Blue is the colour

The Premiership has been superb this season. There has been plenty of talk about how the league has been weaker than previous campaigns but I beg to differ. The top four may not have been quite as strong on paper than in years gone by but the rest of the league sides certainly have.

Just look at Tottenham. They have been excellent throughout and although it pains me to say it, probably deserve to get fourth and a shot at the Champions League.

But then again, had Man City or Aston Villa snagged that precious ticket to the world’s premier club cup tournament I would be saying exactly the same. All three of these teams have made some good signings, been pretty consistent in general and played some top football too. It has taken a ridiculously under-par effort from Liverpool and a cracking one from Spurs to change the order of things near the top of the Premiership but finally it looks as if the elite top four may have been broken up. For now at least.

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At the top, Chelsea and Man Utd took the race to the final day of the season. This is good for the Premiership because if this league gets criticised for one thing it is for being too predictable. Granted, it didn’t take a genius to guess that these two clubs would be the ones fighting it out at the top but nobody can slag off the title race as having been boring.

Many people have said the top sides are not as good as some other recent ones such as Mourinho’s title winners or Man Utd’s Cristiano Ronaldo-led outfits but this doesn’t take into account the fact that the rest of the Premiership sides are stronger than ever and so winning weak in, weak out has been no walk in the park, even for Chelsea and United.

Now, as both Chelsea and United have discovered, just turning up at St Andrews, Ewood Park or Craven Cottage is no guarantee of three points.  That is why both the top two have lost six games apiece. But, despite this, Chelsea won this year’s title with a total of 86 points having bagged 103 goals in the process. Points wise this is more than United’s 1997, 1999 and Arsenal’s 1998 efforts while no top-flight side has scored more than 100 league goals since Spurs in 1963 so they can’t have been that bad.

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The biggest improvement has been the sides in mid-table. Could Fulham, Birmingham and Everton (in the second half of the season) have been any more impressive considering the strength of the teams above and around them? Birmingham’s run of 12 Premiership games without defeat from November to January is testament to this.

The league has been lit up by two individuals in particular in Messrs Rooney and Drogba. There have been the usual superb efforts from Fabregas, Lampard and Tevez to name a few. There have also been some stunning seasons from slightly less heralded players like Scott Parker, Ledley King (when he played), Joe Hart, Pepe Reina (who has almost singlehandedly kept Liverpool out of the relegation zone) and Bobby Zamora.  

Apart from Fulham’s superb effort in reaching the Europa League final, English clubs disappointed in Europe. This is seen as evidence that we have not been as strong as in recent years but again, there may be a counter-argument.

Chelsea came up against a very, very good Inter side led by the bombastic but pragmatic Jose Mourinho who proved too good over two legs and will probably go on to win the tournament.

Arsenal met Barcelona at a time when Messi looked like Pele, Maradona and Cruyff rolled into one while United bumped into Bayern who have themselves reached the final and look to be stronger than they have been for many years.

So, after dominating the tournament over the last few years the continental clubs finally sharpened up and showed the English what they are made of. We probably should have had at least one representative in the semis but it just goes to show that European football is not the stroll in the park for English clubs that people began to think – that is unless you are Roy ‘The Boy’ Hodgson!

I would normally think this was not such a good thing but in a World Cup year surely it can only benefit English football that our top players are not playing in such high profile matches so close to the start of the tournament and raising the possibility of injuries etc…Every four years I am more than happy to not see an English club in the final if it means that England can play like lions in the greatest tournament in the world.

To close, I want to congratulate Chelsea on their title win. To win a title is special wherever you are but to win 8-0 at home to win the trophy back is phenomenal. It probably should not have gone down to the final day but all the fretting was well worth it to be in West London when it all went down. To Wembley now. Que sera sera…

Top Five Sporting Meccas

As ever, I have tried to be a bit off beat and so don’t be surprised if a couple, if not all of these, are not what you were expecting. They are a mixture of world class venues, legendary arenas and symbolic stadiums. This is not a list of the most attractive or biggest venues but of the best places to play and watch sport.   

MGM Grand, Las Vegas

The Las Vegas Strip, lit up, loud with music, fountains, neon lights and looking glorious. The casinos full of expectant punters. The MGM Grand, the world’s second largest hotel, filled to the rafters with sporting greats and celebrities ready to watch two legends slug it out in front of thousands of baying fans. This has to be without doubt one of the most bloodthirsty arenas in world sport.

I have never been to a boxing bout but I would dearly love to return to Vegas for something along the lines of Floyd ‘Money’ Mayweather Jr v ‘Sugar’ Shane Mosley which we were treated to on Saturday night. I have been to the MGM before and it was bloody brilliant then. I can only imagine what it would be like when the glitz and the glamour that surrounds the world of top quality boxing comes to town.

The MGM Garden Arena's ring and ringside seating

 

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The atmosphere in the arena is sensational. 17,000 thousand people baying for blood and a screaming for that killer blow to be struck. The fans whipped into a frenzy by the undercard and let loose on the casino after the two sluggers have left everything they have on the canvas.

