Tips for Tikay

[arbboy]

Draws in the Whitlock v wright and Barney vThornton matches both 9/2 with unibet/888sport if you can get on.  Would recommend £50 on each as singles.

[cheapwetsuit]

Haven't had the chance to do any updates on the Tirreno-Adriatico, as I've been out walking in the Lake District and got holed up overnight at the Wasdale Head Inn. No internet as my phone's wifi isn't working. Even had to rely on Mere's random picks for the Chelts Tipster Comp (even worse than mine).

Anyway, just to remind everyone, we've backed Quintana @ 5/1 (I think) and Moreno @ 100/1. Not much happened today, with all riders (bar one) getting the same time, due to the finish being decided by a bunch sprint.

In the team TT yesterday, OPQS (with Kwiatkowski and Uran) expectedly won the stage, with Orica-GreenEdge behind ... and encouragingly, Movistar (with Quintana) in third place ... 18s behind first. This is good news for our main bet, as I would have been happy with anything under half a minute. If Quintana is in good form, he should easily be able to make up the time on OPQS' two main threats in the mountains.

As for our saver bet, Moreno's team (Team Katusha) was not very impressive, finishing more than a minute back. I wouldn't write him off just yet, as I'm still expecting big things from him on the climbs (and especially the second-to-last stage).

Not many prices up yet, but Quintana is in to 2/1 at 888, so we're moving in the right direction. If cycling had more liquidity, I'd be a millionaire by now.

[Doobs]

Superb article just out

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/26558005



The Australian Grand Prix comes with the promise of a new competitive order, unfamiliar names at the front and an end to the bullet-proof reliability that has come to characterise F1 in the modern age.

But the main reason for Red Bull's struggles has been their engine supplier. Renault's attempts to build a 1.6-litre V6 turbo hybrid 'power-unit' to the most complex engine formula ever used in F1 have fallen well short of those of rivals Mercedes and, to a lesser extent, Ferrari.

--


Judging by winter testing, it is questionable whether any Renault-powered car will be able to make it to the end of the race. And the French company's two best teams - Red Bull and Lotus - have had comfortably the worst pre-season of any.

One senior figure with in-depth knowledge of Renault's situation predicted this weekend would be "ugly" for the French manufacturer.

--

The Mercedes engine is producing much more power for a given amount of fuel - the crucial ingredient in F1 this year following the introduction of a maximum limit of 100kg of fuel for a race. It has been lasting much longer, too.

Red Bull's car, all the drivers who have watched it on track agree, may well still be the class of the field in terms of aerodynamic downforce. But under this new set of rules engine performance is expected to be the dominant factor in performance, initially at least.

As the engine specifications are frozen for the year, in theory Red Bull are facing a season in the midfield. In practice, the rules allow manufacturers to apply to make changes on grounds of "cost-saving, reliability and safety". These are a backdoor way of making performance upgrades, and all three engine builders will be trying to exploit them to the limit.

That is just one of several potential areas of controversy this season. There will doubtless be more as the season develops, and perhaps already this weekend. But so also will there be the joy of novelty and surprise.

--

Fresh from the worst season in their history in 2013, Williams have made a dramatic step forward, only part of which can be attributed to switching from Renault to Mercedes engines.

The new car appears genuinely competitive and they and their unheralded but extremely talented driver Valtteri Bottas could be in line for a sensational start to the season.

The Finn's team-mate Felipe Massa set the fastest overall lap time in the two final tests in Bahrain but the word is that it was Bottas who was the more impressive of the two, and by a considerable margin.

"We have a good feeling," Bottas said. "We've seen the car is reliable, good quality, well built and quite quick.

"We have made some good progress as a team. What's unknown is how much quicker everyone else can go."

Williams showed their true absolute pace in testing and they doubt Mercedes did the same. So they don't believe they can out-qualify the factory Mercedes cars of Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg here. But over a race distance Williams could be a real threat. What a turnaround that would be.

Of the other Mercedes teams, the impression so far is that Force India are in better shape than McLaren, although that may be because McLaren saved their upgrade package for this weekend.

I think we have missed the Massa boat, despite it seemingly stopping at our pier several times.   Think it is too late for the Aussie Grand Prix for the Williams too.

I think there is still some possible value in Bottas at 50/1 for the Championship, suggest a tenner each way at 50/1.   We can get it with B365, totesport, sportingbet and if desperate 3p e/w with industry giant, Lolbrokes.

Did this get missed?  We need to back it soon,  I think first practice starts v soon.  We missed bet365, but still available at 2 bookmakers and Ladbrokes.

[GreekWay]

Which horse are we backing for the Gold Cup? Any ideas?

[tikay]

Superb article just out

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/26558005



The Australian Grand Prix comes with the promise of a new competitive order, unfamiliar names at the front and an end to the bullet-proof reliability that has come to characterise F1 in the modern age.

But the main reason for Red Bull's struggles has been their engine supplier. Renault's attempts to build a 1.6-litre V6 turbo hybrid 'power-unit' to the most complex engine formula ever used in F1 have fallen well short of those of rivals Mercedes and, to a lesser extent, Ferrari.

