NRL Grand Final

The South Sydney Rabbitohs will make their first Grand Final appearance in more than 40 years when lining up against the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs at Sydney’s ANZ Stadium on Sunday.

A cult favourite amongst the NRL community, Souths ($1.36) have charged into the Grand Final on the back of a massive forward pack and slick, confident back line and are clear favourites to take the Summons Provan Trophy back to Redfern.

Sneaking into the finals after ending the regular season in position seven, The Bulldogs ($3.25) having seemingly timed their run of form to perfection; following up losses in Rounds 25 and 26 with three impressive finals wins over the Storm, Sea Eagles and Panthers.

Horse Racing

Royal Descent is the favourite in betting markets for the Group 1 Epsom Handicap at Randwick. Photo (c) Steve Hart

The first weekend of October truly marks the beginning of Australian racing’s busiest period, with four Group 1’s, five Group 2’s, two Group 3’s and a plethora of Listed events over meetings Royal Randwick and Flemington.

The Epsom Handicap (1600m) undoubtedly highlights Randwick’s Super Saturday card, this year pegging 15 classy entrants against each other for Group 1 glory.

Champion miler Boban took out the 2013 Epsom Handicap in a photo finish, and has been charged with carrying a race-high 58kgs for his title defence on Saturday. Giving two and a half kilos to his closest rival Royal Descent, the Bernardini gelding will have to find ideal running position early if to overcome a field which also includes the likes of Toydini, Star Rolling and the resurgent Laser Hawk.

A maiden Group 1 champion will be crowned in the Flight Stakes (1600m) on Saturday, with just seven three-year-old fillies confirmed to line up for Race 8. First Seal and Winx have each claimed a Group 2 victory this time in however neither are trialled over 1600m competitively, allowing for an open betting race.

The Metropolitan caps off the impressive Randwick card, as several Cups prospects line up for the season’s first Group 1 over 2400m. British import Spillway is aiming to secure a position in the Caulfield Cup with a Metropolitan victory, but will need to find an extra gear to overcome Chris Waller’s impressive hand which includes the likes of Junoob, Bagman, Opinion and Our Voodoo Prince.

The Turnbull Stakes headlines a strong nine race card at Flemington on Saturday, highlighted by some of the season’s most exciting staying prospects. Early 2013 Melbourne Cup favourite Puissance De Lune has returned to racing in smart form this time in and will meet early 2014 Melbourne Cup favourite The Offer in the Turnbull. Arguably the weekend’s best betting race, Group 1 champions Green Moon, Super Cool and Hawkspur are all available at excellent odds and are proven over the distance.

Cups prospects will also do battle in The Bart Cummings at Flemington on Saturday, while Emirates Stakes hopefuls River Lad and Smokin’ Joey meet with in-form sprinter Chautauqua and Temple Of Boom in the Group 2 Gilgai Stakes (1200m).

Other Sports

The English Premier League Season enters Week 7 on Saturday and offers punters particularly good value, as several similarly-formed sides face off.

The round is undoubtedly highlighted by a grudge match between bitter London rivals Chelsea ($1.67) and Arsenal ($5). The last time these sides met, Jose Mourinho’s men delivered the Gunners a demoralizing 6-0 thrashing at Stamford Bridge.

Horse Racing

Top sprinter Lankan Rupee will look to return to winning form in the Group 1 Moir Stakes on Friday night. Photo (c) Race Horse Photos Australia

Thanks largely to the AFL Grand Final on Saturday afternoon, Victorian meets will bookend the weekend’s racing schedule at Moonee Valley and Caulfield on Friday night and Sunday respectively, with Sydney’s Rosehill Gardens will play host to Golden Pendant Day on Saturday.

The Moonee Valley card is undoubtedly highlighted by the Group 1 Moir Stakes (1200m), which will see the world’s current leading sprinter line up against the likes of Buffering, Rebel Dane and Angelic Light; Unpretentious the clear outsider in the small field of five.

Securing four wins from as many starts over his autumn campaign including three at the highest level of Australian racing, Lankan Rupee was delivered a shock defeat at the hand of Angelic Light in the Group 1 McEwen Stakes (1000m) first-up this season, but remains clear favourite in markets to win a fourth Group 1 title.

Friday night’s Moonee Valley meet will also see some of the Spring Carnival’s most exciting three-year-old prospects duke it out in the Group 2 Bill Stutt Stakes (1600m), while the Group 2 Stocks Stakes will see classy mares Commanding Jewel and Dear Demi duke it out once more.

The Group 3 Golden Pendant (1400m) headlines an eight race card at Rosehill on Saturday, and offers punters exceptional value from a betting standpoint.

Classy mare Catkins has returned to the track in typically scintillating form this season, and as a result is offered as a particularly short priced favourite. My Sabeel ran a strong second to Catkins in the Group 3 Sheraco Stakes (1200m) most recently, and has so-far received the greatest market share of attention from punters; registering as clear market mover.

The Group 2 Stan Fox Stakes (1500m) is set to feature a showdown between Golden Rose placegetters Scissor Kick and Shooting To Win on Saturday, while the Group 2 Shannon Stakes (1500m) could easily be taken out by at least half of the 14 horse field.

Racing wraps up in style on Sunday, with the Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) headlining a Caulfield card which also boasts the Prelude events for both the Caulfield Guineas and Thousand Guineas.

