Hurdle. Hobbs’ six-year-old ticks a lot of the boxes needed for a champion hurdler. He jumps, travels and has guts which he showed last season. The negative is that no horse has won the Champion the year after winning the Supreme since the brilliant Bula in 1971. However, rules are meant to be broken and with the shock withdrawel of favourite Binocular over the weekend, this race has opened up a little bit at Menorah could do the double at 4/1. There are dangers everywhere though. Peddlers Cross is unbeaten in eight and has Festival form while if Hurricane Fly likes the track then everyone could be in trouble. An intriguing contest.

There are so many others with Sprinter Sacre in the Supreme looking good for a big run in the Festival curtain raiser. Thousand Stars could run well at long odds in the Champion Hurdle on Tuesday, Skipper’s Brig is a firm favourite of one of the Racing Post’s top tipsters, James Pyman, and could go well in the third race on Tuesday, the Stewart Family Spinal Research Handicap Chase.

There are just so many options that I could be here all day discussing it so I thought I would give you those three as a starter for ten. See how they go and if they run well then why not dip your toe in the water for more…Just promise me one thing – be careful!

Getting the racing bug

I remember when I got the bug. It was 2003, I was 16 and my horse racing-mad grandfather was staying at our house with my granny for the weekend. It happened to be October which meant Breeders’ Cup time.

For those of you not in the know, the Breeders’ Cup is the World Cup of flat racing and tends to be a pretty exciting day or two when most of the world’s best speedsters lock horns in America.

It was the perfect entry in for me as it was a glitzy affair where famous names such as Frankie Dettori were plying their trade, making it easy to be interested despite not knowing my arse from my elbow when it came to what makes one horse better than another. Some would say I still don’t know which is probably a fair comment!

My grandfather, who we all call D, came into the tv room and said to me, ‘Here lad, get the teletext up so we can see the odds will you?’ I went one better and put on Racing UK so we could watch the events unfold live whilst pretending to my parents and D’s wife, M, that he was not introducing me to the dark side for the first time!

I think a key to getting involved is to have a mentor who can show you the ropes, tell you the difference between 5/1 and 11/2, who are the big players to follow, which horse likes what ground etc…Racing is such a complex sport that some people get lost in the figures and stats – it takes someone to put it all in layman’s terms initially to make it accessible.

I had the greatest mentor imaginable in D, a veteran of the game who takes pride in recalling his greatest betting coups. His enthusiasm and knowledge rubbed off on me immediately and suddenly I found myself asking question after question and my feet start to go down that slippery slide!

The next thing one needs after a guide is a good old ding-dong battle on the home straight with the horse you have backed in contention. The 2003 Breeders’ Cup Turf played this role for me. Falbrav was my boy, a gutsy campaigner who got beaten by a head on the line in the most epic of blanket finishes. It was a three-way photo with Falbrav getting edged out by High Chaparral and Johar who dead-heated.

It was all I needed to see – I was hooked. Obviously I had watched some races before such as the Grand National and much like many of you, enjoyed them without it ever making me want to watch the 3:25 from Thirsk, but this race was so exciting that it left me wanting more.

This is where you all are in luck. Next week, as I am sure you all know, is the Cheltenham Festival. If the Breeder’s Cup is the World Cup for flat racing then the Festival is definitely the World Cup for the jumps. It is four days of high class, unpredictable racing and devastatingly exciting finishes.

Cheltenham is renowned for its close finishes. The last three furlongs take place up a pretty steep hill, cleverly known as ‘the Cheltenham hill’ and this means that tired horses get caught on the line by fast finishers. It makes for quite the spectacle.

So, here is my advice, read the Racing Post as their build-up is always exciting the week before as experts, trainers and jockeys give their views on who is set for glory. If you read any info that you especially like the look of, go onto Cheltenham Tips for all you need to know about where to place the bet (some bookies have better odds than others) and settle down between Tuesday 15^th – Friday 18^th March for the Greatest Show in Turf.

Some tipsters are better than others. The best is probably Tom Segal, known as Pricewise. He works for the Racing Post and has taken the bookies to the cleaners more times than I care to imagine. He is especially good at picking out a winner at long odds or ‘a working man’s price’ as D would say. Rob Wright in The Times is also a good one to follow during the week.

