Chelsea have had a woeful start to the Premier League season having managed just one win in their first five matches and currently sit one place above the relegation zone.
Tonight they are at home Maccabi Tel Aviv and this give them the perfect opportunity to try and find some form. Their usual big hitters have been well off the boil and look really low on confidence. Players like Hazard, Fabregas and Costa have started the season really poorly and I expect them to be chomping at the bit to put on a performance here.
Chelsea as expected are heavily odds on and I fully expect them to win this match by three or four goals. Therefore, Chelsea minus two on the handicap at best price 11/8 is a bet I am interested in.
Arsenal travel to Dinamo Zagreb and again this is a match they are fully expected to win. They have had an indifferent start to the season but have won their last two matches so are on track. Walcott has been given a chance to play in his favoured striker role and scored at the weekend against Stoke so I assume he will keep his place here. I don't think there will be such a wide margin in this game but the Gunners should still be plenty strong enough to come away from Zagreb with the three points and good start to the Champions League.
Sandown 15:20
Andrew Balding's Elm Park won the Racing Post Trophy last year before finishing a creditable third behind Jack Hobbs and Golden Horn in the Dante. He followed that up with a disastrous run in the Derby where he only beat one horse home and is now dropped back down to a mile.
He hasn't run for over 100 days and there has to be questions marks over the reason why and how his fitness is because of this. At odds on he is plenty short enough and I am not keen on playing at that price.
Decorated Knight for Roger Varian won nicely last time out over course and distance running on well to take the race relatively comfortably. This is quite a step up in class and the ground is softer than his previous run. He does have a host of Group race entries so is obviously very highly thought off, however the way he was staying on in his previous race suggests he wants at least ten furlongs and he needs to make another big step forward to take this.
Gabrial was beaten by the quality Kodi Bear in a Group 2 at Goodwood on his latest start and a repeat of that performance may be good enough to take this. He was the winner of the Lincoln on his first start this year and was good enough to get within three lengths of the impressive Solow in the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood (Group 1). He is a very consistent sort and I am confident he is good enough to take this.
Today's Selections
Chelsea v Maccabi Tel Aviv - Chelsea minus two on the handicap - 3 points @ 17/10 (William Hill)
Sandown 15:20 Gabrial - 1 point @ 4/1 (Paddy Power, Bet365, Stan James, BetVictor, Boylesports)