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"Despite the short price Man City look good value to defend the crown it took them so long to win.
They may not have flashed that massive cheque book much in the off season but it's still there to be used if they need it come January.
They may not need it because the depth and class already at the club should be enough to keep them at the top.

Their main rivals will most likely be their grumpy neighbours.
United have splashed the cash but that may not be enough - if they can nab RVP then maybe he and Rooney can score enough goals to keep them close.
United looked a team sliding slowly backwards last season despite looking like champions for a lot of the season and still need to replace Scholes and Giggs and keeping Vidic fit is even more vital.

Chelsea have brought in plenty but the most significant move could be the departure of Drogba. Didier was a huge part of the Blues success over the last few years and will prove very hard to replace.
The other off putting reason with Chelsea is that they finished 25 points off the top two and even with a few shiny new signings they will find that a lot of points to turn around.

Arsenal and Spurs have plenty to prove and are best watched to see how the relative squads evolve whilst the other teams are also-rans at best.

This looks like City's to lose, they have made the break through and have a huge and talented squad to back it up with and, if need be, they have that massive mound of cash to spend as they want.
"

"Secretinthepark is unbeaten after three starts, two as a 2yo, and looks very much on an upward curve and despite the big field today he can continue his winning ways.

Secretinthepark made his return on 2000 Guineas day and won in very nice style over course and distance.
Five of the horses he beat that day reoppose today and it's hard to see any of those reversing the placing.
Secretinthepark looks a very nice horse in the making and should take this before moving onto better races. "

"Hillstar was well backed in his comeback race, his first as a 3yo, but had to settle for the runners-up spot. That was still a good effort, the winner has won since, and if he steps up with fitness on his side now he should win this.
There are plenty of decent rivals, which makes the price on Hillstar a bit skinny, but with the Stoute camp on fire in terms of winners then Hillstar should take all the beating and he should justify the fancy entries he has. "

"Main Sequence beat Thomas Chippendale by 4l in a Group 2 at York last season and can confirm that form today over the same distance.
Main Sequence has not had a run this season, Thomas Chippendale has, but he has won first time out both as both a 2yo and a 3yo so fitness should be spot on with him.
He was second in the Derby last year and despite tailing off a little toward the end of the season he still looked a decent horse, he has been gelded since which will hopefully concentrate his mind even more. "

"This looks very much a match between Memphis Tennessee and Mount Athos with the latter preferred.

The Aiden O'Brian trained Memphis Tennessee was a very decent 3yo but last season was a bit of a write off and after so long a lay off he may well need this run to prove he still has it.

Mount Athos has come into his own since joining the Cumani yard and can continue his upward curve with a victory here. "

"Ruler of the World is as short as 16/1 in places for this years Derby and if he is to anyway justify those odds then a win here is almost certainly a must.

This will be his second start only, he won his debut at the Curragh last month in decent fashion.
He is expected to improve bundles on that and with Ao'B having won this race three times in recent years you would expect that he is more than capable of winning this.
Feel Like Dancing is the only other Derby entrant but he is a 40/1 longshot. "

"This could turn out to be a hot maiden with four of the six entered in the G1 Phoenix Stakes.

Some big yards are represented but only one horse has seen a racecourse for real and he could be the one to take the honours.
The Jim Bolger trained Freedom Square ran well enough to finish third on his debut, that was over 5f and the extra couple of furlongs should suit a lot better. He is bound to come on for the run in terms of fitness and with the trainer on a good run of form he should make his experience count.
"

"This seems to be a straight fight between the Haggis trained Noble Deed and Richard Fahy's Size.

Noble Deed has three outings in his short career and has yet to find the winners enclosure and, if anything, looks to have found it's level already.

Size has run just the once where he finished well but had to settle for second spot. That was a decent effort and with that experience behind him can improve right past the favourite in this race.


"

"The 1000 G's looks a lot more competitive than the male version yesterday but once again the Fav can come out on top.

