Daily tips for April 12

NRL round 6 for April 12

Roosters v Bulldogs, Allianz Stadium, Friday, April 12, 7.35pm

There’ll be plenty of feeling in this one as Sonny Bill Williams comes up against the club he dumped without warning in 2008, with the Bulldogs certain to feed off the week-long hype and hoopla in an effort to climb from the bottom rungs of the premiership ladder after a horror start to the season.

In another case of head ruling heart, we’re confident the Roosters will get the job done here. Their forward pack is superior to that of the Bulldogs while their defence leads the competition in fewest tackles missed. The Roosters will also be keen to atone for last week’s fadeout in Canberra where they blew a 22-12 lead.

Suggested bet: Roosters -2.5 (two units) WIN

AFL round 3 for April 12

Fremantle v Essendon, Patersons Stadium, Perth, WA, Friday April 12, 8.40pm

Punters often have to battle head and heart and there’s no better example than this battle between two of the League’s seven undefeated sides. Purely on stats, Essendon look almost unbeatable but too many of their numbers are skewed by last week’s demolition of Melbourne.

It’s been a hellish week for Bombers coach James Hird with intense pressure on him to stand down as part of the club’s supplement crisis. Will this again galvanise the Bombers? We’re tipping it won’t.

Fremantle looks a tougher proposition this season, with Ross Lyon's trademark defensive pressure now seemingly ingrained in his players. They had the Bulldogs on the ropes before the first break last week.

Suggested bet: Fremantle 1-39 (three units) LOSE, game total -177.5 (one unit) WIN

Racing for April 12

Horse racing: Geelong (Vic), Orange (NSW), Ipswich (Qld), Darwin (NT), Cranbourne (Vic)

Harness racing: Gold Coast (Qld), Melton (Vic), Young (NSW), Newcastle (NSW), Globe Derby (SA), Gloucester Park (WA)

Greyhound racing: Casino (NSW), Mt Gambier (SA), Bendigo (Vic), The Gardens (NSW), Ipswich (Qld), Geelong (Vic), Wentworth Park (NSW), Mandurah (WA), Winnellie Park (NT)

We’re already counting down the hours to tomorrow’s Derby Day meeting at Randwick, but there’s a full program of racing to get through today first. Our best of the day comes up in race 6 at Cranbourne tonight (the Browns Sawdust & Shavings BM89 over 1200m), where Daniel Moor will steer the Anthony Cummings-trained #9 Reparations from barrier four.

This 4yo is a talented galloper resuming from a spell in a very suitable race. He’s won five of 11 including three at this distance and two on a dead (4) on which they’ll be racing tonight. Well drawn, the Darley charge should enjoy the run of the race and looks pretty hard to beat.

Suggested bet: Cranbourne R6 #9 Reparations (win two units) LOSE

Other racing tips for April 12

Geelong R8 #8 Sahara Night (E/W) 2nd $1.60

Ipswich R1 #1 Feisty Lady (E/W) 1st $3.30/$1.60

Suggested harness racing bet: Melton R3 #4 Mr Sheedy (win) LOSE

Suggested greyhound racing bet: Wentworth Park R6 #3 Dana Hayley (win) 1st $4.70

MLB for April 12

Texas Rangers @ Seattle Mariners, Safeco Field, Seattle, WA, Friday, April 12, 12.10pm

While the Seattle Mariners just got knocked around by one of the weaker teams in baseball, they should have an edge on the mound here. Felix Hernandez is scheduled to start opposite Justin Grimm as the slumping Mariners open a four-game set against the Texas Rangers.

After beating lowly Houston 3-0 on Monday, Seattle (4-6) gave up 24 runs and 37 hits in losing the last two games of the series. Before those two, the Astros totalled nine runs and a .188 average during a six-game losing streak. Hernandez was awfully tough on the Rangers in two starts last year, but he's beatable. Despite our qualms about Grimm we're leaning toward Texas to take the opener of this series.

Suggested bet: Rangers WIN @ Mariners (three units) WIN

Other tips

Yankees WIN @ Indians PP

Dodgers -1.5 @ Padres LOSE

Athletics @ Angels +8.5 WIN

NHL for April 12

Colorado Avalanche @ Los Angeles Kings, Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA, Friday, April 12, 12.30pm

The Kings had dropped five straight to the Avalanche (13-22-5), including the first matchup this season, before ending that slide with a 4-1 victory on February 23 in the last meeting. The Avalanche snapped their 14-game road losing streak Wednesday with a 4-1 win over the Ducks.

Few people believed it but the Avs cashed as a huge road underdog in Anaheim on Wednesday so we’re going to steer clear of the head-to-head and puck-line markets here. Instead, we’ll go with the under as the Avs had scored two goals or fewer in seven straight prior to their four-goal burst against the Ducks.

Suggested bet: Avalanche @ Kings -5.5 (two units) WIN

Others tips

Islanders @ Bruins -5.5 WIN

Blues @ Wild +5 LOSE

Panthers @ Jets +5.5 WIN

NBA for April 12

Oklahoma City Thunder @ Golden State Warriors, ORACLE Arena, Oakland, CA, Friday, April 12, 12.30pm

The Oklahoma City Thunder's most recent victory helped the Golden State Warriors clinch their first playoff berth in six seasons. The Thunder can help themselves further by beating the Warriors for the seventh time in eight meetings as they continue their quest for the top seed in the Western Conference.

The Thunder have won and covered the number in two of three meetings with the Warriors this season, but they did drop a 104-99 decision as 1.5-point road favourites in their only trip to ORACLE Arena on January 23. Having just secured a playoff berth of their own, we suspect the Warriors may also be a bit flat here.

Suggested bet: Thunder -4.5 (two units) WIN

Other tips

Knicks @ Bulls -194 LOSE