Daily tips for July 8

NRL (R17) for July 8

Manly Sea Eagles (7-1-6) v Parramatta Eels (3-11), Brookvale Oval, Monday, July 8, 7pm

This one hardly looks like a ratings winner but should provide the Sea Eagles with their eighth win of the NRL season, and we're hoping that's by a comfortable margin. Stats don’t lie – and the figures show the Sea Eagles have been solid in 2013 and the Eels have been plain awful. Manly lie fifth on the Telstra Premiership ladder but are desperate for a win and two competition points following three consecutive defeats by six points or less. Despite the tight losses to the Roosters, Bulldogs and Warriors, the Sea Eagles are just a point out of the top four.

The last-placed Eels, meanwhile, are proving to be the easy-beats of 2013 – the competition’s battlers have won just three matches and are currently enduring a five-match losing streak. Manly welcome back five-eighth Kieran Foran after he was struck by a severe case of food poisoning just hours before kick-off last week. The Kiwi’s return pushes utility Tom Symonds to the bench. For the Eels, Jarryd Hayne has been named to return for the Monday night clash at Brookvale Oval, though his fitness will be closely monitored late in the week. The Origin star’s inclusion pushes Jake Mullaney, who started in the No.1 against South Sydney in the Eels’ most recent match in Round 15, onto a five-man bench.

– Preview, NRL.com

Suggested bet: Manly -18 (three units @ $1.91) WIN (50-10)

Racing for July 8

Horse racing: Echuca (Vic), Corowa (NSW), Sunshine Coast (Qld), Muswellbrook (NSW). Harness racing: Albion Park (Qld), Devonport (Tas), Globe Derby (SA), Gloucester Park (WA), Menangle (NSW), Yarra Valley (Vic). Greyhound racing: Albion Park (Qld), Angle Park (SA), Ballarat (Vic), Bathurst (NSW), Geelong (Vic), Grafton (NSW), Launceston (Tas), Northam (WA), Nowra (NSW), Shepparton (Vic).

Conditions look ideal with a dead (4) of offer for today’s meeting at Corowa on the Victoria/NSW border by the Murray River. Our best of the day is scheduled to jump at 4pm in race 8, the Benchmark 70 Hcp over 1600m. Trained at Benalla by Peter Burgun with regular rider Shirley Hunter returning to the saddle, #2 Grand Sai Wan disappointed on his recent trip to Moonee Valley but bounced back to finish a close second in similar grade at Bendigo two weeks ago. This is no tougher after some key scratchings, the 4yo gelding is fourth-up, he’s racing up to his career best rating and should collect a fifth win in 24 starts.

Suggested bet: Corowa R8 #2 Grand Sai Wain WIN (two units) 3rd ($1.60)

Other tips

Echuca R1 #6 Red Spyder (win) LOSE (U/P)

Echuca R3 #10 Master Dee Art (E/W) 3rd ($2.00)

Echuca R6 #11 Rhinnon's Gold (E/W) 3rd ($3.80)

Echuca R9 #7 Zazparella (E/W 1x4) 2nd ($2.00)

Corowa R9 #1 Tennessee Lad (win) LOSE (U/P)

Sunshine Coast R7 #2 Punters Pride (E/W) LOSE (U/P)

Harness racing tips: Yarra Valley R1 #7 Aloha Don Ho (win) LOSE (U/P)

Greyhound racing tips: Shepparton R10 #3 Nolen (win) WIN ($1.20)

MLB for July 8

Boston Red Sox (54-35, 23-19 away) @ Los Angeles Angels (42-45, 23-25 home), Angel Stadium of Anaheim, CA, Monday, July 8, 10.10am

After making a name for himself with the Los Angeles Angels, John Lackey failed to meet expectations in his first few seasons with the Boston Red Sox. He’s continuing to make up for lost time. Lackey aims for a fourth consecutive victory as the visiting Red Sox conclude a three-game set against Los Angeles, which tries to build on a thrilling win. Lackey (6-5, 2.81 ERA) failed to approach the All-Star form and big-game reputation he earned with the Angels in his first two years with Boston, going 26-23 with a 5.26 ERA in 2010-11. He missed all of 2012 while recovering from Tommy John surgery.

The right-hander, however, leads the Red Sox rotation with a 4.39 strikeout-to-walk ratio and owns a career-low ERA. Jered Weaver (2-4, 3.79) has been pitching much better than his record would suggest. The right-hander beat St Louis 5-1 on Tuesday to snap a five-start winless stretch, allowing one run in seven innings while throwing a season-high 105 pitches. Weaver has gone 1/3 with a 4.78 ERA in his last five starts versus Boston. David Ortiz is 11 for 34 with three homers against Weaver, including playoffs, while Dustin Pedroia is 5 for 31. The Angels are 40-13 in Weaver’s last 53 home starts while the under is 37-13-6 in Weaver’s last 56 home starts.

Suggested bet: Angels WIN (2.5 units @ $1.80), game total -8 (1.5 units @ $1.87)

* No other tips today

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