Macca

If it's spy/espionage/drama (mini-series) that is to your liking, here are some recent releases that are of good quality. From the UK ... The Night Manager & The Game. From the US ... The Assets & Rubicon In series form, Spooks (UK) & Berlin Station (US) are also very good although Spooks finished up in 2011.

Just more archaic thinking isn't it? Anyway, I've narrowed it down to 5 horses Wadda ... Humidor, Marmelo, Johannes Vermeer, Almandin & Amelie's Star (for a bit of value) All 5 into a trifecta & first 4 of some sort of configuration. Happy to take a small percentage and hope for a big dividend.

Seattle's next 4 will paint a clearer picture ... @ Arizona, vs Atlanta, @ 49ers and then vs the Eagles. If they win 3 of those 4 they'll be sitting on a record of 8 & 4. Washington aren't a bad team either but they'll probably need to get to 10 wins just to have a chance at a wild-card. At this stage I can see the 2 wild-cards coming out of the South, East & West ... probably not the North unless Detroit get their act together. 10 wins normally gets a spot but not always ... the Pats went 11 & 5 once and missed out completely. It's happened a few times like that I believe. Haven't really looked at the AFC closely but it's probably the same sort of story.

As well as Clinto's Jags. As for the Packers & Falcons, we won't be seeing a repeat of last year's NFC Championship match-up (unless a minor miracle occurs) But as you said JV, the Rams & Eagles are the standouts in the NFC ... the Saints & Vikes are both 6 & 2 as well and will take some pegging back. The Panthers, Seattle & Dallas are thereabouts but that loss by the Seahawks today could be costly. NFL Playoff Picture: Looking ahead after Week 9

Previously I've backed a few horse to win the cup and sometimes up to 5 horses with a view to tripling my total outlay. But lately I've done a trifecta and/or a first 4 with the field going for me for 3rd (trifecta) or 4th (first 4) I see Lloyd Williams has 6 runners and both Darren Weir and Irish trainer Willie Mullins have 3 runners each. The field with their barrier number's ... MELBOURNE CUP FIELD 1. Hartnell - D Lane 12 2. Almandin - F Dettori 14 3. Humidor - B ShinN 13 4. Tiberian - O Peslier 23 5. Marmelo - H Bowman 16 6. Red Cardinal - K McEvoy 24 7. Johannes Vermeer - B Melham 3 8. Bondi Beach - M Walker 1 9. Max Dynamite - Z Purton 2 10. Ventura Storm - G Boss 6 11. Who Shot Thebarman - T Berry 20 12. Wicklow Brave - S Baster 8 13. Big Duke - B Avdulla 5 14. US Army Ranger - J Spencer 22 15. Boom Time - C Parish 9 16. Gallante - M Dee 18 17. Libran - D Dunn 7 18. Nakeeta - G Schofield 19 19. Single Gaze- K O’Hara 11 20. Wall Of Fire - C Williams 15 21. Thomas Hobson - J Moreira 21 22. Rekindling - C Brown 4 23. Amelie’s Star - D Yendall 10 24. Cismontane - B Mertens 17

I was a little down on the day but got a couple of late collects ... Ace High in a trifecta & Rich Charm in the last got me out of jail. As per usual, I was close to winning tens of thousands. ha ha That was a terrific feel-good story with Rich Charm's trainer Udyta Clarke. So, it's on the Cup, The Oaks & Emirates Stakes day.

Yeah both the 1st and 2nd horses were caught out in awkward positions. Be interesting to see what they do with Ace High now ... it looks a real stayer.

Yep ... Ace High was 3 deep for a lot of the run. A commanding performance. It's a pity my first 2 picks in the 2 earlier races dipped out! .

I didn't read it that way anyway D77 ... I know plenty who have done what you've done - just part owners of various percentages. I've just never indulged. I do like frequenting the races though ... Derby day especially is a fantastic day if you've got a decent vantage point or paid for a decent seat. That's how I've done it previously, usually with just a couple of friends. I put all my bets on and then just enjoy the day. The madding crowd can please themselves.

Keenum is playing quite well and that's backed up by his numbers. It's just a bit unexpected. His QBR is 88.8 which places him 16th and he's not far off the top 10 with that rating. The Vikes almost certainly would have thought it was going to be a choice between Bradford and a returning Bridgewater. Rodgers is out indefinitely and the Lions are the Lions. However, Minnesota have got a tough 5 weeks coming up ... @ Washington, vs Rams, @ Detroit, @ Atlanta and then @ the Panthers. It's not over yet but 9 wins might win the division. The Bears could win 4 more (maybe 5) but that probably won't be enough. Much will depend on whether Detroit can get their act together. .