The MGM is where Hollywood meets the sporting greats and the result is a devastating concoction of blood, sweat, tears and more. A true boxing amphitheatre.    

Arundel Castle Cricket Ground, Arundel

On the complete opposite side of the sporting stadium spectrum is Arundel, arguably the most quaint and gorgeous place a person can turn their arm over or nudge an easy two to third man.

Arundel Castle Cricket Ground, owned by the Duke of Norfolk, traditionally used to be the venue for the touring side’s opening fixture. Afterwards they would travel to some other, more prestigious grounds such as Lord’s, Headingley and Trent Bridge but they wouldn’t be able to play amid such a serene backdrop as Arundel again.

The picturesque setting of Arundel Castle Cricket Ground

 

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It is the fact that it seems untouched by commercial interests which have come to dominate the world of professional cricket that make this ground so perfect. It is the polar opposite of the IPL. A tournament played in horrible concrete grounds packed full of lairy fans who just want to see three hours of slogging. There is nothing wrong with the IPL. In fact, as a Twenty20 tournament it seems ideal but that is not what cricket is about in my old fashioned opinion.

When I think of the great cricketing arenas, I think Lord’s, Newlands in Cape Town, the SCG. This is because they combine superb facilities with stunning backdrops and tradition. The only reason I have gone even further and named Arundel as a Sporting Mecca is because cricket is not all about the international game and I could not think of a nicer occasion than a charity game played with mates at the most sublimely English ground of them all.

Gay Meadow, Shrewsbury

The Meadow, Shrewsbury Town’s old ground and now, disgracefully a housing development. What a place this used to be. Granted, it was small. Ok, it was pretty gritty slash a complete shithole and if pushed I would have to admit that the standard of football was not always inspiring.

However, that is not the point. If everyone was only interested in the Premiership then our football lives would be far less rich. Our lower leagues are what makes England the greatest footballing nation in the world because so many people are interested in them. More people probably turn up to watch Rochdale v Mansfield Town than some top flight Italian matches.

Gay Meadow in all its evening glory

 

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A mixture of the old Victorian turnstiles that were used from the ground’s opening in 1910 till it’s closure in 2007, the proximity of the river which forced the club to employ a man, Fred Davies, to row a boat on the Severn collecting all the balls lumped out of the ground and the terraces made the Meadow the textbook lower league ground.I had the pleasure of watching a centre back called Matty Redmile make his debut at the colloseum of lower league football in 2001. In the first half he attempted a Cruyff turn on the halfway line, tripped over his own feet, got mugged and the striker beat the keeper on a one on one. Disaster. But, he made up for it in the second half with a scissor kick from the edge of the box to send the Riverside stand into raptures.

This is the kind of entertainment you got at the Meadow. Add this to the foulest pie and pint combo of your life and a shed load of abuse for anyone who dared turn up in any other colour apart from blue and yellow and you have yourself a classic afternoon.

Wimbledon Centre Court

One of the greatest things about Wimbledon Centre Court is the fact that you can only play on it if you are wearing all-white. This is the type of tradition that makes Wimbledon such a wonderfully English event. The players understand this and a combination of these traditions, the history of the tournament and the manicured grass surface make this the major that means the most.

The Court itself, the most famous in the world, is a fantastic venue on many levels. It is traditional with its Royal Box but it is also modern with its brand new retractable roof. This court has adapted to the changes that so may other venues fear while managing to maintain it’s character and that is just one more reason why it is one of the world’s great sporting arenas.

Wimbledon Centre Court in the aftermath of Nadal and Federer;s classic 2008 final

 

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A venue needs to have hosted great events if it is to be seen as a Sporting Mecca and Wimbledon’s Centre Court has done this and then some. Just think back to Rafa Nadal’s glorious victory over Roger Federer in 2008 when the winning shot was played well in to the twilight hours. Or, that epic encounter between Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe in 1980 when one tie-break lasted more than 20 minutes. These are the type of duels that only solidify Centre Court as one of the best venues in sport.

The Circus Tavern, Purfleet

I just love the idea of having a World Championships played in a pub. However, this is no ordinary pub. The Circus is technically an entertainment venue but in my mind it is one of the most legendary arenas in sport.

The way the crowd were pretty much on the oche with the players, the unbelievably lairy atmosphere and the fact that at the end of the day, you were still in a pub, made the Circus Tavern the ultimate marriage between a sport and it’s primary venue.

But, as ever, many boxes need to be ticked if a venue is to be upgraded to a Mecca. The Circus hosted 14 years of World Championship darts and was one of the main reasons behind the resurgence in this great sport. The way the crowd could get involved made the atmosphere electric, if not completely drunken, and this appealed to so may people that darts is now a major part of Sky Sports weekly menu.

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Before darts outgrew the arena forcing the World Championships to move to the larger Alexandra Palace, The Circus hosted some of the greatest darts matches ever played. Most notable was the classic 2004 final when Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor beat Kevin ‘The Artist’ Painter in a sudden death leg to prevail 7-6. Similarly, the 2007 final when The Power was on the end of identical treatment from Raymond Van Barneveld.