Hot Snap ran just once as a 2yo, a ready win on the AW at Kempton over a mile, but stepped up in impressive style to win the Nell Gwynn here in April. She won that well and had Sky Lantern well beaten in second and there seems little chance that the form will be reversed.

That form is the best seen this season and whilst the likes of French raider What A Name & the Charlie Hills trained Just The Judge are feared, with a few at bigger prices also looking threats, the Sir Henry Cecil trained Hot Snap can help put memories of Frankel on the backburner, at least for a while. "

"The first Classic of the season looks a straight fight between the top two in the market.

The manner of Toronado's victory in the Craven in his reappearance has rightly put him in the picture and a repeat performance should see him in the mix where it matters but the overall form of Dawn Approach makes him the one to back.
Dawn Approach has won all five of his races including a Group 2 and two Group 1's already. He was the best 2yo of last season and a step up to a mile should suit. If the lack of a recent run is no handicap then Jim Bolger should have a Classic winner. "

"Wolves know they have to win and even then they need to rely on the two sides above them to both lose to enable them to escape a second straight relegation.

They can only look after their own result and on paper they have a huge task to win at a very decent Brighton outfit sitting in fourth spot. That may be Wolves chance, Brighton will finish exactly where they are now and even though they will want to keep momentum the temptation will be be to rest players and switch off just a little in anticipation of the play-offs.

Wolves have been poor and are likely to be playing in League One next season but they can go down with a win.

Bigger prices are available - including with Bet365 at the moment. "

"Only four runners but a tight contest is anticipated but the Donald McCain trained Ballybriggan can come out on top.

Ballybriggan fell on his last visit to the racecourse but he was still well in contention when he went at the last. He has shown steady progress since joining his current stable and this will be just his 4th effort over the bigger obstacles.
He has yet to win over fences but was decent over hurdles.
With just three fairly moderate opponents Ballybriggan should go very close after a break which is likely to be in his favour. "

"A short price in a big field but the Luca Cumani trained Rockalong could well be justified for going off at the price.
After an inauspicious debut Rockalong has improved leaps and bounds and has won it's last two outings with the last win a very nice showing. That was his first race as a 4yo and though he has a little to prove back on turf he does look to have bags of potential left in him with this step back up in trip looking to suit.
Cumani won this race in 2008 with Bankable and so knows what it takes to win this and he could well be celebrating again. "

"The first thing to note is how little value there is in this market. This is one of the toughest divisions anywhere to predict the winner and the dear old bookies have been a little on the stingy side to be honest.

Bolton are the favourites and they definitely look the pick of the sides relegated out of last seasons Premier League.
If they can keep money factors out of the equation and hold on to their main players then they have probably the best manager in the division to guide them back to the ‘promised land’.
They can count themselves unlucky to be down here at all, injuries killed them, and must have a big chance but 6/1 is short in this division.

The other two who dropped down last term have a lot to prove. Wolves have a brand new manager, new to the club and the country. They have had plenty of player changes and more are on the cards, anyone backing the Wolves at 8/1 needs to look at themselves, imo.
Blackburn are in a similar situation as Wolves and seem to have lost most of their better players, the manager is still despised by the fans and it could be another tough season at Ewood - again prices of 10/1 must be scoffed at.

The promoted sides will need to improve to get involved and I thought that last year’s League One champs, Charlton, may be capable of doing so. They romped to the title but they don’t seem to have improved the side enough and they look more of a mid-table club this season.
Sheffield Wednesday have been very active in the transfer market and with the wily Dave Jones in charge may well have a decent outside chance of getting involved.
Huddersfield’s chances seem to rely on Jordan Rhodes, the prolific goalscorer is wanted by plenty of clubs but appears destined to stay for the moment. Even with Rhodes the Terriers need improvement.

