Monday 19 February 2018

Austin Backlash 2000

Howdily-doodily

Let's give this blog some attention again (and hopefully get it up in time for Go 8 Bit), and we'll start with an old favourite (naturally). Grand National weights were unveiled (eventually) last week, so what better place to start than by having an early gander at a few of the likely contenders. It does feel a bit like cheating to pick out the 3rd favourite in a 40 runner handicap, but Cause Of Causes surely has a massive chance. He should warm up in style with a big run in the fabulously bonkers Cross Country Chase at Cheltenham next month and isn't unduly burdened with the sort of weight the 2 market leaders Total Recall and Blaklion have to contend with (although the latter is likely to go close again after placing last year). A bit further down the weights, Regal Encore should enter calculations after winning at Ascot on Saturday, while I'm sure Carole's Destrier was on my long list last year but can't remember why, so you'll have to trust me on that one

From one 40-runner sporting institution where just about anyone can win and carnage is never far away to another: last night saw the NASCAR season start with the Daytona 500. Based on what we've seen so far, one story we're likely to hear a lot of is the emergence of Darrell "Bubba" Wallace Jr, the first NASCAR African-American driver in a generation. Somewhere in North Carolina, series bosses are no doubt rubbing their hands with glee after Wallace's highly impressive run to finish 2nd last night (indeed, he's already landed a new sponsor for this weekend's race in Atlanta). It could quite easily be argued that he was the true star of the race, ahead of the unfortunate long-time leader Ryan Blaney and Austin Dillon, who won the race with a rather crude last-lap move on Aric Almirola. After the relative insanity of Daytona, expect a somewhat more routine race at Atlanta's 1.5 mile intermediate track, which based on last season's form means a victory for Martin Truex Jr

Staying with 4 wheeled matters, that new Red Bull RB14 livery looks a bit snazzy, eh? Officially, it's supposedly only an interim livery, however let's see what a few positive tweets will do to that plan. Obviously the main blot aesthetically on all the cars this year is the halo- it's something of a shame that F1 is (or at least has been) so reluctant to learn from (and even acknowledge the existence of) other series, as Indycar are developing the much better looking Aeroscreen as a means of cockpit protection (and they very much are developing it- it won't be hitting the track until it's been properly tested and tweaked as required)

Great to see Marco Reus back playing for Borussia Dortmund, and scoring a lovely goal at Gladbach on Sunday, after an injury layoff of no less than 259 days (that's nothing, we've been away 432 days- Ed)

England's representatives in the Champions League may have all enjoyed success last week, however don't expect that trend to continue this week. Barcelona should see off a malfunctioning Chelsea comfortably over 2 legs, and can claim a first leg victory tomorrow night- you'll get a shade over even money with most decent bookies. Manchester United face Sevilla on Wednesday and despite Sevilla's porous defence, don't expect Jose Mourinho to let United off the leash in the first leg- under 2.5 goals is the call here at around 8/11- a helter-skelter goal-laden encounter is about as appealing to Mourinho as a free pizza is to Connor Sammon




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