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250 Newmarket group 3 Sweet Solaria stakes for 2 year olds. Speed figures 1 Value Theory 119 2 Majestic Glory 117 3 Almondandeshah 113 3 Ranaisance 113 Personally I like Majestic Glory so its a decent reverse forecast for me. A couple of weeks ago I gave one at Goodwood to watch it struggled to get through a wall of horses and then stumbled so did better than the results showed and I think it well worth a bet at 14/1 in the 3:25 at Newmarket South Audley

A couple of winners at Haydock mean the selections have shown a minus of 6.5 points today which looking at the results at Ascot I'll happily take that !!

There is one runner I am interested in at Ayr this evening at a big price, Classy Al goes for Jim Goldie in the 6.25 who obviously has a great record at the track. Classy Al is having only his 6th career run tonight and his 3rd go in a handicap. He ran over course and distance on 26th July in a Class 6 race, he had a poor, low draw that day and as a result in my opinion he was tenderly ridden by Mulrennan. Notwithstanding that, he stayed on from well back under hand and heels to finish 5th, beaten 4 lengths off a mark of 62. The winner of that race was Jordan Electrics who has won a Class 4 race since, and the horse that finished a place in front of Classy Al was Mr Trevor who won at Thirsk yesterday, so there looks to be a bit of substance to the form. He has a nice, high draw in 11 this evening and has been dropped a couple of lbs to 60. His previous runs suggest he is a hold up horse so he will probably need a bit of luck in running but this should be run at an honest enough pace and one of the confirmed front runners Thin Blue Line is drawn right next to him in 12. I think he is more than capable of going very close off this kind of mark given a clear, true run. He actually opened up at 28/1 initially and that was quickly shorted to a best price of 14/1 at one point but has drifted again this morning, 20/1 still available which looks more than fair.

My Trixie today is: 5.10 Hd Northern Express 13/8 (2nd fav but I think it's the best horse) 6.25 Ayr Bridgetown 2/1 8.05 Lin Lilkian 5/2 One £2 win Trixie = £8.00 poss return of £110.24 Single: 6.25 Ayr Captain Jameson £1 win at 9/1 (in case Bridgetown doesn't fire) Total stakes = £10.00 Good luck to all betting at Ascot today

August-3 1pt level stakes win only 14.35 Asc Rising Sand 15/2 15.45 Asc Shark Two One 12/1 17.45 Kil Johanna Yeats 12/1 Prices as of now b365