I will be giving my top tips nearer the time but until then, let yourself fall into the sport of kings – a world so full of good people, good stories and good days out that you would be a fool not to at least give it a shot…

243 days

Welcome back ladies and gentlemen! I am not sure if you have noticed but I have not written a word on this blog for a while, since the 27^th of June 2010 in fact.  I have titled my return in honour of Danny Boyle’s movie starring James Franco. I wish I could say there were similar reasons for my absence but you will be disappointed to hear that I was not stuck in a deserted canyon for three quarters of a year although I have moved to Manchester which some might think is just as much of a test! (Joking Manchester, I love you.)

A lot has happened in the intervening period – I have obviously moved oop north, my brother got engaged and is due to get married to the lovely Jenna next weekend and Chelsea have gone from a world class outfit to a side who couldn’t unlock a door let alone a PL defence.

The world of sport continues to throw up drama and scandal at every opportunity whilst entertaining us royally. This time of year is so rich in sporting spectacles that I am thinking about buying another sky plus package as I am not sure there is enough space on my current planner to house the epic contests on the horizon.

The Six Nations is building towards the potential grand-slam decider between England v France at HQ on Saturday. I don’t think there is anybody who is not looking forward to that.

Chris Ashton is getting praise from every corner in a similar manner to the way another Rugby League convert did a decade ago. Jason Robinson went on to win the game’s greatest prize, the Webb Ellis Trophy (World Cup in layman’s terms). Will the Northampton flyer do the same? Saturday’s game will be a big stepping-stone if Johnno’s men can defeat the defending champions.

Check out this article if you need any pumping up for this tussle – it is probably the best blog you will read all year, apart from this one of course! http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/tomfordyce/2011/02/inside_the_heart_of_a_rugby_in.html

The Premiership continues to astonish with Blackpool beating Spurs this week to keep Chelsea in touching distance of fourth. God bless you Ian Holloway. I have said all year that United won’t win it because they are simply not good enough. I am slowly starting to regret these comments although there is a long way to go with some big games left to play.

This has been a topsy-turvy year for many and it would not shock me one bit if there was at least one more twist in the title race. If the pride of west London are not going to win it (and I don’t mean Fulham before anyone cracks that one…) then I would love it to be a team other than United. Living in Manchester may have got me doing some things differently, such as slating the south’s ability to make a good cup of tea, but it has not endeared me to United – thank the Lord!

The Champions League returned and blew us all away over the past couple of weeks. The AC-Spurs and Arsenal-Barca ties were what knockout football is all about – high quality football drenched in late drama.

Gennarro Gattuso was everything that is good and frankly embarrassing about football. He was very much part of the reason that it was such an intensely fought match but he also reminded us all what a pathetic group footballers are on the whole.

I will be honest, I have slightly fallen out of love with the beautiful game recently. (Chelsea’s horror run had nothing to do with it I might add!) The extraordinary behaviour of players on the pitch is frustrating and bad for the game (diving, challenging the ref etc) but it is players’ immoral conduct off the pitch that leaves a sour taste in the mouth.

Carlos Tevez is a case in point. For some reason he is revered as a great player. He may have scored a few goals since he arrived in England but he has also fallen out with every teammate and manager he has worked alongside which a friend took great pride in listing to me last week.  I am pretty sure he doesn’t mean it to be but his famous celebration of putting a dummy in his mouth after scoring sums up his character quite nicely – petulant and childish, not to mention greedy.

Anyway, rant over!

The third of the many great sporting occasions coming up in the very near future is what is known as ‘the greatest show on turf’. It is of course the Cheltenham Festival. Every year the best horses from Britain, Ireland and France lock horns in four days of Championship racing.

I wrote about this last year and will be doing so again in more detail but please do access the Racing Post’s Cheltenham Festival site on my blogroll for everything you need to know about this year’s Festival.

For all your betting needs please do hold fire as I will be posting my tips on the Festival on March 7^th. In the meantime soak up as much form as you can from the Racing Post and together perhaps we can take the bookies to the cleaners!

Thanks for reading guys. It is good to be back in the blogging game. Keep checking your emails as I will let you know whenever I post a new article. Also, please do subscribe to this blog (scroll down to the email subscription link on the right hand side) and let your friends, family and colleagues know about it.

