Both teams have impressed on their way to the final and the game has all the ingredients to be a classic, with Leinster looking for their second successive title while Ulster are looking to upset the odds and win the province’s second European crown after previously succeeding in 1999.

Understandably, the holders are the favourites going into the game after once again lighting up the northern hemisphere’s premier club competition with their exiting brand of attacking rugby, epitomised by legendary centre Brian O’Driscoll (14/1 – First Tryscorer) who has defied the odds to declare himself fit for the match following knee surgery.

However, despite O’Driscoll’s talismanic influence, there’s one man who has become possibly more important than the skipper in recent years and that’s fly-half Jonathan Sexton.

The 26-year-old was tipped for big things as a youngster but always seemed to prefer style over substance before coming of age during the Dubliners’ first Heineken triumph in 2009 and is now the fulcrum of Joe Schmidt’s side. His ability to dictate play could be vital on Saturday and so expect him to once again raise his game for the occasion.

Ulster have often been seen as somewhat of a poor relation to their more illustrious neighbours but after a few seasons of quietly building both on and off the field they are now well and truly a top-class side.

Look down their squad list and you’ll see Grand Slam and World Cup winners in abundance and it’s one of their world champions who could make a huge difference at Twickenham.

Prop John Afoa (50/1 – First Tryscorer) joined Kevin McLaughlin’s men after helping the All Blacks win the World Cup on home soil in November and has continued his fine form, decimating his rivals throughout his short spell at Ravenhill.

If Leinster have one weakness it’s undoubtedly their scrum and Afoa will certainly fancy his chances against Cian Healy who, although sometimes spectacular in the loose, has a history of problems in the set-piece.

Although you may not see all of his good work, Afoa will certainly play a huge part in the outcome of the game and if you notice the Leinster’s scrum edging backwards, you can have little doubt who is responsible.

Local derbies are always close to call but the extra experience could be a telling factor and Leinster should just sneak the title, but it will certainly be a tight match (Leinster 5/1 to win by 1-5 points).

Watch out for Frankel and his brothers on Saturday because while the world’s highest rated racehorse makes his seasonal debut in the £175,000 JLT Lockinge stakes at Newbury his elder and younger relatives are also in action!

Bullet Train who at 5 years old is his elder half brother will no doubt be making the running for Frankel in the Lockinge as he always does on the gallops every morning here at Newmarket while later in the afternoon at HQ his younger full brother Noble Mission will be out to stake his claim for classic glory in the Fairway Stakes.

I’m pleased to say you’ll be able to see both these races and plenty others on a fantastic double header on channel 4 Racing from Newbury and Newmarket!

So can Frankel make it 10 out of 10 in the Lockinge and the answer after what I’ve seen of him on the gallops here at Newmarket has got to be yes!

Everytime he has a gallop with Bullet Train he sits behind and then goes whoosh and he looks in great shape.

Having said that Excelebration who used to be trained by Marco Botti but who is now with Aiden Obrien finished behind Frankel 3 times last year but comes over from Ireland after a superb win first time out.

He will have fitness on his side and he could be the value but having said that despite the small price would you really back anything to beat Frankel?

Frankel should win and he probably will but I wouldn’t put anybody off backing the Irish horse who as I said could be the value!

Earlier in the afternoon at Newmarket all eyes will be on Frankel’s younger brother Noble Mission in the Fairway Stakes and he should make it 3 wins in a row!(2.15 channel 4 racing)

He has impressed me with both his ability and his temperament and have no hesitation in taking him to win again and stake his claim for derby glory!

By the way if Noble Mission wins that race then you should certainly have a bet on Captain Cat later on in the afternoon for he finished 3^rd to Noble Mission first time out and looks to have been found a suitable opportunity here by his trainer Roger Charlton. (4.30 RUK)

It’s not often you see an 8 times winner running in a maiden race but Noble Alan is that horse in the Thirsk Racecourse Conference Rooms Maiden Stakes.(4.40)

Gordon Richards 9 year old is a prolific winner over hurdles and fences but surprise surprise is still a maiden on the flat! He can rectify that on Saturday under ex jump jockey now flat rider Graham Lee.

Hoof It may not have won the Duke of York Stakes at York this week but he ran a promising race in 5^th and his part owner Chubby Chandler is now keen to let him take his chance against Frankel at Glorious Goodwood.

“Why not” says Chandler who loves his racing nearly as much as he loves his golf where of course he is manager to Lee Westwood who is also a partner in Hoof It!

“We’ve won the Stewards Cup at Goodwood so we know he acts on the course and who’s to say he won’t stay the mile in the Sussex Stakes?”

I agree Chubby- go for it!

Rhamnus is definitely a horse to be on next time out judging by his remarkable run first time out at Newmarket on Thursday night.

He missed the break and was a good 15 lengths behind at the end of the first furlong but then amazingly he came through so fast at the end that he nearly caught the winner Fortinbrass.

OK the time was nothing special but the performance was and with a better start next time out Rhamnus trained by Richard Hannon looks a sure fire winner!!!