It’s not for everyone but it’s Shergar Cup day on Saturday at Ascot after a years absence. Once again I’m spending the day looking as much at weather forecasts as form books! It’s already good to soft at Haydock with more rain to come so I’m looking at the two ITV races there as soft ground whilst Ascot as on the slow side of good. If you are playing at Ascot today make sure that you bet with the few firms that are paying 4 places. Anyway here’s my thoughts on the 9 ITV races on Saturday - Ascot 1250 The 5F Dash starts the Shergar meeting and a typically tough race it is. A case can be made for plenty here and stakes should be kept to a minimum. The last two winners of this contest are back in Tis Marvelous (2018) and Stone Of Destiny (2019). The former is arguably the form horse coming here on the back of a good third at the track a fortnight ago. He ideally though would prefer a better surface. Stone Of Destiny tops the weights and hails from the very much in form yard of Andrew Balding’s. He’s been plying his trade in group races recently and a drop back into handicap company can see him do well although he too wouldn’t want the ground any worse than good to soft. STONE OF DESTINY 1 point each way @ 6/1 1/5 1234 Paddy Power Ascot 125 The Shergar Cup Stayers is run over just short of two miles and a good bet here is the Jane Chapple-Hyam trained Uber Cool who will be ridden by James Doyle. The 7 year old gelding defied a 959 day absence to win at Chester on good to soft ground back in May and has been given a ten week break since to get over that effort. He’s been shunted up 5lb but that may not stop this improving horse who’s won 7 of his 14 career starts on ground varying between good to firm to heavy. Call My Bluff is on a hat trick here following wins at Nottingham and Chester and any further easing of the ground will be in his favour. East Asia is maybe the biggest danger though stepping back up to 2 miles following a good 5th over 1m 6F at Newmarket last time. UBER COOL 3 points win @ 10/3 Bet365 Ascot 200 The Shergar Cup Challenge is run over 12F and with the ground easing my two against the field are Sam Cooke and Spanish Kiss. Preference is for the latter who had alternative entries this weekend in the Stayers race and also at Newmarket. William Knight’s gelding was very impressive when winning at York (from subsequent smart winner Live Your Dream) and at Newmarket before a slightly disappointing 5th over 14F here when the race didn’t pan out for him. He’s a pound lower now and has the assistance of UAE based jockey Tadhg O’Shea. Group One Power finished ahead of Sam Cooke at Chester last time but isn’t certain to confirm that form. Spanish Kiss is a confident selection. SPANISH KISS 2 points each way @ 6/1 1/5th 1234 William Hill Haydock 225 A good third to Guru at Ascot last time, Roger Varian’s Frankel colt may handle the likely soft conditions better than his opponents and win this 1 mile handicap. Royal Mews is an interesting runner trained by the Gosden’s but has only run on the all weather so it’s anyone’s guess how he’ll cope with today’s boggy terrain. I’ll stick with the proven soft ground form of Fantastic Fox to be ridden by the owners retained jockey Silvestre De Sousa. FANTASTIC FOX 2 points win @ 15/8 William Hill Ascot 235 Bear Force One EW The Shergar Cup Mile has filled with ten runners and once again has an open look about the race. There was some decent money around last week for Roger Teal’s Bear Force One at Doncaster when trying 10F for the first time. He may have not stayed or possibly needed that run (his first for 104 days) and like last year can win on his third start of the season with Shergar Cup veteran Hayley Turner in the saddle. Likely favourite is Dance Fever who’s third last time out here over 7F is good form. He appears to have a preference for fast ground though and has been pulled out twice in his career because of the ground easing. BEAR FORCE ONE 1 point each way @ 14/1 1/5th 1234 Newmarket 250 The Group 3 Sweet Solera Stakes has attracted 11 runners this season and can go to the favourite Wild Beauty trained locally by Charlie Appleby for the Godolphin operation. The best 2 year old filly I’ve seen this year is the Gosden’s Inspiral who won well at Sandown and had Wild Beauty 3 1/2L back in third that day. That piece of form alone gives her a winning chance today. She had the Gosden second string Sunstrike a neck away in third and should confirm the form today. That was on fast ground and she had previously won at Haydock and Newbury on soft ground so if the showers did change the ground it wouldn’t worry this Frankel filly who will be ridden by William Buick. Majestic Crown is a maiden winner trained by the very much in form Andrew Balding here last month and stepping up in trip is an interesting runner along with Value Theory who may be the biggest threat to the selection. WILD BEAUTY 2 points win @ 5/2 Bet365 Ascot 310 The Shergar Cup Classic is next and is run over 1m 4F. The likely favourite is yet again a favourite today who wouldn’t want any easing of the ground. Barn Owl is a progressive handicapper trained by Roger Charlton but was pulled out because of the softening ground at Goodwood and with doubts about the ground is worth taking on here. Contact maybe the one to be with to small stakes. He probably didn’t truly get home over 1m 6F last time and the drop in trip here looks ideal. CONTACT 1 points each way @ 6/1 1/5 1234 William Hill Ascot 345 The final race on 2021 Shergar Cup day is the Sprint for three year olds and once again the likely favourite looks ground dependent. Royal Scimitar is the form horse following a good 4th in a hot sprint handicap at the Newmarket July meeting but has twice this season been pulled out because of soft ground and with showers forecast is overlooked here. Ed Walkers’s Popmaster was actually a short head ahead of Royal Scimitar at Newmarket and although worse off at the weights may handle the conditions better and has gone on from that run to win at Doncaster on good to soft ground a week ago. Adam Kirby is in the saddle and he’s the selection here. POPMASTER 2 points win @ 9/2 Bet365 Haydock 410 Warm favourite here is the Saeed Bin Suroor trained Real World who did us a favour at Royal Ascot when winning the Royal Hunt Cup in scintillating fashion and has followed up since in the listed Steventon Stakes at Newbury. He’s smart and will be hard to beat but has only run on a fast surface and with showers forecast and with ground conditions at Haydock always likely to turn quickly I’m happy to look elsewhere although it would not surprise me were he to win this. Euchen Glen won’t mind if the ground softens and is a definite player here despite a 3lb penalty but the one I like here is one of the two three year olds in the race in Andrew Balding’s Foxes Tales who’s stepping up from handicap company to today’s Group 3 Rose Of Lancaster Stakes. Impressive when winning at this trip at Royal Ascot in the Golden Gates Handicap he only went down a head in a very competitive handicap at the Newmarket July meeting and won’t mind the ground as his Ascot win was gained on soft ground. I also think Stormy Antarctic can run well on his favoured ground and is worth a saver bet. FOXES TALES 2 points win @ 9/2 Bet365 STORMY ANTARCTIC 1 point win @ 10/1 Paddy Power