Boom.

 

The irresistible force meets the immovable object, Part Three

The match really caught the imagination of the people on that remarkable second day. The crowds in and around Court 18 had swelled beyond their 700-odd capacity as people stretched and craned their necks to catch a glimpse of the two gladiators. Isner had wanted to carry on, defying all medical advice. Mahut claimed he couldn’t see the ball properly – a fair point when you consider not only the time of day but also the stress of serving second to stay in the match 56 times in a day probably played with his mind somewhat.

And so, much like the Battle of Gettysburg, this one rumbled on to a third day. Would this contest be immortalised like that epic battle? The anticipation in the air is palpable. The world’s eyes are focused on a small patch of manicured grass set deep within the grounds of the All England Tennis and Croquet Club in south-west London. For how long, nobody knows.

The players finally emerge to a momentous roar. There were no favourites now. That ended about eighty games ago. Nobody wanted either player to lose but sport has no time for compassion – someone was going home a broken man.

The match re-started as it had more than ten hours previously, amid a whirlwind unreturnable serves. Both players quickly passed the century mark for aces – smashing any previous record and almost certainly setting a mark that will stand the test of time. The score swiftly drifted into the 60s. Would this ever end? Were these two players so perfectly matched that they were just cancelling each other out? 

Then, a moment of weakness from the Frenchman. He sacrificed a couple of points to allow his American opponent a sight of light at the end of this seemingly endless tunnel. But, showing the confidence, consistency and skill that had got him this far, he quickly shut the blinds. 30-30. But then, another slip, 30-40. Match point Isner. Could he do now what he couldn’t do twice at 33-32?

The first serve falls at the first hurdle. The second is good, as is the return. Mahut plays it deep to Isner’s backhand and confidently glides to the net, ready to swat the return back with yet another nonchalant volley. It is a play he has made seemingly thousands of times in this set, let alone the entire match.

But Isner has other ideas and with a short and rapier-like punch of his racket the ball is fired down the line and beyond the outstretched reach of the brave Nicolas Mahut.

Isner falls to the ground, felled by fatigue and raw emotion before gracefully meeting his intrepid and valiant opponent at the net. The embrace is nothing like a normal meeting between a victor and his prey on a tennis court. This embrace is two men, who have left everything they could possibly have to offer on the court, hugging and knowing that they have been involved in something special, something that will never happen again.

Mahut looks inconsolable as he slumps into his chair and pulls a towel over his head to hide himself from the looks of despair coming at him from all angles. One cannot help but feel sorrow for him as he bows his head and thinks about what might have been.

But this match was not just about one man trying to defeat another in order to progress to the next round of Wimbledon. That ceased to be the case at about 22-22. This was about two men defying all that we thought physically and mentally possible on a tennis court. It was the irresistible force meeting the immovable object head-on. It just goes to show that in sport there are no rules.

The irresistible force meets the immovable object, Part Two

I emerged from Parsons Green tube stop 21 hours later with my nerves frayed but still just about in shape after England’s narrow yet deserved win in their final group game against Slovenia. The win ensured progression to the next round and I was in an upbeat mood as I strolled home in the sun with the intention of soaking up some later afternoon rays.

My phone rings with the familiar BBC Cricket theme tune. It’s my brother. Small talk is exchanged before he asks me, ‘Did you see who won the Isner Mahut match?’ I admit to him that amid all the excitement of the England match the result had completely slipped my mind. ‘I’m two minutes away from home so I’ll check out the result on the internet when I get back,’ I tell him.

The Beeb didn’t have the result on their pages for some reason. A rare mistake from the Corporation I thought. I go to the official Wimbledon site as the match had been due second on Court 18 around mid-afternoon. To my amazement the match is not listed on their results page either. What the hell is going on I think. I flick onto ongoing matches and see 2-2 in sets and 32-32. Ahh, they have only just got on. Wait, hang on. 32-32, that is no score. Then I see 40-15. Surely that doesn’t mean…There is no way…Could it possibly be 32-32 in games in the fifth?

