Saturday's Bets of the Day: Free tips for racing, football, darts and NFL

Racing

Ben Linfoot

• LUNGARNO PLACE - 3.00 Sandown

It looks like Sandown will beat the freeze and one bet on the card stands out with LUNGARNO PALACE available at 20/1 for the 888Sport Heroes Handicap Hurdle at 3.00.

This horse has been ultra-consistent since joining Fergal O’Brien, finishing in the first five in all seven of his runs for the stable with two victories, a second and two thirds to his name in that timeframe.

His stable debut was an 11-length win on soft ground, so conditions should be fine for him, and he went some way to proving he stayed three miles last time at Warwick when a six-length sixth to Keeper Hill.

The tongue-tie and cheekpieces could be just what Lungarno Palace needs to improve that necessary few pounds more, and if he does he could have a big say off a low weight for a trainer that does so well here.

David Ord

• LIEUTENANT CONDE - 12.35 Lingfield

The early bird can catch the worm with Lieutenant Conde in the opening Ladbrokes Home Of The Odds Boost Handicap at Lingfield.

Hughie Morrison’s charge switches to handicaps from a mark of 64 after three promising runs in novice races and there’s a chance it seriously underestimates him. Having been too green to do himself justice at Windsor on debut, he has shaped well in two subsequent starts at Chelmsford and Wolverhampton.

On the latter occasion he finished third behind Hinati over an inadequate five furlongs earlier this month, shaping very much as if this return to seven will suit. It’s no penalty kick with recent Kempton winner Spirit Warning heading the dangers, but this looks the day for Lieutenant Conde to confirm his earlier promise.

Matt Brocklebank

• SPEAKER CONNOLLY - 4.10 Leopardstown, Sunday

Speaker Connolly ultimately won in the style of a very well-handicapped horse at Leopardstown’s last big meeting over Christmas and he can defy the assessor in Sunday’s Abbey International Leopardstown Handicap Chase.

Alan Fleming’s six-year-old – entered up in the JLT and the National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham - still has some room for improvement in the jumping department and an 11lb rise for his five-length defeat of Poker Party will make things tougher as he moves up in grade, but the handicap debut could hardly have been more striking and he’s obviously started out in this sphere on a very workable mark.

Owner Barry Connell loves having winners at his local course and the booking of top-class, light-weight jockey Donagh Meyler is a big plus, while good ground clearly holds no fears for the horse. After just four chase starts, Speaker Connolly still has bags of potential and he looks the best bet on a fascinating Sunday card which is packed with quality from start to finish.

Simon Holt

• BELAMI DES PICTONS - 3.35 Sandown

Belami Des Pictons is fancied to prove too classy for his rivals in the 888Sport Masters Handicap Chase despite returning from a long absence.

The lay-off may not be too much of a disadvantage as the ex-French gelding's trainer Venetia Williams has done extremely well in similar situations this season, and Charlie Deutsch's mount looked a smart prospect when last seen at Carlisle in November 2017.

On that occasion, Belami Des Pictons ran the now 170-rated Waiting Patiently to less than three lengths suggesting that a mark of just 146 could be well within his compass.

The eight-year-old had won his previous three starts over fences (two of them by wide margins) and, if able to pick up where he left off, must have a strong chance of defying top weight.

Football

George Pitts

• SOUTHAMPTON draw no bet v Burnley

Saints are unbeaten in their last six in all competitions, while Burnley are winless in three and still inconsistent at Turf Moor. They will need to dust themselves off after surrendering a two-goal lead on Tuesday, albeit at Manchester United.

Granted, they have won their last two Premier League matches at home, but they have failed to win seven of 11 there this season and they are there for the taking.

Ralph Hasenhuttl's relentless style can cause them problems, especially with the likes of Nathan Redmond and James Ward-Prowse flourishing under his management. The latter has scored in his last three Premier League appearances and the visitors look the bet here.

Tom Carnduff

• BRISTOL CITY to win and over 3.5 goals

The bad news for Swansea is that they have to go to a Bristol City side who have won their last six in all competitions and are also currently enjoying a 12-game unbeaten run.

That gives them the best form in the Sky Bet Championship, and while Swansea have also been picking up points in recent weeks, a weak January window has clearly affected the mood in the camp.

There's a potential for goals in this game though given the outstanding form of Swans forward Oli McBurnie. He has five in his last three league appearances and could continue that run here.

Ultimately though, it's set up to be a home victory. That's available at a general price of 13/10, but the 6/1 on a Bristol City win and over 3.5 goals in the game at 6/1 is far more appealing.

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Rugby union

Tony Calvin

• ENGLAND (+9) to beat Ireland

Ireland have the best squad in the Six Nations, guided by the premier coaching team in world rugby, and are playing their most dangerous opponents – to judge from the betting, at least – at home on the opening weekend.

They come into this tournament having won a series in Australia in the summer, and beaten New Zealand 16-9 in November, and have very few injury concerns.

So what’s not to like?

Well, the fact that they are asked to concede a very dangerous-looking English outfit nine points on the handicap line, for one, and I have to side with England with the start.

England have picked a very confrontational pack and I expect this game to be very niggly and nasty, close enough for Eddie Jones' side to cover the spread - and maybe even upset the odds and win.

Darts

Chris Hammer

• PETER WRIGHT to make the Masters final

World champion Michael van Gerwen is a warm order for the Masters, but he looks only a fair price and the best value is to be found on the other side of the draw where Peter Wright is fancied to make the final.

Wright crashed out of the Worlds in one of the major upsets in a remarkable renewal, but he’s vowed to focus on just one set of darts as he works hard to get off to a strong start in 2019.

It won’t be easy with Adrian Lewis first up and Michael Smith potentially standing in his way, but Bully Boy has been on his honeymoon and now might be the time to take him on.

NFL Super Bowl

Paul Higham

New England Patriots (-2.5) to beat the LA Rams

It's the first time the Patriots have been favoured to win a Super Bowl by less than a score, and that's just too good an opportunity to waste as Tom Brady and Bill Belichick go in search of a sixth Vince Lombardi Trophy.

These two are fierce competitors and losing to the Eagles last year really stung them - they will be going all-out to make amends and, while the Rams have plenty gong for them, experience is key in huge games such as this.

Six of the eight Super Bowls the Pats have played in have been settled by four points or less either way, and it looks like being close again with two evenly matched teams in what many believe is a coin toss.

It often comes down to who can perform, who can handle the pressure and still play at their best - Brady has done it time and time again, his opposite number Jared Goff may well be able to do it but as a third-year starter there are still plenty of question marks to be answered.