3.50 Cork Cactus Tree 100/30 4.00 Newmarket Storm Damage 11/10 Good luck all CNBB

Few bets on, doing US tonight too. 1425 Hay Fantastic Fox 1545 Asc Popmaster Also.did double on above 1450 New Wild Beauty (moneyback) 1325 ASC Call my Bluff & Uber Cool (moneyback) E/w small bet - Asc 1325 East Asia Hay 1350 Cosmos Raj Hay 1610 Euchen Glen Ayr 1855 Ayr Poet Good luck all

Kilbeggan 7.45 Chase Demain Des L’Aube and Definite Soldier can’t be separated on ratings, but I’ll take a chance on the former, with the latter being 12 now . Demain Des L’Aube 13/2 10 points win

Just a few bets for me on Saturday... LINGFIELD 5.05 Folly Beach - 4/1 5th Eton Blue - 5/1 4th 5.35. Basic Beauty - 5/1 3rd 6.35. Hellavapace - 3/1 1st ? 7.05. Heptathlete - 5/1 5th 7.35 Roccozaam - 3/1 5th 8.05 Good Earth - 4/1 8th I was listening to the Racing Post podcast and Dream Conti (7.45 Killbeggan) was mentioned as a tip. It was 25/1 last night and is 16/1 this morning. I stuck a small bet (50p) EW and a 50p to win bet on. Could be a disaster, but worth a shot. Dream Conti = 7th. Unfortunately these selections weren't very good. ?.

Aplomb 12 50 asc 1/2 pt win 17/1 betfair Grafite 2 00 asc 1/2 pt win 17/1 betfair Data protection 2 35 asc 1/2 pt win 23/1 betfair P/L = + 111.5 pts

235 Ascot - Lord Rapscallion 14/1 ew ( 4 ) 410 Haydock - Fancy Man 7/1 ew ( 2 ) 430 Newmarket - Chief Little Hawk 40/1 ew ( 3 )

