Daily tips for May 6

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No tips will be posted for Tuesday, May 7 but we'll be back with a full rundown of racing and sport for Wednesday.

Racing for May 6

Horse racing: Bairnsdale (Vic), Murwillumbah (NSW), Quirindi (NSW), Pioneer Park (NT)

Harness racing: Albion Park (Qld), Cobram (Vic), Globe Derby (SA), Devonport (Tas), Menangle (NSW), Pinjarra (WA)
Greyhound racing: Albion Park (Qld), Angle Park (SA), Ballarat (Vic), Bathurst (NSW), Bulli (NSW), Cranbourne (Vic), Launceston (Tas), Northam (WA), Shepparton (Vic)

For something a bit different today, we turn our attention to Australia’s red centre and the running of the XXXXGold Alice Springs Cup. Not surprisingly, it’s a fine and sunny day for the meeting, which is run on dirt at Pioneer Park. This is no novelty meeting – the four-day event is one of the richest provincial carnivals run anywhere in the country with a $110,000 prizepool up for grabs in today’s Cup (race 8) , which is run over 2000m.

Favourites don’t have a great record in the race, but it’s very hard to go past #9 Patience. Trained in Darwin by Gary Clarke, this 4yo gelding has two massive ticks in his favour. He won here in the Chief Minister’s Cup over 1600m on April 27 carrying a WFA 59kg. He drops to 54kg here, and gets a 3.5kg advantage over #3 I Am Magic, which trailed Patience in his last win. Today, Glen Boss returns to the saddle having twice ridden the horse at Sandown a few weeks back. It’s Boss’s first trip to the Alice for the Cup, and he’d love to add this unique race to his decorated CV.

Suggested bet: Alice Springs R8 #9 Patience E/W (two units) 2nd ($1.50)

Other tips

Alice Springs R6 #8 Welldoya (win) 1st ($1.60)

Bairnsdale R7 #2 Bedouin Express (E/W) WIN ($3.00/$1.40)

Murwillumbah R4 #6 Yo Ferdinand (E/W) LOSE (4th)

Harness racing tip: Globe Derby R6 #3 Carbohydrate (E/W) 2nd ($1.50)

Greyhound racing tip: Shepparton R4 #5 Kokoda Spirit (win) 1st ($2.60)

MLB for May 6

Los Angeles Dodgers (13-16) @ San Francisco Giants (18-12), AT&T Park, San Francisco, CA, Monday, May 6, 10.05am

Matt Cain is trying to halt his worst start to a season and help the San Francisco Giants to a sixth consecutive win. After his team posted back-to-back walk-off wins, Cain again goes for his first victory as the Giants seek a three-game sweep of the Dodgers. Cain (0-2, 6.49 ERA) has failed to win through six starts for the first time in his nine-year career, but the three-time All-Star is not entirely to blame. He’s been backed by an average of 1.8 runs, second lowest in the majors.

Los Angeles Dodgers rookie Hyun-Jin Ryu looks to end San Francisco’s run with a third straight impressive showing. The Dodgers are countering with Ryu (3-1, 3.35), who is starting to show why they spent a $25.7 million posting fee combined with a six-year, $36 million contract to lure him from South Korea’s Hanwha Eagles. The Dodgers have been unlucky in the past two against the Giants and should pinch this one as outsiders.

Suggested bet: Dodgers WIN (two units @ $2.02) LOSE (3-4)

Other tips

Twins @ Indians -9 WIN (4-2)

Nationals @ Pirates +7 WIN (6-2)

Mariners @ Blue Jays +8.5 WIN (2-10)

White Sox @ Royals WIN WIN (5-6)

Reds WIN @ Cubs WIN (7-4)

Red Sox @ Rangers -8 WIN (3-4)

Orioles @ Angels -8.5 LOSE (8-4)

Diamondbacks @ Padres WIN WIN (1-5)

Tigers -1.5 @ Astros WIN (9-0)

NHL playoffs for May 6

Western Conference quarter-finals, game 3: Vancouver Canucks @ San Jose Sharks, HP Pavilion, San Jose, CA, Monday, May 6, 12.05pm (Sharks lead 2-0)

Raffi Torres is making quite a positive impact in his return to the playoffs. A year after being kicked out of the postseason for his vicious hit on Chicago’s Marian Hossa, Torres has played a major role in helping the San Jose Sharks take a 2-0 series lead after winning two straight games in Vancouver.

Torres helped set the tone for the series with his physical play in Game 1 when he delivered six hits against his former team. He then gave the Sharks control in the series with his overtime game-winner in Game 2. The series shifts to San Jose for Game 3 Sunday where a raucous crowd is expected at HP Pavilion, where the Sharks lost just twice in regulation all season.

The Canucks have bigger concerns than dealing with Torres. They have lost eight of nine playoff games since taking a 3-2 lead over Boston in the Stanley Cup finals two years ago. They were knocked out as the top seed in five games in the opening round by eventual champion LA last season and have fallen into a deep hole against the Sharks after allowing the tying goal to Marleau in the final minute of regulation before losing on Torres’ game-winner.

Suggested bet: Sharks WIN (three units @ $1.70) WIN (2-5)

Other tips

ECQF3: Penguins WIN @ Islanders (1-1) WIN (5-4)

ECQF3: Canadiens @ Senators -5 (1-1) LOSE (1-6)

WCQF3: Blackhawks WIN @ Wild (2-0) LOSE (2-3)

NBA playoffs for May 6

Eastern Conference semi-finals, game 1: Indiana Pacers @ New York Knicks, Madison Square Garden, New York, NY, Monday, April 29, 5.10am

The Knicks wrapped up their first series victory since 2000 on Friday night by holding off the Boston Celtics in Game 6. They had just one day to rest before facing the Pacers, who were also pushed to six games before finishing off Atlanta on Friday night. This isn’t a great match-up for the Knicks, considering that the level of defence the Pacers bring will be similar to that which they struggled with in the first round against the Celtics.

The difference is that the Pacers are a younger and more athletic team that shouldn’t have nearly as much trouble as Boston did trying to score for long stretches. Carmelo Anthony is battling a sore left shoulder, an injury originally sustained when he was whacked in a victory over the Pacers on April 14. If the Pacers can control him, and the might of New York’s three-point arsenal, we think they can win the series opener

Suggested bet: Pacers WIN (two units @ $2.80) WIN, game total +183 (two units @ $1.91) WIN (102-95)

Other tips

WCSF1: Grizzlies @ Thunder WIN WIN, +186.5 LOSE (91-93)

* Prices with thanks to Centrebet, correct at time of publication