What Happens Next? Seeking ante-post betting value

Horse racing

Most firms already have a market up on next year’s Grand National if you are into that kind of masochistic money-tying-up exercise. Built to do exactly the job he did on Saturday and as accomplished a jumped of the famous fences as you will find, One For Arthur will clearly be aimed at the race again and is a best-priced 25/1 with Betfair Sportsbook.  

But taking the 25/1 now when he’ll almost certainly be pretty much the same price for another six months at least makes precious little sense. 

Among the other big winners from Aintree last week, Might Bite now sits at a best offer of 4/1 behind Thistlecrack in the King George betting, which makes precious little appeal personally given that he will be doing well to lead up Thistlecrack in the early stages if they both make it to the race. Colin Tizzard issued another positive bulletin about the progress being made by last year’s winner recently. 

The market that interests me most at present is that for the Bet365 Gold Cup. Blaklion finished tired in fourth on Saturday and although he now heads the betting for the race, I’d be surprised if he could bounce back to win it.  

Instead, I’d be looking out for a positive bulletin on this site from the likes of Neil Mulholland (The Young Master) or Paul Nicholls (Saphir Du Rheu, Vicente) over the wellbeing of their relatively early Grand National exits and stepping in quickly at the present prices.  

David Pipe has tweeted that Vieux Lion Rouge has come out of the race well and it wouldn’t be the biggest surprise to see him turn up after palpably failing to stay again on Saturday. Again I’d wait for confirmation before getting involved though. (Will Hayler)  

Click here for Sky Bet's Bet365 Gold Cup odds!

Football

Followers of our ante-post football tips are keeping their fingers crossed that Tranmere can pip Lincoln to the Vanarama National League title.   

However, my attention in this column goes to Solihull Moors, the team that spectacularly managed to lose 9-0 at Tranmere on Saturday afternoon.   

The Moors sit just three points outside the National League relegation zone on the back of five defeats on the spin and there’s an inviting 13/2 with Sky Bet available for them to finish in the bottom four.   

North Ferriby and Southport look certain to drop out of non-league football’s top-flight but the battle to avoid the other two relegation places is incredibly congested.   

Third-bottom Torquay are separated by just six points from Sutton in 15th with Maidstone, Guiseley, Solihull, York, Woking and Braintree all still in trouble.   

Solihull are my value tip to end up in the bottom four as they’ve only claimed one win in nine matches since the end of February.   

Friday’s match against York is key for the Moors’ chances and the 13/2 will be gone if they lose against the Minstermen. (Nick Hext) 

Click here for Sky Bet's Vanarama National League odds!

Formula 1

Lewis Hamilton produced a driving masterclass as he recorded the fifth Chinese Grand Prix victory of his career on Sunday.   

After losing the opening race to Sebastian Vettel in Australia, odds-on favourite Hamilton provided the perfect response by securing his 54th Grand Prix win to move level with the German at the top of the drivers’ standings.   

The emphatic nature of Hamilton’s response to that Melbourne setback was underlined as he completed a third clean sweep of his career by grabbing pole, recording the fastest lap, leading every lap and finishing top of the podium.   

Hamilton is best price 19/20 to secure a fourth world title with Vettel 2/1 in what already looks like a two-horse race.   

The action now rolls on to Bahrain this weekend, another track Mercedes have dominated in recent years.   

Hamilton, winner at the International Circuit in 2015 and 2014, finished third last year after a first-corner ‘bump’ with now team-mate Valtteri Bottas as Nico Rosberg cashed in.   

Despite Ferrari’s obvious improvements, Hamilton has the bit between his teeth and is worth backing at evens to secure a hat-trick of Bahrain victories. (Steve Bramley)

Click here for Sky Bet's Bahrain Grand Prix odds!

Tennis

A resurgent Roger Federer may have claimed the headlines at the start of 2017 but it is now time for his great rival Rafael Nadal to dominate again. 

Federer has surged clear in the year ending number one race, racking up 4,045 ranking points by backing up his Australian Open title with Masters triumphs in Indian Wells and Miami. 

However, the 35-year-old has now hung up his racket until the French Open, with the man who he beat in two of those finals poised to step up on the surface where he boasts unprecedented success. 

With a solitary previous triumph from the two events, reaching finals in Melbourne and Miami would have represented a good return for Nadal in his prime, while the Spaniard’s opposition on the red dirt could be further depleted if Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray fail to return to full fitness. 

The duo are both looking to return to ATP action in Monte Carlo following respective elbow injuries, but the clay-courts are the least forgiving of surfaces for such issues. 

With Nadal finally fit for a sustained period and regaining confidence, expect the King of Clay to reign supreme again on the red dirt and boost his 11/4 (Sky Bet) chances of claiming the season-ending number one spot with a 10th French Open triumph. (Tim Clement)

Click here for Sky Bet's French Open odds!