I turn on the TV. The match clock says 6hrs 44mins. The fifth set time was nearing the four hour mark and the score was now 33-32 to Isner – unreal. The longest match in history and for a grass match too. Frightening. The combined ace count is more than 130. Isner has 74 of those with Mahut contributing a hardly paltry 66.

I watch for half and hour and the score extends to 38-38. Isner thunders down his 80^th ace. The lanky Yank has yet to defend a break point in this marathon set, an astonishing fact considering it has been going on for nigh on 4 and a half hours. This emphasises the durability of Mahut who, despite having a massive serve himself, has had to win many more rallies than his opponent.

You can still see the ball-boys in their Wham!-esque shorts, actively scurrying around and doing all they can for the tired warriors who have left absolutely nothing in the chairs. The umpire chirps in to overturn a call on Isner’s serve. Could this be a defining moment? Has he left the door even slightly ajar for Mahut to squeeze through?

Isner tosses the ball nice and high. His racket head comes down with the speed of a guillotine as the strings power the Slazenger ball at yet another startled line judge who’s life seems in grave danger for a split-second. The ball seems to dent the scoreboard as it makes a meaty sound that echoes around the court. No break point this time.

39-38, 39-39. Mahut displaying phenomenal powers of concentration himself. Duece on the Isner serve. Light at the end of the tunnel for Mahut but alas, the big man does what he has done 81 times prior to that and fires down an ace.

I curse my luck that I was at the match a day early and am having to watch it unfold on the box. The tennis is not quite reminiscent of the Nadal Federer 2008 Men’s Final but then again, they didn’t have to stay out on court for nearly eight hours. The mental strength being shown by both competitors is frightening. I wish that neither man has to face defeat. Neither deserves that. If anything they deserve Military Crosses for bravery. 40-40 in games. 7 hours 40 minutes.

Isner begins to struggle. His hands drop to his knees as his 6ft 9inch frame creaks through the pain. Mahut begins to manoeuvre him around the court, trying to take advantage of his superior physical state. Isner rallies with a colossal forehand to make it 30-30 but his fatigue kicks in again as he barely reaches the next two ground strokes. 42-42. 7 hours 48 minutes. 

Isner looks as if he can hardly raise his arms above his head now to serve. It doesn’t stop him throwing down another thunderous brace of aces. Mahut suffers a bad call from the umpire and his anger, coupled with his tiredness threaten to get the better of him but he manages to stay cool as he takes his seat.

Can he tame this serve and get a chance to serve it out himself? Judging by the monotony and rhythm of Isner’s cannon, not likely. Both competitors play to their strengths as the match extends way beyond 8 hours. 46-45 to the 23^rd seed Isner.

The crowd seem to be nearly as weary as the players before one of their number begins the rallying calls to the courageous players. Mahut seems to respond better but it looks as unlikely as ever that he will be able to break the Isner serve. Both players try and keep the points short through massive serving, heavy ground-strokes and deft drop-shots. The tactics seem to be working. 47-47. 8 hours and 29 minutes.

The commentators seem to be struggling to mix up their comments. Who can blame poor old Greg Rusedski when he has been having to talk for nearly six hours on the same topic. ‘Well this is just sensational. Even the scoreboard has given way now. It says 47 all but if you can believe it folks, it is actually 48 all,’ he croakily mumurs into the microphone. Soon this becomes 50-50 and the scoreboard gives up all together.

And so it rumbles on, game-by-game, metronomic service game followed by metronomic serving game. A friend texts me saying this is the consistency his game so clearly and dearly lacks – join the club old boy. Mahut gets his first break points on the Isner serve in the fifth set at 50-50. Beyond ridiculous. He can’t take them and it looks like it might be another 50 games before he gets another sniff so accurate and powerful is the American’s serve despite him looking like a punch drunk boxer for the past four hours.

The ball boys change but the quality of their service doesn’t. The correlation between the two men’s serves and the reliability of the ball boys and girls is really quite striking. And on and on it goes. 52-52, 54-54, 57-57 and then finally, the words that everyone had been dreading; ‘play suspended due to poor light.’ 59-59. 10 hours of play.

The irresistible force meets the immovable object, Part One

Day One, Evening. 

The boy sprinted in short steps, pounding the manicured turf in his oversized white trainers. His green shirt was not doing a good job hiding the hideous amount of perspiration coming out of every pore in his body. The look on his face was reminiscent of the concentration shown by Gary Kasparov in the middle of an epic chess duel with the super computer Deep Blue.