Cardiff vs Barnsley It couldn't have been a better start for us in the opening game of the Championship with that draw and both teams scoring but it was never in doubt was it?! The next game I'm covering is my very own Cardiff who kickstart their campaign at home against last season's play-off semi-finalists Barnsley in a 3pm BST kick-off at the Cardiff City Stadium. Can either team start with a win? Cardiff have had a bit of an underwhelming summer transfer window. The departures of loanees Harry Wilson, Sheyi Ojo, and Jordan Osei-Tutu along with the end of contract exits of Joe Bennett, Junior Hoilett, Sol Bamba, and Joe Bennett left us significantly weakened compared to last season. When you consider we've only added Luton striker James Collins, Ryan Wintle from Crewe, Mark McGuinness from Arsenal, and Ryan Giles on loan from Wolves it feels like we're still lacking 2-3 players. Central midfield remains an issue for me and our options out wide now are very limited. It's likely Mick McCarthy will stick with the 3-5-2 system from last season so we do have the likes of Giles, Joe Bagan, Perry Ng, and Thomas Sang that can play the wing back roles it still seems like we need more quality in those areas to make the most of the system. Expectations are very limited this season and our fans are just glad to be back watching the team in the stadium. Kieffer Moore is unlikely to be heavily involved today as he continues his return to full training after a physically demanding 2020 European Championship. Barnsley defied a number of people's expectations to finish in the top six last season. Head coach Valerien Ismael was rewarded for his achievements by being offered the managerial role at recently relegated West Brom. The man chosen to replace him was little known former TSV Hartberg gaffer Markus Schopp. You have to feel his experience as a data analyst for St Polten a few years back must have something to do with why he appealed to the "moneyball" approach of Billy Beane et al at board room level. The Tykes have lost a number of squad players from last season's successful season including Alex Mowatt, Conor Chaplin, and Michael Solbauer but they have recruited quickly with the likes of Devante Cole, Obbi Oulare, Josh Benson, and Aaron Leya Iseka coming in. It's undoubtedly going to be a transitional season for the Yorkshire club but how quickly can they gel this new-look side under a new man at the helm? I have to admit, even though Barnsley did very well last season I felt we had their number. We beat them 3-0 at home and drew with them 2-2 away when we probably should have won that game too. I've tipped Barnsley to struggle this season. They defied the odds last year and they've lost their star man in Mowatt and not replaced him. Combine that with a new man coming in with fresh ideas and it could cause problems. Cardiff might not be as strong as last season but we'll be well-drilled, organised, and disciplined. I can see us sneaking this one in front of a passionate home crowd. As I've always said, you have to back McCarthy to win his home games! Cardiff to Win @ 2.56 with SBK Anytime Scorer: James Collins @ 3.30 with Betfair

Todays Fun 40p Lucky 15 = £6:00 250 Newmarket Value Theory 10/3 3rd 325 Newmarket South Audley 14/1 lost (disappointing) 500 Newmarket Bugle Major 5/1 Shocker 215 Deauville Salesman 14/1 won All prices available at time of posting at bet365 bit frustrating but nearly doubled the stake on this £11.60 returned so now the bank is £91.60 from £100

I am in Surrey and I got drenched. I'm glad I had my silly cap in my bag. I raced to a pub. People arriving that are also soaked. It'll affect the going. I'm hoping that the sun will arise and dry things out mainly by 1pm. Many thanks to @The Brigadier. Saturday could be a hard day to find winners.

