17 June, 2014

AUTHOR: Star Sports Content

TUESDAY: WORLD CUP and ROYAL ASCOT preview

[dropcap]I[/dropcap]f today doesn’t whet your appetite. Pack the game in.

I’ve no idea of what punting heaven is like but if Belinda Carlisle is right and ‘heaven is a place on earth’ after all, then the head on collision of the World Cup with Royal Ascot must be it.

It’s such a tempter to put up something REALLY random and left-field today – like Trap 6 in the 3.38 at Crayford (only joking) but it’s centre stage I must head.

The big hitters already look to be getting stuck into Toronado in the opener at Royal Ascot despite his lengthy absence from the track.

The Hannon team are bullish (of course) but I’m not sure I can be backing him at odds-on especially as there is a real live danger in Verrazano. Don’t forget Aidan O’Brien came to the rescue of the bookies last year in this race when hot favourite Animal Kingdom flopped.

The first big head to head battle of the meeting takes place in the St James’s Palace Stakes when ding dong, seconds out, it’s round three between Kingman and Night Of Thunder.

The score is 1-1 and the race should develop into the expected match. Seldom has the 2,000 Guineas form from Newmarket worked out better. It’s rock solid, but my underlying suspicion is that Kingman is the better racehorse and I expect that to be confirmed today.

There’s no rest after Royal Ascot. Belgium and Algeria will already be underway in the World Cup and at 8pm we can look forward to hosts Brazil taking on Mexico.

The betting says it’s one sided but a word of warning. No team has beaten Brazil in the 21st century as often as Mexico, who have managed six wins and two draws in 12 meetings during that period.

HEAD TO HEAD RECORD
(Max last 10 only)
Jun 2013 Confederations Cup Brazil 2-0 Mexico
Jun 2012 International Brazil 0-2 Mexico
Oct 2011 International Mexico 1-2 Brazil
Sep 2007 International Brazil 3-1 Mexico
Jun 2007 Copa America Brazil 0-2 Mexico
Jun 2005 Confederations Cup Mexico 1-0 Brazil
Jul 2004 Copa America Mexico 0-4 Brazil
Jul 2003 CONCACAF Gold Cup Mexico 1-0 Brazil
Jul 2003 CONCACAF Gold Cup Mexico 1-0 Brazil
Apr 2003 International Mexico 0-0 Brazil

Time is a precious commodity today so down to business.

I kept it simple with an even 6 points on Germany yesterday. Happy days.

Two bets today (it would be rude not to).

RECOMMENDED BET (scale of 1-50 points)

6 points KINGMAN (4.25 Royal Ascot) at around 10/11 with Star Sports