He looks across at his colleague who looks identical in every way, shape and size. They both run around like Nazi soldiers in a World War Two movie made pre-1965, panicked yet purposeful. There is no doubt that they are almost as well trained as the Wehrmacht too.

He looks at his shoes, gathers his focus, exhales one more time then looks up. BOOM. The serve thuds into the back of the court with such power that the linesman practically falls over in shock. The ball-boy doesn’t flinch – just another day at Wimbledon gathering balls for the world’s best tennis payers.

This time it was the big serving John Isner throwing down fireballs from the far end. BOOM. There he goes again. The speed gun clocks 135mph. Childs play for Isner. He has been hitting 143mph. However, it also seems childs play for Nicholas Mahut, his game opponent.

The Frenchmen Mahut stretches his Wilson out to his far right. He manages to just get enough on it to make Isner work to keep the rally going. A tidy forehand to the deep left has Mahut on the run but his typically cultured slice keeps the ball in play. What does Isner have in his locker? He needs this, it’s 30-30 and Isner is struggling to win points of former Queen’s finalist Mahut’s serve. A sweetly struck double-fisted backhand flicks the top of the net and again, has Mahut at full stretch. This time his return lacks bite but Isner’s winner certainly doesn’t as it hurtles towards yet another sidestepping lineswoman.

The crowd seem to respond to this rare rally win for the American as they cheer him back to the service line. But it’s back to basics for Isner as he fires down his umpteenth ace to wrap up the game and make the third set all-square.

John Isner demonstrates his power against Nicolas Mahut

 

Wimbledon seems like the most perfect place in the world at that moment. The sun gently beats down on Court 18. The shadows lengthen over the most famous lawns in England. The crowd applaud knowledgeably.

It is 7:30pm and I am watching these scenes unfold live with my brother. There is some competitive and high quality tennis going on yards away from our seats. We are so close to the action that we may as well be in deck chairs in the tramlines.

A heavily French accented voice in front of us calls out, ‘Allez Nico.’ He is soon drowned out by the Californian twang behind us, ‘Finish him off John.’ ‘Big’ John Isner has caught the imagination of the English crowds as well as the Californian who is soon himself drowned out by English voices, ‘Come on John,’ ‘Go John,’ ‘Keep it up John.’   

Isner slowly stomps back to his mark after the break. Despite having the support of the crowd he seems to be a surly individual with drooping shoulders and a bit of a scowl. His body language is similar to that of a teenager in a Harry Enfield sketch. His serve however has more presence than Nelson Mandela if you are on the other side of the net and the crowd seem to be loving it.

However, it is the minority who stand and cheer at the end of the set as the Frenchman secures the tie-break with some well controlled serve and volley tennis. The fourth goes the distance as well. The tie-break is fraught with nerves but Isner shows hidden mental strength to keep the baying Mahut at bay and take this one the distance.

The cries go up once more, ‘Good job John,’ ‘It’s yours John.’ Mahut seems to have won some admirers too though with his classic one handed backhand. He has one hell of a cannon himself and he is not afraid to use it either. ‘Hang in there Nicolas,’ ‘Lets do it Nico,’ followed by the inevitable, ‘Allez Nico’ from the front row.

Nicolas Mahut times another classic forehand against John Isner

 

The crowd seem to be revelling in both players’ efforts. We are all getting comfortable when a rather official looking man in a blazer glides on to the court menacingly. I, and I imagine a host of others, had completely lost track of the time and the blazer was here to remind us. The call goes up, ‘play suspended.’

The groans echo around the compact yet sizeable Court 18. They don’t last long though as everyone blasts out their support. Both players acknowledge the generous applause as they gather their belongings and wave to their fans. Before disappearing behind the stands.

Trivia

Name the 14 unique team name endings in English league football. e.g Manchester UNITED is not one of them…

Name the highest Premiership scorer for every letter of the alphabet. e.g. A=Alex,B=Benayoun…(Clearly, neither is right)

Who is the biggest loser in England? Fine, I’ll give you that one – it is indeed the pathetic Robert Green.

