Daily tips for October 21

Racing for October 21

Horse racing: Pakenham (Vic), Coonabarabran (NSW), Lismore (NSW). Harness racing: Albion Park (Qld), Globe Derby (SA), Maryborough (Vic), Newcastle (NSW), Pinjarra (WA). Greyhound racing: Albion Park (Qld), Angle Park (SA), Ballarat (Vic), Bathurst (NSW), Geelong (Vic), Launceston (Tas), Northam (WA), Nowra (NSW), Shepparton (Vic), Wentworth Park (NSW).

International contenders have been part of the Melbourne Cup picture for two decades but overseas horses have been rarely sighted in the other Spring features. So it’s great to see a genuine superstar of the region in town for Friday night’s Manikato Stakes at Moonee Valley. Hong Kong’s Lucky Nine is a lightly raced 6yo gelding with seven wins from 19 starts. However, his CV includes four feature wins plus the G1 Kris Flyer Sprint in Singapore earlier this year (pictured below) and total prizemoney of almost AUD $3.5 million. Races.com.au reported that Lucky Nine had his first look at the tricky Moonee Valley layout (which is not dissimilar to Happy Valley in Hong Kong) this morning ahead of the $1 million Group 1 Sportingbet Manikato Stakes (1200m), due to be run under the lights on October 25 the night before Cox Plate Day.

Given a solid workout over the 1100 metres by the Hong Kong-based expat Aussie hoop Brett Prebble, the Dubawi gelding was the narrow winner of the run shading three rivals all from Lindsay Park Racing including Crackerjack King. Trainer Casper Fownes said Lucky Nine needed the hit-out and should come on well for the Manikato Stakes. All going to plan in the Manikato, Lucky Nine will continue onto to the Melbourne Cup Carnival and the $1 million Group 1 Patinack Farm Classic (1200m) on Emirates Stakes Day. Fownes said Lucky Nine will be about 85 per cent fit on Friday night but almost at 100 per cent for his second run this prep: “Second-up is where we’ll see the real horse.” Lucky Nine is rated a $7 chance behind Mick Price’s Samaready ($3.20) on Friday night.

Daily tips

Pakenham R1 #1 General Amour (win – best of the day) 1st ($2.00)

Pakenham R2 #9 Glockenspiel (win) 1st ($1.90)

Pakenham R4 #8 The Tinker’s Son (win) 1st ($3.20)

Coonabarabran R1 #7 Reposada (win) LOSE (U/P)

Coonabarabran R2 #1 Running Amok (win) 1st ($2.00)

Coonabarabran R8 #4 Bouzy Rouge (E/W 1x3) 1st ($2.70/$1.40)

Lismore R3 #6 Silvakini (E/W) LOSE (4th)

Lismore R5 #1 Special Miss (win) LOSE (U/P)

Lismore R6 #6 Mishani Centurion (win) 1st ($1.80)

Lismore R7 #2 Enough Is Enough (E/W) LOSE (U/P)

Harness racing tip: Maryborough R2 Boxed Exacta 1/3 (WIN 3/1 $5.10)
Greyhound racing tip: Wentworth Park R1 #1 Manu (win)

Blink and you'll miss it – Cahill's record-breaker

It might take a few days/weeks for this one to be picked up by the Australian media as Major League Soccer isn’t played in England. Aussie Tim Cahill yesterday smashed the record for the fastest goal in MLS history when he netted after just eight seconds for the New York Red Bulls on the way to a 3-0 win over the Houston Dynamo. Check out his 20-yard bullet, which broke the decade-old record of Dwayne De Rosario (11 seconds).

NHL for October 21

Vancouver Canucks (5-3-1, 11 pts) @ Columbus Blue Jackets (2-5-0, 4 pts), Nationwide Arena, Columbus, OH, Monday, October 21, 9.10am

One side returning from the road and another on a long ‘away’ trip look set to grind out a tough match-up on a relatively quiet Sunday in the NHL. The Vancouver Canucks weren't affected too much by the NHL’s realignment, but they should be disappointed to see the Columbus Blue Jackets out of the Western Conference. The Canucks have earned at least a point in 14 straight games against the Blue Jackets, a streak they'll look to extend here as they continue their seven-game road trip in Columbus. They’re 12-0-2 against the Blue Jackets since January 5, 2010, winning eight of those by one goal while holding Columbus scoreless on 44 of 46 (95.7 per cent) power-play opportunities. Saturday’s 4-3 shootout loss to Pittsburgh denied the Canucks (5-3-1) a third straight win to start their trip. The Canucks gave up a power-play goal for just the third time this season and outshot Pittsburgh 39-28.