--


Judging by winter testing, it is questionable whether any Renault-powered car will be able to make it to the end of the race. And the French company's two best teams - Red Bull and Lotus - have had comfortably the worst pre-season of any.

One senior figure with in-depth knowledge of Renault's situation predicted this weekend would be "ugly" for the French manufacturer.

--

The Mercedes engine is producing much more power for a given amount of fuel - the crucial ingredient in F1 this year following the introduction of a maximum limit of 100kg of fuel for a race. It has been lasting much longer, too.

Red Bull's car, all the drivers who have watched it on track agree, may well still be the class of the field in terms of aerodynamic downforce. But under this new set of rules engine performance is expected to be the dominant factor in performance, initially at least.

As the engine specifications are frozen for the year, in theory Red Bull are facing a season in the midfield. In practice, the rules allow manufacturers to apply to make changes on grounds of "cost-saving, reliability and safety". These are a backdoor way of making performance upgrades, and all three engine builders will be trying to exploit them to the limit.

That is just one of several potential areas of controversy this season. There will doubtless be more as the season develops, and perhaps already this weekend. But so also will there be the joy of novelty and surprise.

--

Fresh from the worst season in their history in 2013, Williams have made a dramatic step forward, only part of which can be attributed to switching from Renault to Mercedes engines.

The new car appears genuinely competitive and they and their unheralded but extremely talented driver Valtteri Bottas could be in line for a sensational start to the season.

The Finn's team-mate Felipe Massa set the fastest overall lap time in the two final tests in Bahrain but the word is that it was Bottas who was the more impressive of the two, and by a considerable margin.

"We have a good feeling," Bottas said. "We've seen the car is reliable, good quality, well built and quite quick.

"We have made some good progress as a team. What's unknown is how much quicker everyone else can go."

Williams showed their true absolute pace in testing and they doubt Mercedes did the same. So they don't believe they can out-qualify the factory Mercedes cars of Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg here. But over a race distance Williams could be a real threat. What a turnaround that would be.

Of the other Mercedes teams, the impression so far is that Force India are in better shape than McLaren, although that may be because McLaren saved their upgrade package for this weekend.

I think we have missed the Massa boat, despite it seemingly stopping at our pier several times.   Think it is too late for the Aussie Grand Prix for the Williams too.

I think there is still some possible value in Bottas at 50/1 for the Championship, suggest a tenner each way at 50/1.   We can get it with B365, totesport, sportingbet and if desperate 3p e/w with industry giant, Lolbrokes.

Did this get missed?  We need to back it soon,  I think first practice starts v soon.  We missed bet365, but still available at 2 bookmakers and Ladbrokes.

No, I got the bet on, exactly as recommended. Details in the morning.

Thanks.

BET PLACED

[Tal]

Which horse are we backing for the Gold Cup? Any ideas?

About a dozen. I'm going Silviniaco, so that should help you out by narrowing down the field by one.

[Marky147]

Last Instalmentttttttttttttttt!

[GreekWay]

Possible horses for the WH mobile offer Doobs?

[mondatoo]

Betfair have offer on, if you've never used the Arcade, bet £10 get free £20 bet for tmoro.

I played DOND for £10 with plan of dealing at 1st chance like a huge nit, took £10,78 oioiiiiii.

And had £2.80 in my box, wiiiiiii.

Clearly haven't drank enough making deals like that.

[mondatoo]

Wp Arbboy in the Arrars.

[Doobs]

Possible horses for the WH mobile offer Doobs?

15.20 Bobs Worth is 2/1 best price with them, and is obvious.
14.40 Briar Hill is 5/4 Hills, 2.7 Betfair, so think we need to duck it for now. Maybe they'll go better in the morning

[Doobs]

Possible horses for the WH mobile offer Doobs?

15.20 Bobs Worth is 2/1 best price with them, and is obvious.
14.40 Briar Hill is 5/4 Hills, 2.7 Betfair, so think we need to duck it for now. Maybe they'll go better in the morning

Just been in Hills to put the Bobs Worth bet on, and they are 4/1 Bobs Worth from 10am tomorrow max £10.  Presumably this will go in 3 minutes, so people need to be quick.

[GreekWay]

Possible horses for the WH mobile offer Doobs?

15.20 Bobs Worth is 2/1 best price with them, and is obvious.
14.40 Briar Hill is 5/4 Hills, 2.7 Betfair, so think we need to duck it for now. Maybe they'll go better in the morning

Just been in Hills to put the Bobs Worth bet on, and they are 4/1 Bobs Worth from 10am tomorrow max £10.  Presumably this will go in 3 minutes, so people need to be quick.

If you use a mobile, can you combine the above offer with the mobile offer?

[Karabiner]

Is there any footie on tonight?

[Marky147]

Draws in the Whitlock v wright and Barney vThornton matches both 9/2 with unibet/888sport if you can get on.  Would recommend £50 on each as singles.

Top stuff mate, but I wish you'd have pinged this up on Skype