England’s heroes and villains

David ‘Calamity’ James

The 139-year-old (not a typo!) seems to have been around since Jules Rimet was still heading up Fifa. Some say he has aged like a vintage burgundy although I am sure there won’t be a single England fan who will not have their hearts, and pretty much every other vital internal organ, in their mouths whenever the ball goes anywhere near the crazy-haired afroman. He does seem evergreen however and although having a world-class keeper is desirable, having a pretty good one might be good enough, as long as he doesn’t have to catch, kick or punch the ball on a regular basis….

Glen ‘£18m – good buy Rafa’ Johnson

I don’t want to say I told you so but I always knew he couldn’t be taught how to defend and this lack of defensive awareness is almost certain to cost England at some stage. Many thought that the fat Spanish waiter could improve his defensive capabilities but alas, no luck. Call me old fashioned but I prefer a full back to be a good defender primarily and if he is good going forward then bonus, especially when you are playing against the best in the world.

However, if we get a bit of luck then Johnson might be able to cause more damage going forward than he does at the back. There is no doubt that he is a scintillating attacker at times and this may well be a nice outlet throughout the tournament and who knows, he may even score a sweet left footed curler…

John ‘I need redemption on so many levels’ Terry

Fine, he looked a bit shaky against the Japanese. Fine, he had a bit of a pop at Bridge’s missus. Fine, most people hate him. But, if England are to go far in this tournament, Terry is going to play a massive part. There is no denying that he is world class at his best and I feel he is at his most impressive when playing in pressure situations. His goal threat at dead balls is going to be important, especially in the tight games of which there are sure to be many, starting against the US on Saturday. And, who knows, he might even get a Stuart Pearce-type opportunity to quash his Moscow penalty demons…

Rio ‘The gag man’ Ferdinand

Don’t you just love Rio’s sense of humour – so witty at times. I sometimes wonder if he should have gone into a career in stand-up comedy rather than pro football…But, as his banter levels have ‘soared’, his solidity and calming influence at the back has vanished and now, it must be admitted, he is somewhat of a worry. I wish he had focused less on his budding career in Hollywood and more on keeping fit and well.

But the well-known mantra of form is temporary, class is permanent may well apply to the skipper. He used to be one of the best in the world so he could have been toying with us, waiting to wow us with his composure at this tournament. Either that or he has lost the plot, focused on his unbearable TV gaffe programmes and somehow emerged with the armband. In my opinion Ledley King should be starting as he has proved his fitness and his quality over the last month or two while Rio was getting out-muscled by a tiny Japanese striker the other day. Time will tell.

Ledley ‘Training is for wimps’ King

Well, time did tell. In the time it took me to write Rio’s profile, Bruno Heskey (the clumsy oaf who tackled Rio) proved that he was either a closet Spurs fan or a Spanish spy. My guess is the latter, hence his clever footwork, supreme balance and Torres-esque nose for a goal…Thanks Emile. I’m not joking either, Rio shouldn’t have been starting or skipper so although it is a blow, it is not as big a loss as everyone is saying, I hope.

King, if he can stand up, deserves to be starting, as he is one of our top two centre backs. He did look ominously laborious against Japan but then again, so did everyone. I am hoping that King could be one of the starts of the show, a true fairytale in the making. Barely played over the last three years, trained even less and still capable of making the squad and starting line-up – could be the stuff of legend…   

Ashley ‘I’m way too good for Cheryl anyway’ Cole

Why does everyone always say, ‘oh, Cheryl is well shot of him’? He may be at times a bit of a moron and his dilly-dallying with those texts was weird but who cares? He is the best left back in the world and to be frank, I couldn’t care less which candle he was dipping his wick in. I would say the same about JT although the difference there was that he was dipping his nib in the company ink, which is never the most productive option!

As a Chelsea fan I am bound to fight his corner but over the past two seasons he has been simply superb. His bombing runs are always a menace to the opposition and he has rediscovered his goal scoring touch this year. The difference between him and Johnson is that Shley also happens to be a quality defender. His last gasp tackles are pretty much always spot-on and he seems to be the best goal line clearance guy ever. He will be fundamental if we are going to challenge in South Africa as he is one of our few truly world-class players.