Decided on trifecta's in the end. I'm feeling lucky - I've got a few of your tips included@ProperDee so here's hoping. Thanks for the heads up on the 2 tips in QLD. A trifecta @ Doomben race 3 looms large. For what it's worth I'm also going to parlay up 4 races (each way on each selection) All 4 horses will run close to being favourite but I just reckon all 4 should be in the finish. But it's buyer beware ladies & gentlemen ... I'm often the world's worst tipster. Race 2 no.1 Bring Me Roses Race 3 no.5 Nieta (now there's an omen) Race 7 no.1 Ace High Race 8 no.1 Tosen Stardom Good punting to all Mac .

Houston can still win that division but they're without J J Watt as well. The Packers would need the Vikes to fall away and we'd absolutely need to defeat the Lions this week (and Hundley would need to show something) A lot of if's & but's. Too many in fact. Having said that the Lions continue to disappoint. They get opportunities and they keep blowing those chances. If someone had have told me at the start of the season that the Vikings will win the division with Case Keenum as their QB, I would have had a good laugh. But here we are.

It's just such a real shame ... the kid has shown real star quality and I hope he recovers well and recaptures his form. A non contact injury too yeah? I see that the Pats have picked up Hoyer as back up to Brady.

It's always fraught with danger including the Thursday night game in one's tips but I can't see anyone getting 3 right this week anyway ... but you never know. There may be a few 0 for 3's though ... that should be worth half a point!

Never bought into race horses although I've had a few opportunities to do so (part owner only!) I do have a first cousin who was a high profile bookmaker though ... retired now. We share the same way of thinking - percentage plays, analysis, probability factors etc. Bookies can do well unless they're not totally switched on. As for us punters, we need a good dose of luck just to break even.

I sometimes get a good tip from a mate D77 but I wouldn't ever trust my own tips! However, I've sometimes done ok with a parlay place bet (pick 4) ... gotta really study the form though.

That's a huge win by Spurs over Real in the Champions league ... 4 of the teams from England won. Chelsea lost but are still well placed with Atletico only sitting on 3 points after 4 games. Juve & Barca dropped points unexpectedly but the big losers are Dortmund. Some interesting results to say the least.

9 Group races on Saturday (Derby day) ... the best betting day on the calendar. I'll be doing the form on Friday night in a comprehensive way with a view to finding some first 4 combinations. 3 horses to win, 5 horses to come second & third with 7 horses to come fourth is my usual multiple combination. It used to be 3, 5 & 5 for trifectas but the lure of the big dividends for a first 4 is too strong. @Wadda We Sing @Diamond_Jim @ProperDee @Toorak... got any ideas, suggestions or tips?

No worries mate .. as I said, happy to discuss in the off-season. I reckon most here would rather leave the tipping part as it is though ... the design is very simple and it's low maintenance. Obviously a bit frustrating but that's the fun of it. By the way, I reckon the Lions are a big chance but I just couldn't pick against the Packers - not against a divisional rival anyway. My Detroit supporting mate knows he's going to cop some grief if they don't defeat a Rodgers-less Packers though. Is your game against the Broncos a trap game or do the Eagles just keep on their winning ways?

Well, in the first year we had joint winners so I'd rather leave it as it is (for continuity) Think of it like the Brownlow ... you get all those hard-earned votes (points) and whilst they used to have a countback, they changed it to joint winners because it was deemed unfair to lose that way. It's a good suggestion though Dappa. Happy to revisit the discussion in the NFL off-season if you like. From memory, in year 1 both cowboy_from_hell & Strafford were equal leaders going into the last week but both picked up 3 points with different tips. Extending the season proper tipping comp would effect the post-season comp as well ... that sort of just evolved because people kept tipping into the post-season (with scorelines)

Rams KC Atlanta

The games again ...

Ha ha ha ... good luck trying to find 3 road winners this week Gorgo. It's possibly the toughest week we've had.

Leaderboard in the comp 6 - Clintosaurus 5 - Dappa Dan 4 - Go the Biff 3 - JV7 1 - Gorgoroth, Macca 0 - The usual suspects This weeks games ... 2 points up for grabs in the comp. Another tough week though - good luck! Guess the Lines Week 9 with Bill Simmons & Cousin Sal (Podcast)

Jeff Saturday made mention of the vulnerability of Wentz in terms of protection and what the Eagles are asking him to do. I haven't watched the Eagles like you do but is there any substance to what Saturday is saying? I bang on about the Rodgers situation with McCarthy but is it a similar situation with Wentz & Pederson?