Macca

I go back aways ... the Trevor Brooking, Frank Lampard sr, Mervyn Day & Billy Bonds era with 2 FA Cup wins in 1975 & 1980. But the Hammers aren't on an equal footing so the grief isn't there like it could be, all things being equal. Soccer operates in a free market and that will probably never change. It could be worse though ... I know a few Leeds United fans. They used to be great and now they can't get out of the Championship. I remember when Liverpool used to win the league on a constant basis ... year after year your team either won it or came 2nd. It's actually hard to believe that you haven't won the league for nearly 30 years. Premier League/Division 1 - same thing. Man City will probably win it again unless the other big clubs can take points off them - Liverpool included. Spurs with Kane are a threat too. Arsenal seems to have dropped away whilst Man Utd have got issues especially with Mourinho. Maybe Chelsea?

West Ham ... and we've got next to no chance of ever being able to genuinely compete so I support the team without having much ambition for the team other than hoping we avoid relegation and occasionally doing well against the big clubs. So we simply exist in the Premier league and that is about it. There's the prestige but that means nothing to me. Therefore, I follow the league more than the club. I reckon in the next 5-15 years we'll end up seeing a 20 team European league proper ... it is heading that way anyway. I'd welcome it too because all the individual leagues are dominated by the same teams anyway (with the odd exception) And that would open the door for a 2nd European league - promotion/relegation etc etc. Every year we hear talk of it so I can't see how it won't eventually happen. The natural advancement of the sport in Europe. Money talks. As it stands, any team in the Champions League can play up to 13 individual games in that competition anyway. And that's not counting any qualifying games that might be needed to qualify for the UCL. My interest is more so in the UCL now and I know others who are the same or who are heading that way.

2 nil now ... without Vardy playing in this match spelled doom for the home side. If Liverpool are going to threaten for the title they'll need to get lots of points against the other 5 big clubs. So winning against the various minnow clubs becomes a mandatory exercise. And there's probably about 8 - 10 minnow clubs in the Premier league - but it's often been that way.

Best Bet Strike Rate 17: 7 - 3 - 3 Australian Group & Listed Races I'll post up some videos of the feature races from the weekend when they are uploaded. Racing at Sha Tin tomorrow and the free-to-air racing station is covering the first meeting of the new season up there. Zac Purton is definitely worth following especially with Joao Moreira now based in Japan. Zac is on a number of the fancied runners tomorrow.

If you join up at Racenet.com Wadda you can Blackbook horses, trainers and/or jockeys and then Racenet will alert you with an email of your Blackbook runners, trainers or jockeys on a daily basis. I've blackbooked a number of horses as well as Weir, Gai & the Hayes partnership. I'm going to add James Cummings and Chris Waller and will probably add a few jockeys. It's an excellent aid for Saturday's especially.because Racenet does all the work for you Racenet.com (Blackbook) @binman & @Dee Zephyr might be interested as well.

Got into the finish again but 4th this time ... It's the best maiden by a good margin but the connections have to keep running the horse in black-type events (at least for the next 2 or 3 months) There's a number of good 3yo fillies about though so the pattern could continue for Oohood. A must for exotics going forward, all the same.

Humidor wins! Great ride by Damian Lane and Darren Weir gets another one. 2nd highest rated horse in the race so we had the info. Wasn't on it myself but I appreciate class. Kementari unlucky whilst Happy Clapper was never it it. Vega Magic wasn't far away either. Kings will Dream ran another eye-catching run ... Black Heart Bart & Oregan's Day were close up as well. But it was the ride of the day by Damian Lane. On the fence for nearly the whole race. Kudos.

And @Dee Zephyr comes through with another winner. Well done! Top performance by 'Unforgotten' ... big future for the horse. We might be seeing something special.

They weren't catching Native Soldier today ... set a decent pace and then cleared away in the straight. Very impressive. Seabrook ran on for 3rd but was never it in - none of the others were.

Good old Tom ran 2nd again but helped me get the trifecta so good on ya Tom! Boxed 'em this time - once bitten twice shy! Thus proving that there is a way to win by including Tom Melbourne in your exotics. The horse is a very good performer that just can't find the finishing line ahead of the rest.

If there's anything left in the coffers! Yes. He's certainly the type of player that we absolutely need.

Not much out my way in the Dandenong's but it's threatening ... it will probably be coming in from across your way so I've battened down the hatches! Was always going to include 'Lite'n In My Veins' in race 4 and it paid off reasonably well in a trifecta ... 'Night's Watch looks a horse though. Missed on 'Goodfella' at Randwick and I'm kicking myself after following the horse for a bit - had it for 2nd or 3rd but should have boxed 'em. Paid 1.5k ?