Gareth Capello

Oh, sorry, that was meant to say Gareth Barry but a bit of digging proved that Gary Barry is actually Don Fab’s illegitimate love child. He has played more times (20) under Capello than any other player despite not being available for the past couple of warm-ups. Don’t get me wrong, I rate Barry highly. He is composed, is a decent passer and is left footed which provides a nice change in the middle of the park. But, more importantly, he can break up the play well which in the modern game is arguably the most important position on the pitch.

But, he is, after Rooney, the second name on Capello’s team sheet which I think might be a bit much. He hasn’t exactly lit the world up at City and he is certainly not in the world-class category. This is going to be a real test to see if he is as good as Capello thinks he is. He will have to be disciplined as Frank Lampard will be pushing forward at every opportunity and so Barry cannot afford to be caught napping. He may even have some man marking to do at some stage, which will be a real challenge. There is one more plus, he is a decent penalty taker…

Frank ‘Why don’t you love me? Lampard

What needs to be said? He seems to have silenced his critics for now with his 27-goal haul for Chelsea this season. He has been the most consistent player in England over the past five years and maybe in the world. He is solid, dependable and at times explosive. However, you get the feeling that everyone is just waiting for him to crack and be able to say again, he is not as good as Gerrard which is now, based on last season, not true,

Hopefully, there will be no need for the discussion as the two finally man up and work together. They are both more mature, more experienced and hopefully, more prepared for the biggest test a top player can face – a long run in the World Cup.

Steven ‘What is Spanish for eerrm?’ Gerrard

Below par all year but undoubtedly, one of England’s world-class players. At his best he is capable of grabbing a game by the scruff of the neck and physically dragging his team over the line. This is a very useful characteristic to have in your armoury in a World Cup when one player can be the difference in the tight games.

The problem is that Gerrard has never really done this for England. I hope he was saving himself at Liverpool this year for South Africa. His tired displays are a worry but he has looked fairly lively in the warm-ups. Whether Capello will play him in his favoured libero role is debatable but if not, then he needs to grow up and stop whining about playing on the left. He can cut in as much as he likes as Ashley Cole will still provide width. All he is being asked to do is put his adaptability to good use. This could be his summer. A good tournament and he could get a massive money move to Real and Mourinho or it could be a what could have been affair. I am praying for the former….

Aaron ‘My hairdresser is Calamity James’ Lennon

Needs to be a threat if England are going to progress as we don’t have the most exciting of benches with the exception of Joe Cole. He is capable and despite not having too much other than pace in his locker, that is often enough. He not only has pace, he has serious gas. He needs to use it and have a big tournament to silence the waiting Walcott is better critics and after his growth over the past year or two at Spurs, he should be able to do it.

His delivery has improved significantly although it is still not stellar. He needs to be a goal threat too. He is the ultimate could go either way player. His debut at the World Cup in 2006 was scintillating at times when he came on for Becks, which suggests he enjoys the biggest stage. Lets hope he can keep on progressing….

Peter ‘I can’t believe my bird is that fit’ Crouch

I love this guy. For those of you who have seen Sky’s 50 Most Shocking World Cup Moments programme, you will understand when I say I preferred him before I saw that show but still, he is a quality bloke. He is also a real handful the majority of the time and is capable of both holding it up and scoring goals which is why he has overtaken Bruno Heskey in the probable starting line-up.

He must be the perfect guy to have in the team room as he has genuine banter and a brain unlike most of his colleagues. But, at the end of the day, nobody really cares about this if he doesn’t do the business on the pitch. I think Crouch can do a job for us, either in a starting role or a mix-up player from the bench. He might not get a chance to silence his critics who say he can’t do it against the bigger teams as Capello might well start Gerrard behind Rooney in these but if he does get the chance, I hope he can end those chirps as nobody deserves it more.

Wayne ‘The Schizophrenic’ Rooney

Wayne. I thought you had matured enough to stop throwing the toys out of the pram whenever the team were losing. The sight of him tearing around like a crazed loon when England were 1-0 down against Japan was frightening. I love the passion and it is half of what makes him the player he is but I had visions of him doing a Gazza, flying in two-footed into a reckless challenge and emerging with a broken leg. Imagine if he behaves like that in the World Cup again, like he did against Portugal in 2006, and gets injured or sent off. We would be so far up the creek without a paddle in sight. The expectation on the lad is harsh but part and parcel of being the best player in the country.