The Blue Jackets (2-5-0) have dropped four straight after Saturday’s 4-1 loss at Washington. The Capitals went 2 for 4 on the power play and built a 4-0 lead early in the third before Artem Anisimov scored for the Blue Jackets to spoil Braden Holtby’s shutout. The Jackets managed a season-high 38 shots but have been held to one goal in three of their last four. They went 0 for 3 with the man advantage, just the second time in seven games they’ve gone scoreless on the power play. Reigning Vezina Trophy winner Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 35 shots but has allowed four goals in consecutive games for the first time since his last two starts of 2011-12. Bobrovsky is 1-0-2 with a 0.62 goals-against average in three starts against the Canucks, while Roberto Luongo (pictured) is 4-0-1 with a 1.51 GAA in his last five against Columbus. The Blue Jackets last lost five straight in regulation from December 15-26, 2011.

Suggested bets: Vancouver WIN (two units @ $1.83) LOSE, game total -5.5 (one unit @ $1.77) WIN (1-3)

Other tips

Predators @ Jets WIN $1.70 LOSE -5.5 $1.67 WIN

Stars @ Ducks WIN (Reg) $1.80 WIN (3-6) 1P +1.5 $2.04 WIN (3-1)

CFL (week 17) for October 21

Hamilton Tiger-Cats (8-7) @ Montreal Alouettes (6-9), Percival Molson Memorial Stadium, Montreal, QC, Monday, October 21, 4.10am

Quarterback Troy Smith will likely get his first CFL start as the Montreal Alouettes try to secure the final playoff spot when they host the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Smith joined the team in August and will replace Josh Neiswander, who has been inconsistent filling in for injured veteran Anthony Calvillo (ruled out for the season). The Alouettes could be stepping into hostile ground when they take to the field here since they are 2-5 at home and Montreal fans are losing patience. Smith, a former Heisman Trophy recipient, has completed 15 passes for 100 yards and one touchdown, with two interceptions as well as nine carries for 17 rushing yards and a pair of rushing touchdowns. Linebacker Chip Cox leads Montreal’s defence with 98 tackles and has four interceptions and six sacks. The Alouettes lead the league in interceptions with 22, with defensive back Jerald Brown and cornerback Geoff Tisdale catching five each but the hosts are going to need to play every trick to overcome the visitors here.

The Tiger-Cats are coming off back-to-back wins against the Toronto Argonauts that pulled them within two points of the East Division lead. Hamilton quarterback Henry Burris has nine 300-yard passing games and leads the league with 4523 yards, but Hamilton’s defence has impressed as well recently, limiting the high-powered Argonauts offense to 37 points over the last two contests. If the Tiger-Cats can get pressure on the inexperienced Smith, Burris might not need to throw very much to secure a victory. Rookies are providing the spark on Hamilton’s offence as running back C.J. Gable (pictured) was named offensive player of the week after running for 118 yards on 17 carries against Toronto. Wide receiver Luke Tasker has 202 receiving yards and one touchdown in his first three CFL games, giving Burris yet another reliable option in his receiving corps. Defensive lineman Brandon Boudreaux leads the team with six sacks and has one interception. The Tiger-Cats are 5-1 ATS in their last six and 14-5 ATS in their last 19 meetings in Montreal.

Suggested bet: Hamilton WIN (two units @ $1.80) LOSE (5-36)

NFL (week 7) for October 21

Houston Texans (2-4, 1-2 away) @ Kansas City Chiefs (6-0, 3-0 home), Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, MO, Monday, October 21, 7.10am

It’s week 7 of the NFL, where the words “Kansas City” and “undefeated” would not normally appear. But with Alex Smith (pictured) at QB and Andy Reid calling the shots, the Chiefs are the talk of the NFL. The most opportunistic defence in the League and strong special teams have allowed the Chiefs to overcome a mediocre offence for the second-best start in team history. The Houston Texans haven't been as fortunate, with a glaring turnover problem weighing down its league-best defence and otherwise quality offence. KC will look to capitalise on those issues here when it hosts Houston, which will have third-stringer Case Keenum at QB over injured starter Matt Schaub as it looks to avoid its first five-game losing streak in nearly eight years. Sorry Houston, the Chiefs are good things here.

