Tottenham captain expected to confirm his retirement

"Andre Villas-Boas will be cautiously optimistic that his side are prepared for life without him."

Reports suggest that Ledley King will call time on his playing career and instead assume a behind-the-scenes position at Tottenham...

Speculation is growing that Ledley King will announce his retirement from professional football at the age of 31 over the last 24 hours after years spent struggling to fight the effects of a seemingly incurable knee injury.

The Tottenham captain, who is likely to be given a new role either as a coach or ambassador, hasn't managed more than 24 league starts in a campaign since 2006, with the problem proving increasingly restricting.

Remarkably, neither the pain endured nor the sporadic nature of his participation affected the quality of his performances, at least until a dip over the past few months as the years of battling appeared to finally take their toll.

It is a testament to his ability that, despite it being widely accepted that his fitness issues rendered him incapable of playing more than once a week, Fabio Capello opted to include him in his England squad for the last World Cup.

The career-long Spurs stalwart represented his nation 21 times, his first cap being awarded by Sven-Goran Eriksson in 2002. His admirers feel that, were it not for his knee, he would have rivalled the 77 and 81 appearances accumulated by former Senrab team-mate John Terry and Rio Ferdinand.

His standing as a Tottenham icon is assured having been the one constant at the club in a 14-year period that featured plenty of upheaval and difficult moments, but also a season of Champions League football and a Carling Cup triumph.

The fact that King was always an automatic starter when available, regardless of how long he had been out, says everything about his reliability, though new boss Andre Villas-Boas will be cautiously optimistic that his side are prepared for life without him.

French defender Younes Kaboul enjoyed his best campaign at White Hart Lane last term, Michael Dawson - while also susceptible to injury - rarely disappoints, Jan Vertonghen has arrived, William Gallas remains (for now) and Steven Caulker showed considerable promise on loan at Swansea.

The Lilywhites are 2.881/1 to finish in the top four in 2012/13, and 34.033/1 to win the title.

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Follow The Money: Captain Chris to cause Ryanair upset?

Follow the Money / Follow The Money / 15 March 2012 / Leave a Comment

"Captain Chris has had significant support to move from [16.5] in to [12.0]."

Today's Follow The Money movers come from the meetings at Cheltenham, Towcester and Hexham.

Our first race is the 14:40 at Cheltenham where Captain Chris has had significant support to move from [16.5] in to [12.0]. On the face of it he has it all to do after a poor run in the Argento here in January. However, he had some classy types behind him (including yesterday's Champion Chase victor Finian's Rainbow) when winning last year's Arkle impressively. He obviously has talent in abundance, with the trip and ground expected to suit. If all is well, and the signs in the market suggest that they are, he could run a huge race at a tasty price.

For our next selection we go to the 15:05 at Towcester where there has been an early move for Marodima. Course form can be significant round this most punishing of tracks, and Marodima has the all important CD letters by his name. He has been running in better races than this, albeit over the bigger obstacles, but his hurdling form is also decent. He is also a multiple winner on all types of going and is best seen at this trip. Punters seem to have latched on to this one with an air of confidence backing from [3.65] in to [2.58] so the obvious recommendation is a back bet.

Our lay of the day can be found in the 15:35 at Hexham where Mr Woods has been drifting from [2.86] out to [3.75]. He has won his last two runs on heavy ground so is obviously in good form. However, this will be his third run in a week, with today's trip over a marathon 4 miles. His last try at this trip came here in November on soft ground, and he finished well down the field that day. It seems the market, while not totally dismissing his chances of the hat-trick, obviously didn't want to side with him at the skinny prices offered earlier. His latest exertions may well catch up with him today so the recommendation is a lay.

Recommended Bets
Back Captain Chris @ [12.0] Cheltenham 14:40
Back Marodima @ [2.60] Towcester 15:05
Lay Mr Woods @ [3.70] Hexham 15:35

Today's Follow The Money movers come from the meetings at Cheltenham, Huntingdon and Southwell....

The Follow The Money team aren't fixated by Cheltenham, making just one pick from the Festival's first day offerings and including runners at Sedgefield and Southwell instead. Winners are winners, of course, so will their tactics prove successful?...

Today's Follow The Money selection can be found at Plumpton, Stratford and Taunton....

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Timeform Radio Tip: Captain to lead by example

Timeform Radio Tip / Rory Delargy / 26 February 2011 / Leave a Comment

Captain Chris looks to be today's oustanding bet

"The field for the Pendil Novices’ Chase is a tad disappointing, presumably as few are keen to take on Captain Chris over a course and distance which will suit him ideally. Philip Hobbs’ charge has finished second on all three starts over fences, and while he has a little to learn about jumping, looks a genuinely top-class prospect..."

Rory Delargy joins Alan Dudman on Timeform Radio for a day of racing which includes the Eider Chase at Newcastle and the Racing Post Chase at Kempton. Here are his top tips...

In the Racing Post Chase at 15:00, it usually pays to side with proven class - since running under its present title 13 of the 23 winners carried 11 stone or more, and when run under previous guises (Tote Pattern Chase, anyone?) had a similar profile. Nacarat is much respected and is a more than reasonable back-to-lay option @ [6.6], having traded at evens or shorter on three of his last four defeats in top company - he touched that price in the King George last time, and will find this field easier to dominate. I'd recommend backing him at that price and laying twice your stake back at [2.3]. The result (if matched) will be a profit of 3pts should he win, and 1pt if he trades short and gets beaten - given how Tom George's runners have been failing to see their races out at present, that seems a prudent policy. I'd also recommend a bet on Hey Big Spender @ [16.0] or bigger. I've long been a big fan of the Tizzard runner, and he was very impressive in winning at Warwick last time, putting a couple of disappointments behind him. His jumping was top notch there under a waiting ride, and if delivered in similar fashion today, rates the biggest threat to Nacarat.

As an aside, should Nacarat manage to win or go very close in the big one, and thereby signals a return to form for Tom George, his Hoare Abbey, in the same colours, might be worth a speculative wager in the bumper.

Recommendations:

Back Nacarat in the 15:00 Kempton @ 6.6 (NB) - (to lay back 2x stake @2.3)
Back Hey Big Spender in the 15:00 Kempton @ 16.0

Rory Delargy joins Alan Dudman on Timeform Radio for a day of racing which includes the Eider Chase at Newcastle and the Racing Post Chase at Kempton. Here are his top tips......

Graham Cunningham selects a trio of lively Friday afternoon bets......

Jeremy Grayson selects a pair of intriguing Thursday afternoon runners......

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