This World Cup may well be the defining moment of his career. He could go down as a legend, one of the greats, if he sparkles in South Africa. He could go be remembered as a complete psycho if he doesn’t get his temper under control.  He will handle the expectation well in my opinion, as long as his team mates rise to the occasion and begin playing somewhere near his standard. That is when he loses the plot, when his fellow players are not matching his passion. If the spirit is good, he will dominate. If the heads drop, he will get sent off. It could be that simple.

Other potential starters include Joe ‘Should I stay or should I go?’ Cole and James ‘Mr England U-21’ Milner…

A Decade to Savour

On Friday, David Beckham handed over England’s 2018 World Cup bid to Sepp Blatter and FIFA. This could prove to be a defining moment. In fact, this could prove to be a defining decade. Between now and 2020, Great Britain and England in particular, are going to be hosting the 2012 Olympics, the 2014 Commonwealth Games, the Rugby World Cup in 2015, the Cricket World Cup in 2019 and now, fingers crossed, the Football World Cup in 2018. (I have chosen not to alter my opinions based on the ludicrous actions of a certain Lord Triesman who has jeopardised our bid in the hope that we can recover it with some swift schmoozing of FIFA delegates.)

That is the five biggest sporting tournaments in the world hosted by the same country within seven years of each other. This therefore has the potential to be the greatest decade in the history of British sport – a decade where we re-establish ourselves as the very best, not only on the pitch but also off it, as the best organisers in the world too.

Many people may complain about how hosting all these expensive events is a waste of much needed government money at a time when being thrifty is very much a necessity. However, these events (as well as generating vast amounts of income through tickets, tourism and sponsorship) are about more than money – they are about reputation.

ambarhamid.com

For too long have we been on the periphery of the world’s leading sporting nations. Yes we have had our moments such as our superb showing at the Beijing Olympics, our 2003 Rugby World Cup win and our two Ashes winning summers in 2005 and 2009 but not for many years have we been able to say, ‘Great Britain – the most successful sporting country on the planet, bar none.’

Now is the time to change this and by having the world as our guests five (I hope) times in seven years, on a truly massive scale, we have a golden opportunity that we must grab with both hands.

Firstly, we have the chance to improve further our already envied sporting infrastructure. To accommodate all the spectators, we must build new stadia. Add these new structures such as the Olympic Stadium, to Wembley, Twickenham, the Emirates, Lord’s, the Oval and many other sporting temples and you have one city, London, with more world-class venues than any other on the planet.

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Secondly, and more importantly, by hosting all these incredibly popular events, we are giving our youngsters the chance to shine. More British athletes are going to compete at the London games than in any Olympiad for over a century. This is exciting because it has given athletes across Britain a chance to make a name for themselves and ultimately win a medal for their country.

Hopefully, the result will be that Britain ends up with more world-class athletes than before and maybe more than any other nation on Earth in proportion to our population. Our success in Beijing lay down a marker for the younger generation as it was the place where many became inspired to run, jump, throw or row for their country. Hopefully London 2012 will provide a stage for them to shine.

In terms of the other events mentioned above, these give us a chance to prove that British sport is not all about London. We have an unbelievable number of top class stadiums and sporting cities throughout our proud nation and the Football, Cricket and Rugby World Cups will give us a chance to show the world how great a sporting country we are.

I would say that no country takes part and performs well in as many different sports as Britain. We are considered a top football, cricket and rugby side. We came fourth in the medals table in Beijing with 47 medals, 19 of them gold.  We have established ourselves as world leaders in many disciplines such as snooker and darts while also improving dramatically in winter sports. We are considered one of the great horse racing nations. Plus, we have a host of individuals who are among the top performers in their chosen field – Jenson Button, Lewis Hamilton, Lee Westwood, Andy Murray and Mark Cavendish to name a few. However, only in very few of these sports can we say we are the very best in the business.

I am hoping that will change over the next decade and being an eternal optimist, I am hoping that it will begin in South Africa this summer. The phrase ‘start as you mean to go on’ has never had so much relevance in my book. Believe and this may well turn out to be a decade to remember.