I base my thinking on the make-up of the results of any pick 5, 6 or 7 that one might put on ... there's nearly always at least 1 or 2 results that would have been at good odds beforehand. Of course, predicting which ones is the tough bit. My Monaco pick is based on them finding their true form ... they are a team that will almost certainly finish in the top 3 in Ligue 1 at seasons end so they will start winning at some stage and they are a free-scoring team. Marseille have good scoring power from their midfield too. 2 - 1 or 3 - 1 is on the cards. Here are their historical results (head to head)

The complete draw for the 2018/19 UEFA Champions League group stage, made in Monaco on Thursday: Group A: Atletico Madrid (ESP), Borussia Dortmund (GER), Monaco (FRA), Club Brugge (BEL) Group B: Barcelona (ESP), Tottenham Hotspur (ENG), Inter Milan (ITA), PSV Eindhoven Group C Paris Saint-Germain (FRA), Napoli (ITA), Liverpool (ENG), Red Star Belgrade (SRB) Group D Locomotiv Moscow (RUS), FC Porto (POR), Schalke 04 (GER), Galatasaray (TUR) Group E: Bayern Munich (GER), Benfica (POR), Ajax (NED), AEK Athens (GRE) Group F: Manchester City (ENG), Shakhtar Donetsk (UKR), Lyon (FRA), Hoffenheim (GER) Group G: Real Madrid (ESP), Roma (ITA), CSKA Moscow (RUS), Viktoria Plzen (CZE) Group H: Juventus (ITA), Manchester United (ENG), Valencia (ESP), Young Boys (SUI) First round of matches on September 18 and 19 Bayern & Man City seemed to have fared best in their respective groups whilst there are 4 reasonably strong groups, 1 mediocre group whilst Real & Roma should be able to progress from group G.

With odds-boost I just got on for 400-1 Wadda ... took the Storm to win @ 2.15 as the Storm line drifted out to +1.5. Anyway, we're in with a show. One thing I recall from winning a few decent multi's is that you need a couple/few decent payers amongst the picks. i.e you've got to take a few chances. It's not as simple as just picking all the favoured teams to win. Our 2 value picks are West Brom & Monaco - mixed in with 4 other picks that ordinarily could or should get up.

Better standard of horse running around for us this week Wadda ... and as you have noted previously, decent odds for those good horses because of the quality of fields. The latest sees 6.50 available on Laddies for Seabrook, 4.50 for Unforgotten & 3.70 for Voodoo Lad. I just put on our 3 in an all-up and got 86-1. Will go again with all 4 with BM's choice. 200-1 for 4 high quality thorougbreds? We are going to land one sooner or later but the collects can happen if we use the horses individually.

Go again mate You dipped, you took a bite, ypu dipped again!

Punters lament without prior knowledge ... that is a first!! ??

When is the tennis match on Wadda?

There would be a stack of horses that have won decent races after being beaten by Winx. 'Someone' adding to the Winx storyline for the sake of it, me thinks. Happy Clapper, Le Romain, Hartnell, Humidor have all won Group 1's after being beaten by Winx. And there would be others.

Well it must be true then if 'someone' on SEN said so Wadda ? I wouldn't be counting out Kementari although it's up against some gun runners on Saturday - particularly Vega Magic & Happy Clapper. Gator is convinced that the 3 will run the trifecta and nothing else can win.

May be Wadda because all the money is flowing towards Vega Magic, Kementari & Happy Clapper ... I suppose that's what Group 1 racing often does 'odds-wise.' Showtime is another with real claims and even Dollar for Dollar is a chance. And then there's Grunt & Black Heart Bart who can't be counted out in terms of getting into the finish. The Memsie & The Tramway Stakes up at Randwick are the standout races on Saturday. Absolute top-notch fields in both races. I can find trifecta combo's but there's any number of winning chances in all of the feature events.

Best Bet Caulfield Race 6 No.6 Seabrook $6 There's an omen bet if I've ever seen one ... there's only 1 turn over the 1200m at Caulfield and this Mick Price Filly is sure to be flying home. Ran some eye catching runs in its first preparation including a win in the Group 1 Champagne Stakes. Both Gator & Hutchy have also picked it to win.

Gone for a bit of value this week with both my soccer picks being played in the early hours this upcoming Monday morning ... banking on Spurs continuing their good form and I reckon Monaco are over the odds. Watford vs Tottenham (Win) and More than 2.5 goals in the game $2.30 (EPL Monday 1.00am) Monaco (Win) and More than 2.5 goals in the game $3.70 vs Marseille (French Ligue 1 Monday 5.00am)

No surprise with Rodgers new contract and they're obviously happy with Kizer as the main back-up QB ... 2 good moves all round. I'm neither here nor there with Hundley - didn't show a great deal but he can get better (at Seattle)