Bournemouth vs West Brom The Championship season starts at 7:45pm BST on Friday night when two of the teams I've backed to be in contention for promotion to the Premier League go head-to-head with Bournemouth hosting West Brom at the Vitality Stadium. Both teams have new men in charge at the club after respective disappointing campaigns last season so will either begin this season with a win? Bournemouth missed out on the opportunity to return to the top flight of English football at the first time of asking last season after an aggregate defeat to Brentford in the Championship play-off semi-finals. Former head coach Jonathan Woodgate has been relived of his managerial duties and the club have taken the shrewd decision to bring in former Fulham gaffer Scott Parker to lead their campaign. It's been a case of keeping things consistent for Parker with the only transfer arrivals being Brentford's creative midfielder Emiliano Marcondes and the loan signing of left back Leif Davis from Leeds on loan. It's probably no surprise given the quality throughout this Cherries squad including the likes of Dominic Solanke, David Brooks, and Philip Billing to name a few. Pre-season offered a mixed bag of results but the performances showed glimpses of what appear to be positive signs ahead of the opening game. West Brom will be licking their wounds after relegation from the Premier League last season. Manager Sam Allardyce left the club almost immediately after their relegation was confirmed and the board have made the controversial decision to appoint former Barnsley head coach Valerien Ismael as their new boss. The Baggies are another team that haven't really added much more quality to their current squad but they still boast a strong line-up. Alex Mowatt from Barnsley and Adam Reach from Sheffield Wednesday are the two stand out signings with centre back Matthew Clarke from Brighton potentially being a clever loan move. Ismael has done well to get rid of a lot of deadwood within the team with the likes of Charlie Austin, Branislav Ivanovic, Sam Field, Kamil Grosicki, Lee Peltier, and Hal Robson-Kanu all leaving the club. This squad still possesses the talents of players such as Sam Johnstone, Grady Diangana, and Callum Robinson. The big question is what impact will the exit of Matheus Pereira to Saudi Arabian club Al Hilal have on the club? Well, what a game to kick-off this new Championship season. Two teams that almost have Premier League ready squads going at it for an early scalp. I've been looking at how these two teams could set-up and I can't see a lot between them. Both of these teams have squads packed full of quality players, have new managers at the helm that know this division, and will likely favour a more attacking style of football. I have to back the draw but it could well be an entertaining one. Albeit slightly disjointed at this early stage of the season. Draw @ 3.45 with SBK BTTS @ 1.83 with Sport Nation

One for me today if he stays is Ocean Wave at Lingfield this evening. Upped 4 furlongs in trip thou.

It is of zero interest to me.

Welcome to my team-by-team preview for the 2021/22 Championship season. Here, I will write a post for each team participating in the second tier of English football including their pre-season transfers so far and where I think they will finish this season. No doubt, we can look back at the end of the season and see how right or wrong I was.

RESULTS UPDATE Very interesting that Captain Jamestown won and Bridgetown finished down the field. Also, on reflection Northern Express wasn't a good choice, however I don't know what Paul Mulrennan was getting up to at the start of the race. Very peculiar positioning of the horse. The last leg won but I did not play a single as I had already got my money back + £1.00 on my singles bet. This makes my new balance £708.19 (Bank £1056.22) 3 UK meetings tomorrow. Only one class 3 at WIndsor but only 3 runners and top two almost at evens. All class 4 events at Haydock with their heavy going so it doesn't look like a day for anyone to lump on anything

Well, the point is that we can so easily be duped into thinking that the shorter priced choice should have the best chance of winning. However, I feel quite confident that if @Wildgardenever wants to win the Naps comp he should always put up his strongest fancied longer priced runner. I sincerely hope that I will follow my own advice in future ?

The one you thought was the most likely winner I’d say, although some people would rather nap value .

Should have split it 5 points win on both. Will do that from now on if both level rated. Betting is full of should haves though . I’m pleased the ratings work out well, although my selection ran a stinker . I’m also happy just sticking to jump racing. Nice to have some discipline in your betting .

You make a very good point. My Trixie selection in the 6.25 at Ayr was Bridgetown which ended up 9/4 favourite. However, I backed Captain Jamestown at 9/1 as a saver bet at 9/1 which won. which one should I have napped?

one win and all places so far on my naps start... getting closer to another win today again lol. harder than i thought; im profitable each day overall but picking best value one to win from all my 8-10 picks sometimes more is hard.

