Daily tips for September 19

Racing for September 19

Horse racing: Cranbourne (Vic), Newcastle (NSW), Mackay (Qld), Northam (WA). Harness racing: Gold Coast (Qld), Kilmore (Vic), Penrith (NSW). Greyhound racing: Sandown Park (Vic), Angle Park (SA), Dapto (NSW), Bendigo (Vic), Maitland (NSW), Albion Park (Qld), Shepparton (Vic), Warragul (Vic), Dubbo (NSW), Hobart (Tas), Mandurah (WA).

It’s a sunny day and the track is a good (3) for the running of the G3 $175,000 XXXX Gold Newcastle Gold Cup and the G3 $125,000 Tallwoods Golf Course Tibbie Stakes today. In contrast, stewards needed to inspect the track at Cranbourne before allowing today’s meeting to proceed on a heavy (10)! On this day last year, Gai Waterhouse’s Glencadam Gold (pictured) jumped a short-priced favourite but justified those odds by winning with ease before taking the Metropolitan and turning in a meritorious run in the Melbourne Cup. There are several hopes in the feature at Newcastle but I’m leaning towards to the Chris Waller-trained #6 Lucripetous now he is beginning to realise his potential. The 5yo gelding again rewarded the patience of connections at Warwick Farm last start in a BM 90 over 2200m on August 24. With 13 runners remaining post scratchings, Lucripetous benefits from the compressed weights scale just above the limit weight with 55kg for Christian Reith. When looking at how the race will likely map, Lucripetous should get the event made to order. The race should be run at a solid pace, which should enable Lucripetous to find cover from his awkward draw and be steaming home at the end of the 2300 metres.

Suggested bet: Newcastle R7 #6 Lucrepitous E/W (two units) 2nd ($2.50)

Other tips

Cranbourne R1 #11 Srikandi (win) 1st ($2.10)
Cranbourne R2 #2 Beldan (win) LOSE (U/P)

Cranbourne R4 #8 Creance (win) 1st ($1.60)

Cranbourne R5 #4 Zarzing (win) 1st ($3.00)

Newcastle R2 #5 Bernabeu (win) 1st ($1.75)

Newcastle R3 #3 The Gallows (win) LOSE (2nd)

Newcastle R6 #12 Lucky Lago (E/W) LOSE (U/P)

Mackay R1 #1 Vast Element (win) LOSE (2nd)

Mackay R3 #7 Ariadne (E/W) 1st ($7.80/$1.90)

MLB for September 19

AL: Los Angeles Angels (73-78, 38-38 away) @ Oakland Athletics (89-62, 48-28 home), O.co Coliseum, Oakland, CA, Thursday, September 19, 5.40am

Oakland Athletics starter A.J. Griffin (pictured) has allowed more homers than any pitcher in baseball. That’s a distinction Los Angeles Angels starter Jason Vargas nearly had a year ago. There’s a chance the baseballs could be flying out of the Coliseum here when these division rivals complete a three-game set. Oakland (89-62) has a magic number of six to win the AL West and five to gain at least a post-season spot as it turns to Griffin (14-9, 3.81 ERA), who has surrendered 34 homers (the most by an Athletics pitcher since Curt Young gave up 38 in 1987). Vargas (8-7, 4.20) can probably relate since he gave up 35 homers in 2012 to tie for baseball’s second-highest total when he threw a career-high 217 1/3 innings with Seattle. He has been limited to 21 starts this year after missing nearly two months with a blood clot in his throwing arm. The propensity for yielding long balls doesn’t mean that Griffin hasn't been effective. He is limiting hitters to a .230 average, and has gone 4-0 with a 3.60 ERA while striking out 28 over his last four starts. Griffin gave up two hits (one a solo homer) over seven innings with eight strikeouts in last Thursday's 8-2 win at Minnesota.

Griffin has faced the Angels (73-78) three times in his career, yielding one run over 16 innings with no homers in victories on April 11 and September 12, 2012. Mike Trout, Erick Aybar and Albert Pujols all went deep off him in the most recent one, as Griffin was charged with four runs in five innings in a 4-1 defeat on July 19. Vargas fell to 0-2 with a 9.42 ERA in his last three starts after giving up a season-high eight runs over 4 1/3 innings in Saturday’s 9-7 loss at Houston. The left-hander went 2-0 with a 1.63 ERA last year at the Coliseum, where he has yet to pitch in 2013. The Athletics improved to an AL-best 30-19 in one-run games and remained one game ahead of AL Central-leading Detroit in the race for home-field advantage in a division series. Los Angeles scored its run on Trout’s 25th homer. He has gone deep in both games of this series and has reached base in 24 straight games. Trout is the first player in AL history with 25 home runs, 30 stolen bases and 100 walks. Oakland shortstop Jed Lowrie missed his second straight start with a tight right hamstring, but is expected to start here even though he is 2 for 10 off Vargas.