Houston has allowed just 252.8 yards per game, easily the best mark in the NFL. The Texans’ offence is averaging 395.7 yards, seventh most in the league, but they’re scoring 17.7 points per game (seventh-lowest). A minus-12 turnover differential has been a big reason for that, as only the winless New York Giants at minus-16 are worse. The Texans have committed 12 turnovers during their four-game slide. They haven’t lost five in a row since a six-game skid from November 6-December 11, 2005. Schaub was turnover-free in a 38-13 home loss to St Louis on Sunday but he suffered injuries to his right ankle and foot on a third-quarter sack. Kubiak chose to start Keenum in what will be his NFL debut over back-up T.J. Yates. He’ll be facing a Kansas City team that leads the league with 31 sacks.

This match-up also features the two leading RBs in the AFC, with Houston’s Arian Foster running for 341 yards in the past three to push his season total to a conference-best 531. Jamaal Charles, second in the NFL with 129.2 scrimmage yards per game behind Philadelphia’s LeSean McCoy (145.2), has accounted for seven of Kansas City’s 12 offensive TDs. Former Pro Bowler Dwayne Bowe caught six passes for two scores in the teams’ last meeting, a 35-31 Texans home win on October 17, 2010. Arrowhead Stadium, which set a Guinness World Record for loudest outdoor sports stadium in Sunday’s game against the Raiders (the crowd reached 137.5 decibels), could create a further hindrance for Keenum. The Raiders were called for three false starts and three delay-of-game penalties, and the Texans have been penalised for more yardage than any other team with 459.

Suggested bets: Kansas City -6 (2.5 units @ $1.87) LOSE, game total -38.5 (2.5 units @ $1.91) WIN (16-17)

Other tips

New England Patriots @ New York Jets +3.5 $1.87 WIN +43.5 $1.91 WIN (27-30)

San Diego Chargers @ Jacksonville Jaguars +9.5 $1.74 LOSE +45.5 $1.91 LOSE (24-6)

Cincinnati Bengals WIN $2.10 WIN @ Detroit Lions +46.5 $1.91 WIN (27-24)

Buffalo Bills +6.5 $1.91 @ Miami Dolphins WIN (23-21)

Chicago Bears @ Washington Redskins +49.5 $1.91 WIN (41-45)

Dallas Cowboys +3 $1.83 WIN @ Philadelphia Eagles -55 $1.91 WIN (17-3)

St Louis Rams @ Carolina Panthers -42.5 $1.91 LOSE (15-30)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Atlanta Falcons -6 $1.87 WIN +43 $1.91 WIN (23-31)

San Francisco 49ers -3.5 $1.95 WIN @ Tennessee Titans -41 $1.91 LOSE (31-17)

Cleveland Browns @ Green Bay Packers +45.5 $1.91 LOSE (13-31)

Baltimore Ravens @ Pittsburgh Steelers -1 $1.87 WIN +41 $1.91 LOSE (16-19)

Denver Broncos -7 $1.95 LOSE @ Indianapolis Colts +57 $1.91 WIN (33-39)

EPL for October 21

Aston Villa (3-1-3) v Tottenham Hotspur (4-1-2), Villa Park, Birmingham, England, Monday, October 21, 2am

Fans of these two sides won’t be too sure what’s to come here (neither am I)! Villa beat Manchester City in their last home game, which marked a rare success for a club that has performed much better on the road than at home. Meanwhile, Spurs were amassing a solid if unspectacular record in the EPL season until they were smashed at home 3-0 by West Ham. Prior to that game they’d only conceded two goals in 11 matches all season, but were opened up by a moment of Ravel Morrison magic and some astute tactical planning from Sam Allardyce. Winger Aaron Lennon is in contention to return here having recovered from a foot problem while Danny Rose and Etienne Capoue are definitely sidelined, and defender Younes Kaboul is in doubt. All three of Tottenham’s away fixtures this season have ended 1-0 (W2, L1) but in their past two visits to Villa Park, Spurs have won 4-0.

Villa are five points better off than at this stage last season. That in itself is not an accurate barometer of improvement, but it is when you consider they’ve already played Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City. They were also missing star striker Christian Benteke, whose absence was more obvious in the draw that followed at Hull. He looks to be back for this one. Benteke has missed the past two league games with a hip injury but trained with Belgium and Villa during the week. Spurs are unbeaten in their last nine league matches against Aston Villa (W6, D3) since a 2-1 home defeat in September 2008 but Villa’s current three-match unbeaten run is their longest spell without a league defeat in 2013. They have not won successive EPL home games in a single season since August 2010 and have won only 10 of the 41 league matches at Villa Park since the start of 2011-12.

Suggested bets: Both Teams to Score (three units @ $1.73) LOSE, game total -2.5 (one unit @ $1.85) WIN (0-2)

Note: All times quoted on the Last at Cannington blog are Australian Eastern Daylight Time (AEDT)

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