Daily tips for September 10

Racing for September 10

Horse racing: Benalla (Vic), Kembla Grange (NSW), Townsville (Qld), Muswellbrook (NSW). Harness racing: Menangle (NSW), Albion Park (Qld), Ararat (Vic), Gloucester Park (WA). Greyhound racing: Gawler (SA), Devonport (Tas), Goulburn (NSW), Horsham (Vic), Ipswich (Qld), Lismore (NSW), Warragul (Vic), Gosford (NSW), Townsville (Qld), Mandurah (WA).

The greys race on Oaks Day is one of the most popular races of the Melbourne Cup Carnival. That concept of that race is being extended into a new series of races for grey horses only and named in honour of Subzero (pictured above with Victorian Premier Dr Denis Napthine). Racing Network reports that the three-race series to be staged during the Spring carnival in Melbourne will offer $280,000 in prize-money. To be known as the Subzero Challenge, the three races will be staged on Thousand Guineas Day ($80,000 heat, October 16), Cox Plate Eve ($100,000 heat, October 25) and Crown Oaks Day ($100,000 heat, November 7). The trainer of the horse that accumulates the most points in the three-race series will win a $10,000 bonus. RV’s General Manager – Racing, Greg Carpenter, said the 1992 Melbourne Cup winner had made a remarkable contribution to Victorian racing since his retirement in 1994. “Subzero is one of racing’s most recognisable public faces and following his recent health scare, Racing Victoria determined it an appropriate time to celebrate and acknowledge the incredible contribution of Subzero to Victorian racing,” Carpenter said.

Daily tips

Benalla R3 #11 Razzle Dazzle Rock (win) LOSE (2nd) 

Benalla R4 #2 Conformist (win) LOSE (U/P) 

Benalla R8 #12 Prie Dieu (E/W) 3rd ($3.60)

Kembla Grange R5 #1 Prince Rahy (win) LOSE (U/P)

Kembla Grange R6 #8 Surge Ahead (E/W) 1st ($4.00/$1.80)

Kembla Grange R7 #5 Revengeful (E/W 1x2) 2nd ($1.60)

Muswellbrook R4 #13 Simply Mean (E/W 1x2) LOSE (4th)

Muswellbrook R5 #5 Dark Mojo (E/W 1x3) 1st ($2.90/$1.50)

Townsville R6 #8 Shadow Line (win) LOSE (U/P)

Harness racing tip: Ararat R5 #4 Cheesy Grin (win)
Greyhound racing tip: Gosford R8 #2 Fascinate Mary (win)

NFL (week 1) for September 9-10

Houston Texans @ San Diego Chargers, Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, CA, Tuesday, September 10, 12.10pm

The Houston Texans are taking the Super Bowl-or-bust approach while the San Diego Chargers are entering a rebuilding phase under first-year coach Mike McCoy. The Texans open the season against the host Chargers on the Monday night stage and believe last season’s franchise-best 12-4 record – and a playoff victory for the second straight campaign – has set the state for a deep post-season run. San Diego has missed the playoffs in each of the past three seasons. The Chargers cleaned house after last season’s disappointing showing by firing coach Norv Turner and general A.J. Smith and hiring McCoy and new GM Tom Telesco. QB Philip Rivers (pictured) has been turnover-prone the past two seasons with 47 miscues (35 interceptions, 12 lost fumbles) and his 3606 passing yards last season represented his lowest output since 2007. Injury-prone Ryan Mathews (707 yards) is the prime RB and top wideout Malcom Floyd (56 receptions) missed most of the pre-season with a knee injury. Safety Eric Weddle (team-high 111 tackles) is one of the best at his position and the leader of a defense that is being rebuilt. The Chargers are hoping veteran pass rusher Dwight Freeney (107.5 career sacks) has something left in the tank.

Houston signed perennial Pro Bowl safety Ed Reed as a free agent to shore up the back end and he is a game-time decision after having offseason hip surgery. Defensive end J.J. Watt racked up a league-leading 20 1/2 sacks last season in a stellar performance that earned him NFL Defensive Player of the Year honors. Inside linebacker Brian Cushing is healthy after suffering a season-ending knee injury early last season and Houston recently rewarded him with a six-year, $55.6 million extension. The Texans allowed 225.8 passing yards per game in 2012 and the belief is that Reed’s ball-hawking presence should further bolster a unit that ranked seventh in total defence (323.3). QB Matt Schaub topped 4000 passing yards for the third time in four seasons and Andre Johnson (112 receptions for a career-best 1598 yards) surpassed 1500 yards for the third time in his stellar career. Running back Arian Foster (1,424 yards, 15 touchdowns) has been bothered by back and calf woes in training camp and could be spelled by Ben Tate. The past four times these teams have met, the Chargers have covered this line with ease, winning on all occasions. Last season, the Chargers were also the only team in the league with a negative record to not boast negative net points.

Suggested bet: Game total +44 points (three units @ $1.91) WIN, Chargers +3.5 (two units @ $1.91) WIN (31-28)

Other tips

Eagles +3.5 WIN @ Redskins +52 WIN (33-27)

MLB for September 10

AL: Detroit Tigers (82-61, 38-34 away) @ Chicago White Sox (57-85, 32-34 home), U.S. Cellular Field, Chicago, IL, Tuesday, September 10, 10.10am

While Max Scherzer takes another attempt at his 20th win, the Detroit Tigers aren’t likely to have a breakout performance offensively with Chris Sale on the mound. Scherzer again looks to become the first pitcher to reach the 20-win mark while dealing the White Sox their 10th loss in 11 games when a pair of All-Star pitchers face off in Chicago. Aside from a 16-run outburst at Kansas City on Friday, the Tigers (82-61) have tallied 13 runs while dropping five of seven in September. They managed just six hits in yesterday’s 5-2 loss to the Royals, but still lead the AL Central by 5 1/2 games. Detroit, though, may not need a whole lot of scoring with Scherzer (19-2, 2.88 ERA) facing the last-place White Sox (57-85). Scherzer, who ranks in majors' top 10 in wins, strikeouts (209), ERA and opponent batting average (.196), is 4-0 with a 1.26 ERA in his last five starts against Chicago. He's 1-0 with a 2.57 ERA in his last two outings at U.S. Cellular Field, though the White Sox pulled out a 4-3, 11-inning win there on August 13. The right-hander also held Chicago to three hits over 7 2/3 innings in a 3-0 home win on August 3.

