Up at Haydock

A nice 4-1 winner for me yesterday and I stay in that sort of price range for my bet of the day today, backing King Zeal at 9-2 in the last at Haydock. I have had a good look at this race and I'm hoping that the good to soft ground, with even some heavy patches reported in the longer races, will find out most of these.

King Zeal won't be troubled by it and is in a rich vein of form since pairing up with the 7lb claimer who is on board again today. His trainer is also in good form on the flat and over the jumps and I think the way King Zeal made all at Nottingham to win by a comfortable 5L in good to soft ground in June gives him a great chance today.

It's also football betting time. I've already had a speculative tenner at 18-1 on Liverpool to win the Premier League and after reading the Racing Post guide to the new season in yesterday's paper I am forcing myself to back Bristol City for the Championship at 20-1. Being a Plymouth fan I hate the idea of backing City but a bet's a bet and I'd hate it more to see them win the division without following the several tips in the RP to back them under Steve Coppell and with David James now in goal.

And on the subject of football, Plymouth are on the telly on Saturday for the opening match of the season at Southampton. Can't wait - Peter Reid is now manager and this will be one hell of a first test for the man known by me and my son simply as "That Man Reid" as that is how commentators kept referring to him in his playing days as he kept getting involved in the play. Come on That Man!