The atmosphere in these battles was quite simply amazing. Many people may not like darts or like the way that booze is seen as a critical component of its success. I disagree and having been to an evening at the World Championships and totally loved it, I just wish I could have gone one better and taken a trip to The Circus.

Mentioned in dispatches

Augusta National; Cheltenham Racecourse; Wembley; Lord’s; the Bird’s Nest, Beijing; St Andrews; the Camp Nou and The Crucible.

The March of the Vets

Watching Steve ‘The Golden Nugget’ Davis roll back the years by defeating defending World Champion John Higgins at the Crucible a couple of days ago was a real pleasure. Davis, a six-times World Champion himself, was positively ecstatic and his euphoria was only matched by the sportsmanship of Higgins who proclaimed Davis the greatest ever after his defeat.

The reason this was such a welcome win is that Davis is 52 years of age. You may think age doesn’t matter when it comes to snooker. Why would it when all you have to do is stroll around a table and occasionally pot a ball? How wrong you are.

Snooker, like all sports, seems to favour the younger participant. You only have to watch the decline of Stephen Hendry’s fortunes to see that when you top forty your best days tend to be well and truly behind you in terms of the green baize. However, this does not mean that one is not capable of a massive upset every now and then.

Steve Davis salutes the crowd after one of the greatest upsets in Crucible history

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Davis has done this more often than most and one must take your hat off to the man who has now hit 100 Crucible century breaks and won more professional titles than anyone else in the sport.  Despite being branded the most boring man in sport by some, he has hit back at his critics by turning into a insightful and knowledgeable pundit whilst maintaining a very high standard of play at an age when most players have packed away their cue and are probably turning into pool sharks in backstreet snooker clubs.

Davis is one of a select group of current sportsmen that are still enjoying their game well into their 50s and 60s and have the ability to put the cat amongst the pigeons every now and then. Another example is the golfer Tom Watson who seems to be maturing like a fine burgundy as he sets the pace at majors with monotonous regularity these days.

Tom Watson wows the Turnberry crowd with yet another virtuoso performance

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His vintage performance at last year’s Open at Turnberry when he was robbed out of a sixth Claret Jug was inspiring as well as heartbreaking. Watson is 60. 60! To still be troubling the scorer’s at that age is a pretty phenomenal effort, let alone making the so-called best players in the world look like mere amateurs. To then hit a first round 67 at Augusta and put the fear of God into the rest of the field in the process is seriously impressive.

There is nothing like a popular old boy putting his decades of experience to good use and showing the young whippersnappers what how it’s done. The fact that the last two Open’s have had Watson and the legendary Greg Norman in the final pairing have been such a welcome change of pace that I am thinking about quitting my job and following the Seniors Tour full time!

Greg 'The Great White Shark' Norman recovers during his 2008 Open charge

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The tragedy is that neither man has been able to finish the job and has been pipped at the post on both occasions. How wonderful it would have been to watch either of these two great champions hoisting the jug aloft but alas, it was not to be.

It remains to be seen whether the Golden Nugget can close the deal in Sheffield this year and lift his seventh World Title but even if he doesn’t, he has made the opening stages of this year’s tournament memorable.

It is nice to know that sport is not something that is confined to those under the age of 35. Kanu is testament to that. There he is, returning to Wembley for another FA Cup Final at the age of 64…! Similarly, there is a group of people who ran the London Marathon for the thirtieth consecutive time yesterday – the Everpresents. What an achievement.

Variety, as they say, is the spice of life and I hope that the sportsman of our generation can follow in the well-trodden footsteps of men such as Davis and Watson by continuing to entertain us well into the future.

Trivia

Who are the only six foreigners to have played for five different Premiership football clubs?

AP, JP and Jonjo – as if the Grand National didn’t have enough drama

Saturday’s Grand National was what sport is all about. I don’t know about all of you but as AP McCoy drove Don’t Push It up Aintree’s famous run-in to secure a vintage victory for owner JP McManus and trainer Jonjo O’Neill, my eyes were welling up, my heart was pounding and my smile was as broad as Becher’s Brook.

It was a victory that everyone could relate to and be delighted with, even if you hadn’t backed the victor. A winner at the 15^th attempt for the greatest jump jockey of them all, at the 22^nd time of asking as a jockey and a trainer for Jonjo, probably the nicest man in racing, and at the 44^th try for JP, the most generous benefactor the sport of kings has ever had. This was box office entertainment. 

Every sporting figure, fixture or event can provoke some kind of response from fans and spectators. Whether it is anger at Tiger Woods’ stray moral compass, relief at Newcastle’s return to top flight football at the first time of asking or jealousy at Phil Mickelson’s short game and wife; sport, like politics, manages to bring people’s feelings to the surface.

However, rarely does a sporting event provoke such a wave of sentiment as the 2010 Grand National. This was primarily because of the people involved.