Charlie Appleby had Luzuli last night who weakened tamely in the straight but that was a sprint, you would think horses from this side of the ocean can fair better over the longer distances against the US horses, but not sure we always send our best to the US as it's down to invitation (not sure how this works) Bolshoi Ballet looks hard to beat after his Belmont win last time where didn't get the best of trips, don't like the price though so gonna take a chance on Du Jour e-w instead he was 4th in that race

Well, you talked about his last 2 matches but you did not mention anything about his foot problems. Without counting his last match he only has been defeated by Rublev, Tsitsipas, Sascha and Djokovic during this year. He won in Barcelona and Rome and only the best Nole I have seen in the last years separated him from winning the FO. That being said, I have to say that I found really odd the reason you gave to explain Nadal's decline (the break points saved thing). When you play against the best players crucial points usually decide the outcome of the match but you only mention the break points saved..., what about the break points converted? Or what about all the other important aspects as 1st serves in play, 1st and 2nd serve points won,etc.? Anyways, let's see how Nadal has done in that aspect (BP's saved) during this year (only against the best players he has played). Tsitsipas - AO - 3/5 (60%) Rublev - Montecarlo - 8/15 (53%) Tsitsipas - Barcelona - 11/13 (85%) Sascha - Madrid - 3/6 (50%) Sascha - Rome 9/10 (90%) Nole - Rome 5/8 (63%) Nole - FO 14/22 (64%) Honestly, I don't think these stats are bad (and notice that 4 of those 7 matches were matches that Nadal lost). Actually, in ALL those matches his opponent had worse stats than him on BP's saved (except for the match he played against Sascha in Madrid were both players have a 50%). Nadal's decline will be a matter of age, not " a bad % of BP's saved..."

Good shout on Majestic Glory, my eyes fluttered over it a couple of times but went with The fav, just tried to play safe, although got my money back so all good.

Blackburn v Swansea: 20 points on Brereton to score at 13/5 PP. Favourite Armstrong not starting, Brereton looks decent at the price in his absence.

16:30 Newmarket Quintillus 11/10 Bet365

Lingfield 6.05 Manaafith Bet365 4/7

2.00 Ascot Sam Cooke 10/3 Bet365

Ascot 12.50 Stone Of Destiny each way 7/1 bet365

17:30 Newmarket-Dancing Harry SP IF n/r 16:00 Newmarket-Zagato SP

Ascot 3.10 State Of Bliss 13-2 Bet365

just looked at race obrien and harrington got horses in it will still back it but not so sure now lol

i normally find any british horse that travels normally come up trumps obrian had a couple of short priced horses in usa think they both won not long ago thanks for putting up will back it now

Just noticed a wad of horses pull out of Haydock 1535 (or 45), just noticed after I did coral superseries.

Well done to trainer Lisa Williamson who won with Celerity at Haydock yesterday. The horse had run 105 times before and never won a race.. Goes to show there is a race to be won with every horse, celerity won of a mark of 45

Now that’s what you call an handicap blot ?

If a horse has seven stones of lead weights in his saddle, that makes it hard to float. It's a bit of a handicap. Have you seen the film or read the book called Great Expectations (Charles Dickens)? In the opening scene a convict called Magwitch escaped from the floating prison near the Kent coast. He swam to shore. Later on, Pip helped Magwitch to remove the huge iron cuffs around his arms and feet. That's a strong swimmer.

Well done @StevieDay1983, nice start

I was reading that 8 of the last 24 Community Shields were drawn but I'm not sure how relevant that is for this year's renewal. 45 of the 48 participants were the "biggish" 5 of Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Man City and Man United. The only 3 "lesser" teams to crash the party (Portsmouth, Wigan and Leicester) all lost. Leicester may well force penalties tomorrow but I'm not sure the odds are necessarily wrong.

