Daily tips for May 27

Racing for May 27

Horse racing: Benalla (Vic), Muswellbrook (NSW), Narromine (NSW), Nowra (NSW)

Harness racing: Albion Park (Qld), Globe Derby (SA), Newcastle (NSW), Pinjarra (WA), Warragul (Vic) 
Greyhound racing: Albion Park (Qld), Angle Park (SA), Bathurst (NSW), Bendigo (Vic), Bulli (NSW), Cranbourne (Vic), Launceston (Tas), Northam (WA), Shepparton (Vic)

A new racing week kicks-off with a modest line-up of meetings with our focus on the Victorian provincial card at Benalla, about two hours north-east of Melbourne. Weather looks fine for the 10-race meeting on a dead (5) with our best of the day scheduled to jump in seventh – the L&S Adams Freight Service Hcp over 2046m for 0-58 rated runners.

The record of #1 Ferocious Fire from the Colin Little stable at Caulfield is slightly misleading. The 5yo gelding has had two runs back from a spell but both in stronger company than this. He saluted over 2100m at Geelong during his last campaign to break his maiden. Daniel Stackhouse carries 60kg from barrier 14, but he looks hard to beat.

Other tips

Benalla R8 #5 First Course (E/W) 2nd ($1.40)

Muswellbrook R2 #3 Akamas (win) 1st ($2.60)

Narromine R5 #4 Zarhron (E/W) LOSE (U/P)

Harness racing tip: Warragul R5 #1 Astronaut (win) 1st ($2.50)

Greyhound racing tip: Bulli R5 #3 Cawbourne Rocka (win)

MLB for May 27

Atlanta Braves (30-18) @ New York Mets (17-29), Citi Field, New York, NY, Monday, May 27, 10.05am

While the Atlanta Braves continue to roll, the New York Mets remain in a free fall. The Braves can win nine in a row by handing the Mets a ninth consecutive home loss Sunday night. Things proved doubly delightful Saturday for Atlanta (30-18) after it won the conclusion of Friday's suspended game 7-5 in 10 innings, then rolled to a 6-0 victory over New York in the regularly scheduled contest.

The Braves, who won 10 straight from April 5-16, have outscored their last eight opponents 47-21. Atlanta has won 15 of 18 over the Mets (17-29), including five straight and seven of eight at Citi Field. New York is 0-5 on an eight-game home stand and in the midst of its longest slide in Queens since it dropped nine straight September 7-20.

After starting a winless loser in Dillon Gee in yesterday’s match-up, the Mets start Shawn Marcum (0-5, 5.69) who has also yet to win a game this year as we’re coming up on the month of June. Atlanta starts right-hander Julio Teheran who has pitched five consecutive quality outings. In his last 33 2/3 innings, he’s given up just nine earned runs and has pinpoint control, walking only two batters in that amount of time.

Suggested bet: Braves WIN (four units @ $1.77) LOSE (2-4)

Other tips

Orioles @ Blue Jays +10 WIN (5-6)

Cubs @ Reds WIN LOSE (5-4)

Marlins @ White Sox WIN WIN (3-5)

Twins @ Tigers WIN WIN (1-6)

Phillies @ Nationals WIN WIN (1-6)

Yankees @ Rays +7 WIN (3-8)

Pirates @ Brewers WIN LOSE (5-4)

Angels WIN @ Royals WIN (5-2)

Cardinals @ Dodgers -6.5 LOSE (5-3)

Athletics -1.5 @ Astros WIN (6-2)

NHL playoffs for May 27

Western Conference semi-final, game 4: Los Angeles Kings @ San Jose Sharks, HP Pavilion, San Jose, CA, Monday, May 27, 10.05pm (Kings lead series 3-2)

Joe Thornton and the San Jose Sharks aren't exactly sure why home teams have been winning games in the NHL playoffs at a clip not seen in more than three decades. They just hope that trend continues for Game 6 when they look to stave off elimination against the defending Stanley Cup champion Los Angeles Kings and force a decisive seventh game.

The home team has won all five games of this series so far with the Kings holding a 3-2 edge. In fact, the home team has won all nine games between the teams this year, including the regular season. Through Friday’s games, home teams have won 45 of 65 games this post-season for a .692 winning percentage.

However, the momentum is with the Kings, who are coming off a stellar effort in Game 5 where they again shut out the Sharks out. The Kings have dominated the three games played in LA and they’ve been close in the two games in San Jose. The Kings have outscored the Sharks 9-3 in the three games at Staples Center while the Sharks have won by equal 2-1 margins in the two games in San Jose.

Suggested bet: Kings WIN (one unit @ $2.00) LOSE, game total -5 (three units @ $1.60) WIN (1-2)

NBA playoffs for May 27

Eastern Conference final, game 3: Miami Heat @ Indiana Pacers, Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN, Monday, May 27, 10.30am

Over the first two games of these Eastern Conference finals in Miami, it was Indiana that primarily had control, never allowing the reigning NBA champions to hold anything more than a five-point lead. The Pacers got a split for their efforts, and now head home to Indianapolis for Game 3, knowing that they’ve already taken a huge step toward pulling off what would undoubtedly be called a huge upset.

Indiana is 6-0 at home in these playoffs, winning by an average of 14 points. The Heat are 4-0 on the road this post-season, also winning those games by an average of 14 points, and 4-1 straight up and against the spread when revenging a home loss versus an opponent since the start of the regular season, with the UNDER going 4-1 in that situation. Something's going to give here.

Four-time NBA MVP LeBron James led all scorers with 36 points in Game 2, but it wasn’t enough. James has been known to raise his level of play in hostile environments this time of year, which has led directly to Miami winning 14 games on the road in the playoffs since he arrived in South Beach. But if the Heat are to win this series, they’ll need more production from Ray Allen, Norris Cole, Udonis Haslem and Shane Battier who are just 6-37 from the field through the first two games.

Suggested bet: Game total -181.5 (two units @ $1.91) LOSE, Heat -1 (two units @$1.91) WIN (114-96)

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