Sport, like most good things in life, is about the people. Larger than life characters can bring events to life and this is exactly what happened in Liverpool on Saturday afternoon.

England’s 2003 Rugby World Cup win and the 2005 Ashes summer provoked scenes of unbridled joy. This was demonstrated when thousands of people lined the streets of central London to congratulate their conquering heroes.

The reason these events will live long in the memory is not only because of the unbelievable drama that surrounded them but also because of the characters at the centre of the plot. Jonny, Johnno, Freddie, KP. These are the type of guys who take sport to a higher plain and make specific events stand out from the crowd. Saturday’s race was one of these. If racing had the fan-base that those sports had then this race would have been inked in as a classic sporting moment of the past decade.    

I have been at Aintree for five of the past seven Grand Nationals and I can safely say that none of the others even came close to this one in terms of emotion when the winner thundered past the post and was welcomed into the winners’ enclosure. This includes Amberleigh House’s 2004 win which provided Ginger McCain with his historic fourth win in the race after Red Rum’s three triumphs, the last of which was in 1977.

The response was magnificent and this was not just because Don’t Push It had been backed down from 20-1 to 10-1 joint-favourite in the 30 minutes before the race. It was because everyone who knows anything about jump racing knows that the three men primarily responsible for the result are among, if not the, finest and most popular figures around. It was an electric atmosphere in the stands. 

I have been working at the past four Grand National meetings, ferrying around the owners, trainers and jockeys. The days are fairly long, beginning at about 8:30am and finishing at 8pm and so I have clocked a great number of hours and miles in my buggy.

I have had the pleasure of driving around some of the great figures of the sport such as Ruby Walsh and the great figures of other sports such as Sir Alex Ferguson but nothing in all that time has come anywhere near to the hour I was privileged to spend with Jonjo and his family after the big win on Saturday.

The joy in their eyes was clear to see and the way that they spoke about the win made me realise that this is what sport is all about.

It is the way that it can make even the most unemotional of men such as JP McManus shed tears of joy after achieving a lifelong ambition. It is the way that it can reward people for the ridiculous amount of hard work they put in such as AP McCoy. And it is the way that it has a funny habit of rewarding the good guys such as Jonjo O’Neill that makes sport so special.

Saturday’s race was just one example of sport at it’s magical best. If everyone stays fit and we manage to overcome our natural flair for departing the major tournaments on penalties at the quarter-final stage, then we could have another in South Africa come July 11^th courtesy of our footballers. (Fingers crossed).  

These moments should be cherished because they do not come about often.

The Grand National – is it a lottery?

The Grand National is drenched in drama. There is more excitement crammed in to the time it takes these magnificent animals to gallop round four and a half miles than there is in an entire decade of Eastenders episodes.

The combination of the extreme distance, savage fences, massive crowd, huge publicity and quality thoroughbreds makes a cocktail that is hard to beat in equine circles. The Gold Cup gets a higher quality of horse, the Champion Hurdle attracts faster horses but the Grand National plays host to the hardiest creatures imaginable.

Not only do they have to travel around a course that is longer than any other in the racing calendar, but they have to jump fences that the RSPCA suffer year-long nightmares over while running amongst the biggest field that gets assembled for any race throughout the year.   

The result year in year out is a ten minute cavalry charge where runners both fancied or not may fall at the first, get carried out by a loose horse or get lucky and come out on top, thus inking their name in to the history books.

Mon Mome, second left, on his way to victory in 2009

 

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The first horse ever to win this brutal test in 1839 was called Lottery. I am sure at the time the witnesses did not expect the victor’s name to become so appropriate but the race is these days seen by most to be exactly that – a lottery, a game of chance.

However, despite all that I have just written, I believe that there is often a clue to the winner’s identity hidden deep within the labyrinth that is the Grand National form guide.

In recent years, the winner of this brilliant race has tended to be a horse of a slightly higher quality than before. This is a result of a few factors, one being that the handicapper has stopped punishing all of the classy horses by weighting them up to the eyeballs and thus completely writing off their chances before the start, that is if their connections actually bothered entering the race.

This now means that horses capable of running into the frame in the Gold Cup, e.g. Mon Mome or Hedgehunter, Grand National winners in 2009 and 2005 respectively, take their place under the starter’s orders and try their luck around this unique course.

Along with an ability to jump well, weight is probably the most crucial factor to winning this stern test of a horse’s stamina and athleticism. Traditionally, if a horse is carrying more than 11st, it is going to struggle. Since the legendary Red Rum (12st and 11st 8lbs) and L’Escargot (11st 3lbs) did it three times between 1974-7, only three horses have lugged round more than 11st to victory.

This suggests that it is wise to look further down the handicap for the likely victor. Anything carrying less than 11st 3lbs has a chance but I am usually only really tempted to back something if it has less than 11st on it’s back. 

There is always plenty of drama during Aintree's showpiece

 

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This is only for the winner though. Plenty of contenders have put in sterling efforts with bags of weight on board to come in the frame and that is where classy horses with just a bit too much to do often end up. That is where I think last year’s winner, Mon Mome will find himself at the close of play on Saturday – a gallant second, third or fourth.