Last season Leicester City were the favourites for the title but they blew it, they are second fav’s this time and are a hard team to get a handle on.
They have a good manager and plenty of cash but they only finished 9th last season and I would be wary of getting on board with them at 7/1.

There are plenty of teams who challenged last season, both for the play-offs and automatic promotion and they all have some sort of shout once again - that’s why it’s such a difficult division to call.
The likes of Leeds, Middlesborough, Hull, Blackpool and Birmingham will all have their backers and it’s easy to make a case for each club.
There is also the newly rich sides to consider, Watford are being bankrolled by Italians and have brought in Zola to manage. He did not excel at West Ham but he may be worth a second chance now he is surrounded by fellow countrymen at the helm, he should have money to spend.
Notts Forest are the latest club to suddenly find a sugar daddy but even with all the cash in the world at their disposal I would not be going anywhere near odds as short as 9/1.
So that leaves me with Cardiff, the perennial play-off losers. They have had a major overhaul of image, they have a new kit and badge, by the new Malaysian owners but they do seem to have a team capable of doing at least as well as last season.
They have brought in some good players with Craig Bellamy being the cherry on top. They also have a very good boss in Malky Mackay who knows the league inside out and just as importantly they have been there many times before and need just that little bit of luck to finally get promotion.

In a wide open division with plenty of sides at skinny prices around the 12/1 on Cardiff looks bet material - they are as short as 10/1 in places so make sure you shop around.
They will be up there for most of the season with the play-offs the very least of their ambitions so at the price an EW bet looks a decent thing in a tough contest.
"

"It would be fair to say that the best teams in this division in 2011/12 all got promoted which leaves this season’s league a little short on class.

Charlton romped to the title and were the best team in the division by some way. Progressive Sheff Wednesday went up as the other automatic while Huddersfield finally banged loud enough to get the promotion door to open for them.

The best team left in the division this time are last years Wembley losers Sheffield United.
Pipped by their city rivals for automatic promotion in heartbreaking fashion they then went down on penalty’s to Huddersfield to consign themselves to another year in the third tier.
This time though they are the class acts in the field and should easily be involved come promotion time.
They have to overcome the huge let down of last season and a horrible stat that says favourites for this division have not obliged for 17 straight seasons - a big trend in anyone’s book.
That have also lost Ched Evans and his goals but should still be there or thereabouts at the end of the season. They are a 6/1 chance and will have plenty of takers.

Milton Keynes also went out in the play-offs last season and they can expect to chase the Blades for a title shot once more.
They look to have as much chance as last season and at a slightly bigger price than Sheffield United they too will be backed.

Of the relegated outfits, Coventry, Portsmouth and Doncaster, none appeal whatsoever and with the first two in all sorts of financial turmoil and who knows what’s going on in Donny they could be better bets to go down than go up.

The promoted sides are a mixed bunch. Shrewsbury and Crewe will look to consolidate after long battles to get out of League Two.
Crawley came through the conference like a train, they appeared to be doing the same in League Two before the wheels came off to an extent - they lost their boss to a rival from the same division who were out of contention. They then lost another manager without him managing a game. There seems to be a lot of meddling from upstairs and may be one to swerve - at least to start with.
The Champions from League Two were Swindon led by a certain Paulo di Canio who just about guaranteed promotion last term, he is being pretty bullish this time around as well and the way they finished last season they may take some stopping once more. If Paulo sticks around expect them to go very close.

Of the other outside contenders there are a few.
Notts County finished with a wet sail last season to just miss out on the play-offs and are fancied by many to get really involved this time. They have brought plenty of new faces in and should get close again this time.
Brentford were well backed last season but never really got involved, expectations are again high with Uwe Rosler still in charge and a lot will depend on the new striker they have brought down from Scotland.
Carlisle are nearly always knocking on post season football’s door but they were let down by a poor away record last time and a defence that was just as bad, will probably just miss out once again.