Peter Moody’s classy stallion Dissident opened as favourite in betting markets for the Group 1 feature but has surprisingly drifted as punters have turned their attention towards the likes of Sweet Idea, Cluster, Trust In A Gust and Moody’s other entrant, A Time For Julia.

AFL Grand Final

The 2014 AFL season comes to an end in fitting fashion this weekend as the league’s two stand out teams, the Sydney Swans and Hawthorn Hawks face off for the flag for the second time in three years.

The Swans ($1.56) have been favourites for the Premiership nearly all season, but are sure to be pushed to the limit by a finals-hardened Hawks ($2.50) side who comfortably disposed of Fremantle in the 2013 GF.

Awarded to the best player on ground in each season’s Grand Final, the Norm Smith Medal is one of the highest personal honours achievable in AFL. Won in 2013 by Hawks defender Brian Lake, the Norm Smith looks likely to go the way of a Swan, with Josh Kennedy and Lance Franklin currently sharing the top line of betting ($8).

NRL Preliminary Finals

Following a week off, South Sydney Rabbitohs and Penrith Panthers will play host to the Sydney Roosters and Canterbury Bulldogs respectively to decide who will do battle in next weekend’s Grand Final.

South Sydney ($1.70) destroyed Manly in week one of the finals to secure easy passage to this week’s Prelims, while the Roosters ($2.20) were shocked by the Panthers in week one and almost blew a 30 point lead over the Cowboys last week. This match is sure to be the highlight of the NRL week, with many touting these teams as likely Grand Final combatants at the beginning of the season.

Unable to string together much of a consistent run of form over the early stages of the season, Canterbury ($1.76) have hit their straps at the right end of the season, with their tough and grinding style enough to see off a spirited Sea Eagles fight last week. Penrith ($2.10) have been without doubt the league’s surprise packets this year and are incredibly just 80 minutes away from their first Grand Final appearance since 2003.

Other Sports

The English Premier League kicks up another gear this weekend, highlighted by the Merseyside Derby between bitter rivals Liverpool and Everton. Neither side has started the 2014/15 season as the would have liked, adding an extra incentive to what is sure to be a tough fixture.

Horse Racing

Silent Achiever is the early favourite to win the Group 1 Underwood Stakes at Caulfield. Photo (c) Steve Hart

There are horse racing meetings right around the country on Saturday, but the feature events are taking place at Caulfield in Melbourne and Royal Randwick in Sydney.

The Caulfield card is headlined by the Group 1 Underwood Stakes (1800m), which is always a key lead-up race for major events like the Caulfield Cup, Cox Plate and Melbourne Cup.

The 2014 Underwood Stakes has not drawn as strong a field as it did last year, with the 2013 edition of the event dubbed the race of the millennium, but there are still plenty of talented gallopers set to contest the Group 1 event.

Talented mare Silent Achiever is set to start the Underwood Stakes as favourite, but the likes of Chris Waller-trained Foreteller, imported galloper Stipulate, Melbourne Cup favourite The Offer and popular gelding Happy Trails could all win the $400,000 race.

The Caulfield meeting also features the running of the Naturalism Stakes, which offers the winner direct entry into the Caulfield Cup, as well as the return of star mare Samaready in the How Now Stakes.

The Group 1 George Main Stakes (1600m) is the main event at Royal Randwick in Sydney this weekend and it is an extremely interesting betting race.

Talented three-year-old Panzer Division will be having just his fourth race start, but has been the best backed runner in George Main Stakes betting markets, while the Chris Waller-trained trio of Royal Descent, Sacred Falls and Hawkspur as well as Tramway Stakes winner Lucia Valentina are all winning chances this weekend.

Champion filly Earthquake will have the chance to return to winning form when she takes on Winx in the Tea Rose Stakes, while strong fields have been assembled for The Shorts, Hill Stakes and Heritage Stakes.

AFL Finals

It is the penultimate weekend of the 2014 AFL season and four teams remain in the hunt for Premiership glory.

The Sydney Swans ($1.22) have long been favourites to win the AFL Premiership and they are at a short price to qualify for their second Grand Final in three years by beating North Melbourne ($4.50) at ANZ Stadium on Friday night.

Port Adelaide ($3.20) recorded an upset victory over Fremantle last weekend and they will go into their clash with Hawthorn ($1.37) at the MCG on Saturday full of confidence, but the Hawks are clear favourites to keep alive their chances of winning back-to-back flags.

NRL Finals

South Sydney Rabbitohs and Penrith Panthers have already secured their place in the NRL Preliminary Finals, but North Queensland Cowboys, Sydney Roosters, Manly Sea Eagles and Canterbury Bulldogs must win this weekend to stay in the hunt for the 2014 NRL Premiership.

North Queensland ($2.70) have been in excellent form of late and have an outstanding record against the Roosters ($1.48) in recent years, but the defending premiers have been well backed to set up a blockbuster Preliminary Final clash with South Sydney.

Canterbury ($1.62) struggled into the finals, but they returned to their best form with an outstanding victory over the Melbourne Storm last weekend, while the internal drama at Manly ($2.32) finally seems to be catching up with the side and they are the underdogs to progress to the Preliminary Finals.

Other Sports

The English Premier League Season continues this weekend and there are a number of key matches set to take place in the early hours on Sunday morning, while Week 3 of the 2014 NFL season features a plenty of betting opportunities.