Something for the Weekend: Best Racing and Football Bets

We have another feast of sporting action to look forward to this coming weekend, with the Rugby World Cup Final taking centre stage on Saturday evening. Also in the mix are a full list of Premier League fixtures, the final Group 1 of the flat season from Doncaster, and excellent jumping action from Cheltenham.

As ever, we will be hoping to up the excitement with a bet or two, and here, using data presented by newbettingsites.co.uk, we pick out our best bets in the South Africa vs New Zealand showdown, big Manchester derby from Old Trafford, and two of the racing highlights.

Saturday: Doncaster 2:10 pm Kameko Futurity Trophy Stakes

The big event of the day from the Town Moor track boasts an illustrious roll of honour, with subsequent classic winners Auguste Rodin, Kameko, Magna Grecia, Saxon Warrior, and Kingston Hill coming home in front in the space of the past ten years. Connections of this year's entries will hope their colts can follow a similar path.

Aidan O’Brien has won this event more than any other trainer and looks to have a good chance of adding to that impressive record with the £2.4 million Frankel colt, Diego Velazquez (9/4). A perfect two from two heading into this, he is expected to step up considerably on his Group 2 success at Leopardstown last time out. However, he appears to have a fast ground action, making the likely bottomless conditions at Doncaster a concern. Charlie Appleby doesn’t target this race to anything like the extent of O’Brien, but it looks interesting that Godolphin has stumped up the significant supplementary fee to grant Ancient Wisdom a crack at the prize. Crucially, we already know that this round-actioned sort does handle a soft surface, having hacked up in a soft ground edition of the Autumn Stakes on his most recent outing. That took his career record to 3 from 4, with his sole defeat coming to subsequent Group 1 winner Rosallion. With conditions in his favour, he looks a worthy favourite here.

• Best Bet - Ancient Wisdom @ 13/8 with BetUK

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Saturday: Cheltenham 2:25 pm Epic Jumps Season At William Hill Handicap Chase

The best betting heat on the Cheltenham card comes in the shape of this cracking staying handicap chase. Nicky Henderson’s Quick Draw heads the betting at around the 11/2 mark and merits plenty of respect following a 21-length romp at Ludlow on his seasonal return. Top-weight Kinando Kweto is another to make our shortlist, having won six of nine over the larger obstacles and finished a slightly unlucky third at Uttoxeter when last sighted in July.

However, with four places on offer, the best bet in the race is an each-way punt on the Jonjo O’Neill runner, Yes Indeed. This one boasts career form figures of 51222 in chases at 2m6f or above, with that fifth-placed effort coming in a French Grade 1. Doing all his best work late when finishing runner-up on each of his two most recent outings, he should relish the climb up the Cheltenham hill and is fancied to at least run on into a place.

• Best Bet - Yes Indeed each way @ 16/1 with PariMatch

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Saturday: 8 pm New Zealand vs South Africa

It all comes down to this. Following a thrilling month of action, two of the most powerful rugby nations on the planet lock horns in Paris. Both have lifted this famous trophy on four occasions in the past and will be seeking to become the first team to be crowned World Champions for a fifth time. It’s all set up to be a cracker, given the contrasting styles of the two sides. South Africa brings a bludgeoning forward pack to the table, whilst the All Blacks swashbuckling style has been a joy to behold. But who will come out on top?

Currently occupying the number one position, the Official World Rankings would suggest that South Africa are the most likely winners. Whilst the Springboks are the more well-rounded team, we suspect that the circumstances of this game strongly favour the All-Blacks. South Africa’s route to the final has been markedly tougher than that of New Zealand, with a gruelling quarter-final victory over France and a last-gasp success over England in the semis. Whilst England played well in that game, the fact that they were able to get so close to South Africa suggests that Jacques Nienaber’s men may just be running out of steam at the wrong time.

New Zealand, in contrast, appear to be moving up through the gears. Improving through the Group phase, they then mastered Ireland against the odds in the quarters before blowing Argentina away in a routine semi-final win, which shouldn’t have taken much of a physical toll. Boasting the type of expansive style which is a nightmare for a tiring side to combat, we fancy the All-Blacks to cover the handicap on offer with PariMatch.

• Best Bet - Handicap Betting: New Zealand -4.5 @ 5/4 with PariMatch

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Sunday: 3:30 pm Manchester United vs Manchester City

Last stop, Old Trafford, for the clear highlight of the weekend Premier League fixtures, as the red and blue sides of Manchester do battle. Sitting eighth in the table, Manchester United have experienced more problems than most this season, with trouble in the camp mixed with poor displays on the pitch. The Red Devils arrive on a three-match winning streak but continue to fail to impress. Needing two injury-time goals to see off Brentford here and a Diogo Dalot thunderbolt to win at Sheffield United, they only held on against FC Copenhagen courtesy of a stoppage-time penalty save by Andre Onana. This represents a significant step up in class and one which may prove a step too far.

City haven’t been quite at their imperious best this season and may find themselves five points adrift of pacesetters Spurs as they head across town. That should only serve to heighten their motivation against their bitter rivals, and it would be a surprise if they don’t make their class tell against a United side who continue to lack cohesion and look prone to errors at the back. City have conceded in all bar one of their nine matches on the road in all competitions this season, so we expect the hosts to get on the scoresheet, but Pep Guardiola’s men can come out on top in an entertaining encounter.

• Best Bet - Man City to win and Both Teams to Score @ 9/4 with MidNite

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