The team that are the most intriguing in the entire division are Bournemouth. They are bankrolled by rich Russians and have spent plenty of money since they took over.
They have demanded success and have been ruthless with the manager.
Perry Groves in is charge now and has lots of doubts surrounding his ability to get the job done. If he does then the Cherries must have a huge chance with the cash being thrown around Dean Court, they already look to have a decent squad and could bolster that in the transfer window if needed.

So, a tough division to call.
Sheff U are the class act but that horrible stat puts me off but they and MK Dons should be right up there.
The two I like at bigger EW prices are Swindon, if Di Canio stays I can see them blasting through what looks to be an overall weaker division than last season and Bournemouth. If the Cherries get it right they have the money to spend for a final push, there is just a slight doubt about the manager though so we will side with Di Canio’s Robins @ 9/1 to grab some more glory.
"

"Rotherham are favourites to lift the League two title and look to have an outstanding chance but at 7/2 do you really like those odds in a wide open division.

The Millers move into a brand new stadium this season which is bound to be of benefit after years playing in the soulless Don Valley stadium in Sheffield. They are being backed with money as well and they have a nearly new manager who will spend it.
Steve Evans is the man in the hot seat and he will know the division like the back of his hand after leading Crawley for most of last season as they won promotion. The fact he packed Crawley in for the job here just as Crawley were on the verge of going up says a lot about the ambition at this club.
Evans has brought in plenty of new faces and Rotherham rightly favourites but the price is just too short with at least 8 other clubs in with a shout.

Of the relegated sides from League 1 Rochdale and Chesterfield look to have the best chance of rebounding straight away.
Dale will have league 2 stalwart, John Coleman, in charge. After years managing Accrington Stanley brilliantly he now finds himself back in the league basement but at least he knows the division and should steer Rochdale to a top half finish at the very least.
A better bet may be Chesterfield. They looked a club on the rise, they had a new stadium and then won promotion in it. Last season went badly wrong for them and now they find themselves back at square one but it is tempting to write last season off as a blip - they should be in the mix and have proved they know how to get out of the division in the right direction, 12/1 is a decent price.

Torquay and Southend both made the play-offs last season and should be strong once more.
The men from devon have lost a few of their better players but in Martin Ling they have a manager who is capable of leading a promotion fight as long as the sold players are replaced and as long as there is no play-off hangover.
Southend have been superbly led by Paul Sturrock and only failed to go up automatically on the very last day of last season. That was a kick in the guts which they failed to overcome in the play-offs but they showed more than enough last season to prove that they have what it takes to fight for the top spot in this division.
They have had a few changes but seemed to have held onto Ryan Hall and they must go close again at 18/1.

Fleetwood will attempt to do a Crawley, win the Conference and then go straight up from League 2 the following season. Crawley did not win the title though and Fleetwood look a little short in the market despite all the money at their disposal. They will make a strong showing and should make the play-offs at the very least but 6/1 for the league new boys looks short enough.

Others with chances are Aldershot, they have little money but are led by Dean Holdsworth who is a good manager with a bright future. He has them tight as a drum at the back and they are in with a shout of the play-offs at big odds.
Bradford can’t be as bad as recent years and are too big of a club at this level to be at the bottom. They have a good manager in Phil Parkinson and should be enjoying a season nearer the top end of the table this time.
Oxford are another big club at this level but they need a big improvement on last season when they were among the favourites for promotion, goals were hard to come by and they faltered badly in the second half of the season. If they find some investment though they are capable of getting in to the dogfight for promotion.

There are other’s with more than an outside chance and that gives you some idea just how tight this division is.

Rotherham are the most likely but not for me at the price.
The team at an EW price that look almost certain to be in the shake-up as long no hangover remains from last season are Southend.
Keeping Ryan Hall is vital to their cause but manager Paul Sturrock is capable of putting a winning team together whatever the circumstances. He has a great record at this level and with 18/1 at Laddies they look worthy of an EW bet.

Chesterfield may also worth an EW punt also.

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