So I believe a decent, classy and proven performer on the bigger stage has a decent chance of taking the spoils this Saturday afternoon. But before I launch in to my fancies, I just want to add that anything can happen in the Grand National and so please follow these selections with a degree of caution so you can’t blame me if all five are brought down by a faller at the first fence!

Here are the entries that I think tick the most boxes:

1. State of Play – 10st 11lbs

The 2006 Hennessy winner proved last year that he enjoys the test that Aintree provides by coming a gallant fourth. He has three pounds less this time round and is arriving in Liverpool fresh as a daisy which is the way he likes it. His record when fresh is superb and the fact that he has been there, done that is a huge plus in my book. A very solid bet.

2. Big Fella Thanks – 10st 12lbs

Ruby Walsh’s mount may well be the one to end champion trainer Paul Nicholls’ horror record in the race. He broke all the trends last year when coming sixth as a novice and that experience will certainly stand him in good stead. He has decent form having won his latest start at Newbury while he came second in a high quality race around the New Year at the same track which subsequent Gold Cup fourth, Carruthers, won. Being favourite is often a poisoned chalice but this one has all the ingredients to be there at the Elbow when it matters.

3. Irish Raptor – 10st 7lbs

Gold Cup-winning trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies’ first string has a mixed record over the big fences but his poor efforts have tended to come on heavy ground while he has won and come second in Topham Chases (over the National fences) on sound surfaces which it is due to be on the big day.  He comes from a stable in top form, is being ridden by a jockey (Paddy Brennan) who’s confidence is through the roof and should be able to put his experience to good use.

4. My Will – 11st 2lbs

Last year’s third has seemed a bit off-colour this term but then again, he hardly lit the world up before his impressive performances at Cheltenham and Aintree last year. He came fifth in the 2009 Gold Cup while he came seventh in this year’s renewal suggesting that he is running to approximately the same level. The fact that he is carrying two pounds less this time is not a massive factor but is enough to think he might be in the hunt for a shot at glory or at least a contender for a place.

5. Arbor Supreme – 10st 8lbs

This fairly unexposed eight-year-old has run well in a number of handicaps in Ireland this year for Willie Mullins and looks certain to relish the marathon trip. He has won over 3m 5f and 3m 6f and has shown no sign of slowing on both occasions. He has been campaigned mainly on heavy ground this term and looks like the sort to prefer a sounder surface. He has the talented young jockey, Paul Townend, on board and in being trained by Mullins, has a master of his art in charge who knows exactly what it takes to win the National after he won with Hedgehunter in 2005. He has never run over the National fences which is a potential negative as many just don’t take to it but he looks an ideal type apart from that.

Sport at uni – make or break time

After watching the gutsy, gallant and ultimately victorious efforts of Fred Gill, a fellow Old Salopian, in Saturday’s 156^th Boat Race, I felt compelled to consider the benefits of sport at university.

The reason Fred made me ponder this is because he took up rowing seriously not at the prestigious rowing school that we attended on the river Severn, but on the choppy tides that make up the Tyne whilst he attended Newcastle University.

It made me think that university can really make a sportsman as well as break them. How many talented guys and gals go to uni saying they will continue to play as much sport as they did at school, four or five days a week, before falling foul of the temptation that drinking brings? Too many.

Cambridge power to victory in the 156th Boat Race

But, that is not to say that a huge number of people do not make the most of the often impressive facilities at their disposal. Fred Gill is only one of these. Continuing to play sport at uni is a fantastic opportunity to not only take advantage of some of the last times you will be able to play in a team made up of almost entirely your own mates, but also a chance to make the most of whatever talent you have. 

The only organised sport I played at Newcastle Uni was intra-mural football. I played twice a week for three years and had some of my best footballing experiences while doing so. I like to think I improved a little as a player while gracing the often questionable pitches of Newcastle but most importantly for me, I was able to continue to feed my competitive instinct while playing alongside my mates.

However, I take my hat off to those who go that one step further and dedicate a huge amount of their time to pushing themselves to the limit in trying to become as good and successful at their chosen sport as they possibly can.

I especially feel this after watching this year’s Boat Race, arguably the pinnacle of university sport, having played only a handful of football and tennis matches since moving down to the Big Smoke post-graduation.

For a keen sportsman, playing at school is a given, playing at uni is a choice and playing while working is a treat, a treat that should be treasured. The way to treasure this to the max is to play as much and to as high a standard as possible while at school and uni because you can have the luxury of looking back with no regrets.

The rowers of the Oxbridge boats (Isis and Goldie as well as the Blue boats) are clearly among the minority of people who can walk away from university safe in the knowledge that they could not have done much more to make the most of their enviable talents save sleep on their ergo machines.

They wake up early to pump iron before lectures, hone their technique on the river during Happy Hour and sacrifice barbeques for regattas in the summer.