Suggested bet: Oakland WIN (three units @ $1.66) LOSE (5-4)

Other tips (early games)

AL: Twins WIN $2.20 WIN @ White Sox +8 $1.87 LOSE (4-3)

Other tips (late games)
IL: Reds @ Astros +1.5 $1.85 WIN +9 $1.90 WIN (6-5)
AL: Rangers @ Rays -7 $1.95 PUSH (3-4)
AL: Yankees @ Blue Jays WIN $1.98 LOSE -9 $1.75 WIN (4-3)
AL: Mariners +1.5 $1.71 WIN @ Tigers -7.5 $1.98 LOSE (8-0)
AL: Orioles @ Red Sox WIN $1.69 LOSE (5-3)
AL: Indians @ Royals +7.5 $1.86 WIN (2-7)
NL: Braves @ Nationals WIN $2.01 LOSE (5-2)
NL: Marlins WIN $2.15 @ Phillies WIN (4-3)
NL: Padres WIN $2.28 @ Pirates WIN (3-2)
NL: Giants WIN $1.65 @ Mets LOSE (4-5)
NL: Cubs @ Brewers WIN $1.74 WIN -8 $1.80 WIN (0-7)
NL: Cardinals WIN $1.56 WIN @ Rockies -9.5 $1.97 WIN (4-3)

NL: Dodgers WIN $2.09 @ D'backs LOSE (4-9)

Football (UCL matchday 1) for September 19

Group G: Atlético de Madrid v Zenit St Petersburg, Estadio Vicente Calderón, Madrid, Spain, Thursday, September 19, 4.45am

Atlético Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois is eager to fulfil a childhood dream when he faces Zenit St Petersburg here. The Belgium international will get the chance to test himself against Europe’s elite after the 21-year-old played a major role in helping Atlético finish third in La Liga last term. Courtois, who is in his third season on loan at Atlético from Chelsea, enjoyed a stellar campaign that saw him win the Zamora award as the best goalkeeper in Spain. Atlético have made a strong start on the domestic front and currently lead the way in the Primera Division alongside defending champions Barcelona having taken 12 points from four games. Despite selling star striker Radamel Falcao to Monaco this summer, Diego Simeone’s side has struck 14 goals in four games while giving away just four. Courtois has been encouraged by their recent performances and is relishing the prospect of seeing Atlético compete in Europe’s top competition after a three-year absence.

New signing David Villa (pictured), who scored in Saturday’s 4-2 triumph over Almeria, is set to partner Diego Costa up front. Rivals Zenit travel to the Vicente Calderon stadium looking for their first win in Spain after five failed attempts. The Russians have also enjoyed an excellent start to their domestic campaign with Saturday’s 2-0 victory over Terek Grozny lifting Luciano Spalletti’s outfit to second in the Russian Premier League. If they are to progress from the group stages, Zenit will have to show a vast improvement on the road this time round than with respect to last season when they lost four of their five away matches in the Champions League. Spalletti will be hoping Danny can continue his goal scoring form with the Portuguese striker having found the net six times in Zenit’s last eight games. Brazilian forward Hulk is doubtful with a hip injury. I have a big lean to the home side here, along with a strong expectation of at least three goals.

Suggested bet: Atlético Madrid 2+ (1.5 units @ $2.20) WIN, game total +2.5 (2.5 units @ $1.77) WIN (3-1)

Other tips

Schalke 04 (HT/FT) $1.95 v Steaua Bucharest LOSE (0-0, 3-0)
AC Milan v Celtic +0.5 $2.55 LOSE (2-0)
Barcelona (to score only) $1.97 v Ajax WIN (4-0)
Austria Wien v Porto WIN $1.46 WIN (0-1)
Chelsea (HT/FT) $1.87 v Basel LOSE (1-2)
Marseille v Arsenal DNB $1.65 WIN (1-2)
Napoli v Borussia Dortmund +2.5 $1.68 WIN (1-2)

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