Luton How much longer can Nathan Jones keep performing miracles with Luton? That's the big question that needs to be answered when deciding what sort of campaign the Hatters are going to have this year. The team finished in an impressive 12th position last season with Jones bringing the best out of, with all due respect, a limited group of players. Less than 1 goal per game scored shows how they are left wanting up front and when that's the case you're always in danger of being dragged into a relegation dog fight unless your midfield and defence can keep a tight ship. The performances of the midfield and defence will be even more important after the sale of top scorer James Collins to Cardiff. Jones hasn't wasted any time in the transfer market with some eye-opening signings. The biggest coup undoubtedly being Motherwell's former Scotland under-21 international midfielder Allan Campbell. The club has also signed a few seasoned Championship players in Cameron Jerome from MK Dons, Henri Lansbury from Bristol City, Amari'i Bell from Blackburn, and Fred Onyedinma from Wycombe. It's also going to be interesting to see how Reece Burke fits into Jones's system after his arrival from newly promoted Hull City. Then there's also the unproven talent of Admiral Muskwe from Leicester and Carlos Mendes Gomes from Morecambe. I have no doubt that this Luton team will provide tricky opposition for any team they come up against this season but I still feel this is a squad that lacks the quality needed to repeat last season's mid-table achievements. Jerome isn't the player he was years ago and Muskwe only scored 3 goals in 17 games on loan for Wycombe last season. Winger Jordan Clark has scored 6 goals in pre-season to date but all of those goals have come against non-league opposition. Impotency up front could prove costly. My Prediction: 20th

Hull City As I said, it gets very tight at this point and Hull City were one of my considerations for a return right back down to League One but at the end of the day you can't deny that manager Grant McCann is building a very solid team at the MKM Stadium. The Tigers stormed to the League One title last season with a few shrewd signings, including top scorer Malik Wilks, transforming a beleaguered relegation side into confident champions. This is a team that is ready-made for the Championship. The back-line only conceded 38 goals in 46 games last season. The midfield contains the likes of Richie Smallwood, George Honeyman, and Greg Docherty, and the attacking options of Malik and Lewis Keane-Potter will threaten even the sternest Championship defence. So where is the issue? It's the depth. McCann has looked to address this by bringing in midfield duo George Moncur and Andy Cannon as well as winger Randell Williams but is it enough? They may need 2-3 more additions to keep their safety hopes alive. It's a tough call for this Hull City team. The majority of sides that win League One tend to have a solid first campaign in the Championship. A number of this squad have played at this level before and that bit of experience could help edge them over the line just above the drop zone. This could be a season of fine margins though. If they can carry their form on from last season then they might shock us and make a push for the play-offs but on the flip side if they start poorly it could be a difficult season. I'm expecting a decent start but they could fade away as a lack of squad depth hits. My Prediction: 21st

Peterborough OK, so things begin to get a little tight around this area. I'm fairly happy with backing Blackpool and Derby to fill two of the relegation spots but the third one is wide open. Still, I had to pick a team and the team I have chosen is Peterborough. Manager Darren Ferguson is now in his third spell as gaffer of the Posh and his achieved his third promotion from League One with the club. Unfortunately, on the two previous occasions, Ferguson struggled to adapt his team to life at a higher level. They were relegated straight back to the third tier in 2009/10 and then survived for an extra season the second time before being relegated again in 2012/13. This Peterborough squad is arguably weaker than the previous two that earned promotion to the Championship so you have to wonder if they realistically stand any better chance of surviving than their predecessors. The one thing that Ferguson has done effectively is recruit fresh blood such as central midfielder Jorge Grant from Lincoln City, striker Jack Marriott from Derby, and centre back Josh Knight from Leicester. All three players will add quality to this Peterborough team and will boost their survival hopes but the problem lies with the rest of the squad. Yes, players such as Jonson Clarke-Harris, Siriki Dembele, and Sammie Szmodics look like they have what it takes but can Peterborough keep them with the vultures circling? I also have concerns that after the sale of Mohamed Eisa to MK Dons that Peterborough are a little short of options up front, especially with Clarke-Harris currently injured. One thing that could work in Peterborough's favour is consistency. If Ferguson can keep this squad together then he's made some fine additions. It's going to be tough for them and I feel it's going to be a long shot for them to avoid any sale of a key player. If Clarke-Harris goes then that's a huge problem. Even if they keep him, how much will he stay fit? I just think it could be too tall an order for Peterborough. My Prediction: 22nd