Granted, this may sound like a living hell to many of you who might say that university is not all about academia or sport but about the people you meet.

True, but it is possible to combine all three of these things and those that have the ability to do so deserve praise for their positive attitude, especially if it culminates in taking part in one of the oldest, most traditional and physically demanding races known in sport.

Cambridge receive the Boat Race trophy from Sir Steve Redgrave

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Augusta – a sporting Garden of Eden

The U.S Masters at Augusta is one of my favourite sporting events of the year. It is a massive cliché but there is something special about the place. It is the most modern of the four majors on golf’s circuit but it seems to be drenched in tradition and history.

This no doubt has something to do with the fact that it is the only major that remains at the same course every year. The Open, U.S Open and U.S PGA all have a roster which means that only a select few courses get to host a major more than once a decade, e.g St Andrews.

Augusta on the other hand is able to cause and witness triumph and disaster in equal measure each April. This means that the course, perhaps more than any other on the planet, is able to contribute to the myth surrounding the tournament.

Every course has its nooks and crannies where golfers, no matter if you are Tiger Woods or a clumsy hacker, come to grief. But Augusta, because it is such a consistent thorn in the side of so many of the worlds best, seems to have more than any other.

Many of the courses on the Open circuit have infamous traps which are highlighted every five or ten years when it hosts the world’s oldest golf tournament.

Two fine examples are the nightmarish Road Hole at St Andrews or the Barry Burn at Carnoustie’s 18^th hole which seems to attract the balls of the leaders like a magnet. Jean Van der Velde physically and mentally lost the plot there in 1999 while Padraig Harrington was lucky to win the 2007 Open after visiting the burn not once but twice on the same hole.   

But these holes are only contemplated by the watching public when they are in play every five or ten years. Augusta’s 12^th on the other hand has become nearly as much a part of the Easter season as roast lamb and dauphinoise potatoes.

Watching players putt across the two-tiered green on the 16^th is like an Easter egg hunt for sports addicts. Seeing players grab the bull by the horns and occasionally recovering from the dead like our great saviour himself on the 15^th is as traditional now as going to church on Easter Sunday morning. 

Augusta National's infamous 12th hole

 

Augusta has an X-factor which is only matched by the drama that unfolds on its manicured greens. My Dad always imagines that putting on those seemingly perfect greens must be like putting on glass on an angle of 45 degrees. Frightening for the players, dynamite for the viewers, as they watch a nicely balanced mix of players wilting under the pressure while others stand tall to the Georgian course’s blows.

Another reason why The Masters is such a magical four days is the emphasis that the course puts on ones short game. The best shots to watch, apart from the once a tournament moment of magic from behind a tree by Sergio Garcia or Tiger, are the swerving and curving monster putts and the chip-ins.

Augusta, more than most, if not all other courses, puts a ridiculously high premium on these shots. If you are heavy-handed around the greens then you may as well join Fuzzy Zoeller on the plane home on Saturday morning because this is no course for the faint hearted or slightly oafish.

You have to be sharp around the dance floor at every tournament if you are to be in contention come Sunday evening but this is easier to do at most other courses. If you look at the stats at the end of the week, the winner is almost certainly the player who is most solid with their putts of about six feet and who is imaginative and silky from the fringes. Hence why Tiger and Phil Mickelson have had such success there.

Augusta is like a golfing Garden of Eden and much like Adam and Eve, I am going to give into its many temptations. The only question left this year is whether Tiger will play the role of the serpent…

California Dreamin’

“And it’s four of them coming to the line abreast,” screamed the Californian commentator with his West Coast twang. “Novato on the inside, Where’s Scarlet, Paloma’s Flight and Garrett Gomez is right there on Warren’s Appeal. There is nothing between them and it’s….”

Then everything went blank for my four companions and me.

We had arrived in America a fortnight previously. We had already seen so much. Alcatraz, the glorious Route One coastline highway, waves in Big Sur and wine in Santa Barbara. We had taken in a ball game in Oakland and the stars of Hollywood. All the while we had been making the most of our posh English accents and welcoming any chance to speak loudly within earshot of any of the beauties of the Sunshine State.

Besides this we still had the thrills and spills of Vegas, the natural wonder that is the Grand Canyon, the sights and sounds of Chicago, the monuments of Washington DC and the endless streets of New York to look forward to. We were quite simply having the times of our lives. 

However, we had not yet attempted what so few British travellers to the land of opportunity had done – conquer an American racecourse.

We had missed the chance to visit the Mecca of West Coast racing, the incomparable Santa Anita, but a track just north of San Diego was hosting a meet the day after tomorrow. I desperately wanted to go despite it being at a track I had never heard of with horses I would never come across again and with the variation in running of a virtual dogs fixture in Will Hill.

I have never been a great fan of American racing. An exception is the Breeders’ Cup which had always thrilled me ever since I watched the 2003 Classic with my grandfather and had to sit through a photo-finish where my pick, Falbrav, was pipped on the line by High Chaparral and Johar who had a dead-heat. That still hurt and I felt this was my chance to get my own back and on American soil too.