Adam Dunn is 5 for 27 with 14 strikeouts the past four seasons against Scherzer, but he's batting .375 with two homers against the Tigers this year. The slugger belted his 31st home run Sunday as Chicago avoided a winless 10-game road trip with a 4-2 victory at Baltimore. The White Sox will try to win for the fifth time in six home games behind Sale (10-12, 2.97), who needs one strikeout to join Wilbur Wood and Gary Peters as the only lefties in franchise history to record 200 strikeouts in a single season. Since yielding eight runs in a loss to Texas on August 23, Sale has returned to his elite form by fanning 18 and allowing three earned runs in his last two starts. He’s pitched well versus the Tigers this season, going 2-1 with a 2.66 ERA with 25 strikeouts in three starts. He pitched a nine-hitter in a 6-2 home win on August 12. Miguel Cabrera, who leads the majors in batting average (.353) and RBIs (133), homered off Sale in that contest and is 3 for 7 with two homers against him this season. The Tigers have won eight of 13 meetings this season, including 4-3 in Chicago.

Suggested bet: Detroit WIN (2.5 units @ $1.74) LOSE, game total -7 (1.5 units @ $1.94) WIN (1-5)

Other tips

IL: Pirates $2.58 WIN @ Rangers +8 $2.06 LOSE (1-0)

AL: Yankees @ Orioles WIN $1.75 WIN (2-4)
AL: Royals @ Indians WIN $1.99 WIN (3-4)
AL: Angels @ Twins +8.5 $2.00 WIN (3-6) 

AL: Astros @ Mariners -7.5 $2.07 LOSE (6-4)

NL: Cubs @ Reds WIN $1.56 LOSE -8 $1.91 WIN (2-0)
NL: Nationals WIN $1.69 @ Mets WIN (9-0)
NL: Braves WIN $1.58 @ Marlins WIN (5-2)
NL: D'backs WIN $2.45 LOSE @ Dodgers +7.5 $2.07 WIN (1-8)
NL: Rockies WIN $2.16 LOSE @ Giants -7 $1.90 WIN (2-3)

Feature: A new spin on match fixing

Motor racing may not be the most popular form of sports betting, but one of the world’s biggest motorsport bodies is dealing with an integrity issue that provides a timely reminder that the spectre of “match-fixing” can pop up anywhere, anytime.

USA Today reported that NASCAR is reviewing evidence to determine if Michael Waltrip Racing (MWR) attempted to manipulate the outcome of the Federated Auto Parts 400 at the Richmond International Raceway on Sunday. Accidental or intentional, MWR driver Clint Bowyer’s spin (pictured above) in the closing laps at Richmond set in motion a chain of events that has shrouded the start of the Chase for the Sprint Cup (a ‘playoff’ series to decide the championship) and raised many questions about the potential for a race team to manipulate pivotal moments of a race.

Now NASCAR is reviewing evidence to determine if Michael Waltrip Racing deliberately altered Saturday night’s race, potentially costing both Ryan Newman and Jeff Gordon spots in the Chase, to benefit MWR driver Martin Truex Jr. NASCAR president Mike Helton told The Associated Press before Sunday's Truck Series race at Iowa that officials in the scoring tower did not immediately see anything to believe Bowyer's spin with seven laps remaining at Richmond was suspicious. The spin came while Newman was leading and brought out the caution that set in motion a chain of events that cost Newman both the race and a berth in the 12-driver Chase field. He was battling Truex for the final spot.

But an ESPN replay that included communication between Bowyer and his team implied the spin was deliberate. Bowyer was shown the video after the race and denied he spun intentionally, a claim he repeated throughout the post-race activities. In-car audio framed the situation as his crew goading him into spinning his car to bring out the yellow in an effort to prevent Newman from winning the race. Also, it became apparent that Bowyer and teammate Brian Vickers further aided Truex by taking a dive over the final three laps. When the race resumed with three laps to go, four-time series champion Jeff Gordon was poised to claim the 10th spot in the Chase, and Joey Logano was ahead of Truex in position to claim the second wild-card.

Bowyer and Vickers both made pit stops in the final three laps that allowed Logano to improve his finishing position and move ahead of Gordon to claim the 10th Chase berth. That bumped Gordon from contention and freed the wild card for Truex. Gordon was not eligible for the wild card. It's not uncommon in NASCAR for teammates to help each other with track position, so on its face, the calls for the two MWR drivers to pit aren't that egregious. But added with Bowyer's spin, fans were crying foul over MWR's actions, especially since it cost both Gordon and Newman spots in the 10-race Chase that begins Sunday at Chicago.

Postscript: NASCAR today announced that Ryan Newman replaced Martin Truex Jr. in the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship after penalising Michael Waltrip Racing for manipulating the outcome of last weekend's race. Michael Waltrip Racing was fined $300,000, and general manager Ty Norris received an indefinite suspension. Truex, Bowyer and Vickers were docked 50 points apiece but Bowyer's deduction does not affect his position in the Chase. How long did it take for the AFL to complete its tanking investigations?

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