Derby I argued with myself over this next one for a long while but eventually I decided to take a gamble and pick a side I feel have been sliding towards trouble for a long time now. Derby narrowly avoided relegation last season and the appointment of manager Wayne Rooney appears to be one that could cost this club a lot. The Rams ended last season with just 1 win from their last 15 league games. I nearly contemplated putting them as a bottom-placed team and this is all even before any potential points deduction they could still face. Derby just simply look like a team that are in trouble without any major overhaul. Rooney is clearly out of his depth. Did Mel Morris think he could pull off another Frank Lampard style coup by bringing in the unproven England legend? Right now, I'm willing to take a punt that the only way Derby stand any chance of staying up this season is if they sack Rooney and bring in another manager. Even then, which manager could turn this team around? It's almost as if the club has been sleep walking towards an inevitable relegation to League One. There's undoubted quality within this Derby team. You look through their squad for this season at the moment and with the likes of Tom Lawrence, Krystian Bielik, Louie Sibley, Jason Knight, and Kamil Jozwiak you have to wonder how on earth they are doing so badly. Still, the fact Rooney has appointed Lawrence as club captain shows where the real issues lie. No eye-opening signings have been made and after they scored just 36 goals last season you have to still feel the goal scoring issues haven't been addressed. It could be a very long and hard season for Derby fans. My prediction: 23rd

Blackpool OK, so I'll do these previews in reverse order and I'll start with the team that I think could struggle to adapt to life in the Championship this season. Head coach Neil Critchley did a sterling job with the Seasiders in League One last season earning promotion to the second tier via a 2-1 play-off final victory against Lincoln City. The club has endured its tough times over recent years but the current owner and fan of the club Simon Sadler appears to be getting the club back onto the right track. Key to the club's promotion last season was their strong finish to the season which saw them lose just 2 of their last 22 league games and win their final 4 league matches. The goals of striker Jerry Yates were crucial in helping the club reach the play-offs and the big question is whether he can continue to deliver those goals at a higher level. Many strikers have struggled to make the step up from League One to the Championship before. The club has been able to retain a large portion of its promotion-winning squad which is a positive including play-off hero Kenny Dougall and the talented Luke Garbutt. However, a number of important players have left the club such as centre back Dan Ballard, striker Ellis Simms, and right back Ollie Turton. I was excited about Blackpool earning promotion to the Championship with the head coach they have and the young players they boasted. Hopes of holding onto Arsenal loanee Ballard were optimistic but he could've made such a difference. Critchley has moved to bring in Everton's Callum Connolly and Doncaster full back Reece James as well as the experienced Richard Keogh. Are the players coming in as decent as the players that have left? I can't say that they are. A lot is going to depend on how Critchley navigates the loan market and if he can use his contacts from his Liverpool under-23s days to bring in some young prospects who could make a difference. Otherwise, this could be a brave but tough campaign for Blackpool. My prediction: 24th

Definite Soldier wins at 9/1. Was 16/1 last night when I rated it up. Shame I picked the other one ? I had those two top rated then Ask Nile just behind those two. Ask Nile came second , so ratings worked out well . Never mind ...

I think he's lost some confidence in his game. Whether it's injuries or age or a higher number of players able to compete with him I'm not sure, but what's noticeable to me is his break points saved numbers seem to be way down on what they were even a few years ago. If you're feeling invincible - which Nadal certainly has in the past - then you swat away break points without any trouble and that's what Nadal always used to do. If you're low on confidence, those break points take on a much higher level of pressure because you start to think you might not save them and it seems like Nadal is increasingly buckling under that pressure. I don't think he's got much chance at the US Open, but I'd never write him off completely because he always has a great attitude and you know he'll give everything he has to try to win. As far as losing to Harris goes, the writing was on the wall when he beat Sock in the last round. He wasn't convincing and he should have lost and where Sock came up just short, Harris was able to get over the line - although it would have been interesting to see if he could have served it out, rather than breaking for the win.