We arrived at the course and I for one was pleasantly surprised to see that this was no Mickey Mouse track, this was no random meet at Hereford. This was a serious course for serious people. The money on offer was pretty impressive.

We grabbed hold of a card each and set about studying the form. To our disgust the format was not the same as back home and not in a good way either. We would have to rely on our eyes and pick them out in the paddock.

We entered the parade ring and immediately all picked different horses. Not a good start. We decided to go our separate ways and were flabbergasted that none of us won, despite almost covering the runners. And so it was with the second race too. Unbelievable.

We took time out of the betting ring to go think about our strategy in the bar. What were we doing wrong? We had no idea. This run of bad luck / incompetence continued for the next couple of races too. We ended up concluding that we couldn’t pick a tooth let alone a horse in the paddock and that we should probably just enjoy the racing with a few of their annoyingly watered down lagers. Agreed.

Yet, there was a nagging feeling in my mind that this was not the end, the dream was not over. I could see Falbrav getting caught on the line over and over again and decided that I was not going to let that happen again, not on my watch.

I made a suggestion. Lads, why don’t we pool a bit of cash by sitting out the next two races and then attack the last race like JP McManus at Cheltenham on St Paddy’s Day. Again, we agreed.

So we poured over the form for the last race. We agreed to put in $20 each taking our total to a round tonne to probably throw away on some three-legged rocking horse that we were sure to pick judging by our earlier efforts.

We managed to whittle down the card to two contenders and took to the paddock to see how our girls looked. They both looked much of a muchness to the untrained eye, which we certainly were. We were struggling to agree but then our decision was effectively made for us.

One of them lightened their load right in front of us, which my friend exuberantly exclaimed was the key to gambling on dogs so how different could horses be? I chose not to comment but to blindly trust his questionable logic.

Our minds had been made up and we put our money on the line. Success was out of our hands. It was up to our filly now and her Mexican jockey.

The race was very similar to the previous seven, run at a good gallop with the runners tightly bunched on the inside rail. The course commentator seemed to mention every nag apart from ours and we were starting to get worried.

We all turned to each other as they came up the home straight with a forlorn look on our faces, safe in the knowledge that we had again backed the only candidate who couldn’t win a raffle, let alone a competitive handicap.

But then something happened and we all began screaming.

“And Novato has seen a gap on the inside and is absolutely flying….”

Suddenly our forlorn looks had turned to disbelief and then hope. Could she do it? She had come from way back but there were still three others in contention including the hot favourite. But the Mexican wasn’t taking no for an answer and his mount was showing the tenacity of a champion boxer.

In the final few strides she was right there on the inside rail with three others for company.

“And it’s four of them coming to the line abreast. Novato on the inside, Where’s Scarlet, Paloma’s Flight and Garrett Gomez is right there on Warren’s Appeal. There is nothing between them and it’s….”

The steward’s enquiry took an absolute age. It must have been the closest run thing since George W Bush’s 2000 election win but finally the result came through.

“And the winner is…. number one, NOVATO!”

Our cries of jubilation could probably have been heard in Texas. We had won. We had come to an American racecourse and emerged with more money than you could hope to spend. It was a wonderful feeling.

Well, when I say we emerged with more money than we could hope to spend I wasn’t being completely honest. Novato had won us a little over $800 but we celebrated in San Diego like we had won the EuroMillions.  

It was a great night but nothing could beat that feeling of extraordinary joy when our girl had gone into a four-horse photo and emerged victorious by a bee’s whisker.

California had been good to us. We were the luckiest guys on Earth. Well, the luckiest guys at Del Mar anyway.

My Top Tips for the Cheltenham Festival

This is my idea of a perfect task – pouring over the form and picking out the runners who I think and hope might make 2010 a Festival to remember.

My book has very much been replaced by the Racing Post on the tube over the past week and these are the nags who I think have as good, if not better chance of bringing home the bacon up the Cheltenham hill.

I have divided them up into five bankers and five lively outsiders who I think will run to at least a place at long odds. These are my favourite bets as there is no real skill in picking out an odds-on favourite while it takes a fair amount of time and care to pick a 33/1 winner.

Put them in combinations or go with them on their own. Whatever you do, don’t miss a beat from the glorious Cotswolds countryside this week because this is the Sport of Kings at its finest.

Cheltenham Top 5 Bankers

1. Master Minded   4/5

Paul Nicholls’ seven-year-old looks as nailed on as it is possible to be to win his third consecutive Queen Mother Champion Chase (Wednesday). The mount of Ruby Walsh was back to his best last time at Newbury and he loves it around Cheltenham where his jumping and speed really come in to their own.  The opposition could come from all quarters but nobody came close to stealing Master Minded’s 2m chasing crown when he was nursing a rib injury earlier this season and it doesn’t look likely that they will do so on Wednesday either. An each-way shot could be Well Chief but more about him later.

2. Big Buck’s   4/7

He has not lost a race since returning to hurdles and last year’s World Hurdle (Thursday) winner has looked as good as ever in his two starts this year, winning both. The drying ground will be to his liking and there seems no reason why he won’t outlast his rivals up the Cheltenham hill, just like last year. The main danger should come from Howard Johnson’s Tidal Bay, an impressive winner of the Cleeve Hurdle round here and a former Arkle winner. Another outsider to consider is Katchit, the 2008 Champion Hurdle winner who recently impressed his trainer Alan King on the gallops.  However, Big Buck’s has an incredible engine and should power on up the hill to retain his crown.

3. Tell Massini   4/1

He looks very good for a big run in the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle (Friday). Tom George’s 4-1 favourite is a big, powerful sort who has stamina in abundance and so the 3m trip should not trouble him. There is a decent field lining up including Restless Harry and Willie Mullins’ Fionnegas who chased home Dunguib (odds-on favourite for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle) last time but Tell Massini has won his last four including two Grade Twos at Cheltenham so should take some stopping.

4. Tranquil Sea   4/1

If any Irish trainer knows what it takes to win at the Festival then it is Edward O’Grady. He has won 18 races over the years and Tranquil Sea could easily make it 19. The Ryanair Chase (Thursday) is an incredibly competitive race but the eight-year-old has looked every inch the sort to enjoy the 2m 5f trip this year.  He has already won and come second in two leading handicaps round this course, winning the Paddy Power in November over course and distance. He is also in the first three in the betting (he is a general 4-1) which seems a prerequisite in this race. His main rival looks to be Paul Nicholls’ Poquelin while double festival winner Voy Por Ustedes could easily turn back the clock with a big run at his favourite track.  

5. Voler La Vedette   9/4

The second favourite for the David Nicholson Mares Hurdle (Tuesday) looks up against it at first glance with last year’s winner Quevega at evens to retain her crown but the Colm Murphy trained six-year-old has already destroyed Champion Hurdle favourite Go Native this year and that form looks hard to shy away from. The extra four furlongs of the Mares Hurdle (it’s 2m 4f) could be a potential weakness but she should be able to deliver at 9-4.

Cheltenham Top 5 Outsiders

1. Well Chief   33/1

The injury plagued David Pipe trained 11-year-old is an outrageous price to make the frame in the Champion Chase on Wednesday. He came second in this last year after a two-year spell on the sidelines through injury and has looked as consistent as ever this term, even having Master Minded back in third round here before Christmas. He won the Arkle in 2004 and came second in this race the following year. He loves the course, loves the Festival and has been given a break as he goes best fresh. This could be a great leg of an each-way treble.

2. Katchit   25/1

Luckily I got on board this former Champion Hurdle winner before Alan King said that he had just completed his best piece of work for two years and I’m glad I did as his odds have dropped from 33s for the World Hurdle on Thursday.  He is another who loves the Festival, having won the 2007 Triumph Hurdle and the 2008 Champion Hurdle. His record at the track is five from nine and he is sure to give you a good run for your money as he is a gutsy performer up the hill. 

3.   Advisor   12/1

That rare thing, a Paul Nicholls trained runner ridden by Ruby Walsh (24 Festival winners) at a working mans price. He runs in Friday’s Triumph Hurdle and looks set to be there or thereabouts. He was an average runner on the flat for Michael Bell but has come in to his own over the smaller obstacles in two runs for the Ditcheat team, winning both at Newbury and Ascot. There seems to be plenty of others with a shot but Advisor is the real value in the race.

4.   Fighting Chance   33/1

Richard Lee’s outsider recently hacked up by 17 lengths at Leicester and looks all set for a big run in the Festival finale, the Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Handicap Chase (Friday). His trainer has only sent 16 runners to the Festival since 1996 but has had a 7/1 winner and places at 66/1 and 200/1 so he is not to be sniffed at.  The lightly raced ten-year-old has a very healthy recent record after winning his last three and could be a profitable way to finish the meeting.

5. Imperial Commander   10/1

Last year’s Ryanair winner looks the most likely to spoil the Kauto Star / Denman party in Friday’s Gold Cup and at odds of 10s, could very easily form part of a trifecta (first three home) or an each-way double or treble. He was pipped to the post by the narrowest of margins by Kauto over 3m at Haydock earlier this season, when many thought he had got his nose in front. This went some way to proving his doubters wrong regarding his stamina issues. His lacklustre performance in the King George at Kempton can be forgiven as it was on a flat, right-handed course which does not suit him. He has a fine record at both Cheltenham and the Festival itself while trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies operates locally.  

BIG RACE BETS

Champion Hurdle – Punjabi 10/1

Champion Chase – 1. Master Minded 4/5, each-way Well Chief 33/1

Ryanair Chase – Tranquil Sea 4/1

World Hurdle – 1. Big Bucks 4/7, 2. Tidal Bay 7/1, 3. Katchit 25/1

Gold Cup – 1. Denman 4/1, 2. Kauto Star 4/5, 3. Imperial Commander 10/1