Bayern Munich v Chelsea 7:45pm

To say the Blues’ journey to reach the Champions League has been a roller-coaster would be an understatement. Having scrambled out of their group the west London outfit appeared to be on the verge of elimination when they lost the first leg of their last-16 tie against Napoli 3-1. However, out went Andre Villas-Boas and in came Roberto Di Matteo as the new manager, after which everything changed.

After turning around their tie with Napoli in the second leg Chelsea then dumped Benfica out before their semi-final with Barcelona. No one gave the Blues a chance, yet somehow they managed to defeat the defending European champions following a dramatic second leg.

For the final Chelsea are once again underdogs, with Bayern 4/9 to win the Champions League, while the Premier League club are 7/4.

The main factor for Bayern being given the edge seems to be their home advantage, with the game being staged at the Allianz Arena in Munich. The four-time European champions’ record at home is mightily impressive this season, winning all but three of their 25 matches on their own patch.

Bayern’s last defeat at home was against Borussia Dortmund on November 19, the team that eventually beat them to the Bundesliga title and the German Cup. While Chelsea were winning their domestic cup final against Liverpool, Jupp Heynckes’ men were being soundly beaten 5-2 by Borussia in the German equivalent.

What Dortmund proved in that game is that Bayern do have a soft underbelly, especially when you consider Luiz Gustavo, David Alaba and Holger Badstuber will all be unavailable for Saturday#s final. Bayern’s main strength is going forward, with the trio of Mario Gomes, Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben the biggest threats to Chelsea’s dream.

All three players are in double figures for goals and will provide Chelsea’s defence with a different kind of test than the one they were given by Barcelona. Di Matteo has admitted Chelsea will need to keep it tight but it seems unlikely they will manage to keep a clean sheet. As a result go for over 2.5 goals at 5/6.

For Chelsea’s old guard Saturday’s game is going to be the last hoorah you’d think, with Frank Lampard, Ashley Cole and Didier Drogba desperate to enhance their legacy at the club. All three are expected to start against Bayern and having scored in the last European final they appeared in you can get Lampard to repeat that trick at 11/4 to score anytime, with Drogba 15/8.

Given Bayern’s attacking threat Chelsea’s team news will be critical as we wait to see whether David Luiz and Gary Cahill have overcome their hamstring injuries. The reports coming out of Munich indicate they will be fit but if they aren’t then Di Matteo will be without a recognised centre-half as John Terry and Branislav Ivanovic are suspended.

Barring Chelsea having no fit centre-backs the biggest loss for them will be Ramires, who has been magnificent in the second half of the campaign.

To win the Champions League will take another super-human effort by Chelsea and you wonder whether the semi-final with Barcelona was their final.

It’s going to be close and could go all the way to penalties again. At least John Terry isn’t around to take one this time as far as Chelsea are concerned. The match markets have priced a Bayern win in 90 minutes at 4/5, with the draw 11/4 and the draw 10/3.

West Ham

The prize for the winners of the Championship play-off semi-final is not just a spot in the Premier League but also an estimated cash windfall of around £60million.

Both these clubs know all about the riches on offer in England’s top flight having suffered the agony of relegation last season. Both will be equally desperate to make an instant return with victory at Wembley.

Ian Holloway’s men will be able to draw on the memory of their recent play-off victory over Cardiff in 2010. West Ham, meanwhile, have mixed memories of the play-offs, having lost to Crystal Palace in 2004 but then beating Preston a year later.

For West Ham, a spot in the play-offs was a consolation prize after missing out on automatic promotion.

Sam Allardyce’s men were widely tipped to go up automatically at the start of the season, but despite consistently flirting with the top two a failure to convert draws into wins saw them fall behind Reading and Southampton.

Blackpool boss Holloway admitted he found relegation on the final day of last season hard to take, but despite losing the likes of Charlie Adam and David Vaughan, the astute purchases of Barry Ferguson and Kevin Phillips allowed them to rebuild and mount a sustained play-off challenge.

The Hammers begin the game as 20/21 favourites to win in 90 minutes, with Blackpool priced at 11/4. Given play-off finals are often tight and tense affairs, do not rule out the prospect of extra time, with the draw after 90 minutes priced at 13/5.

West Ham’s favouritism appears justified, given they are unbeaten in their last eight matches, winning six of those. In the play-off semi-final they breezed past Cardiff 5-0 on aggregate.

But Blackpool are hardly out-of-form, without defeat in nine games, though four of those are draws. However, in their two league encounters with Blackpool the Londoners have triumphed handsomely, winning 4-0 at Upton Park in October and 4-1 at Bloomfield Road in February.

If the play-offs are all about peaking at the right moment, West Ham have timed things perfectly. With 160 goals scored between the two sides in the regular season, penalty-box action should also be guaranteed at Wembley.

Blackpool in particular are known for their swashbuckling brand of attacking football, but West Ham have plenty of firepower themselves and will look to exploit any gaps at the back.

Backing over 2.5 goals at 5/6 should produce a return while brave punters could get hefty odds of 11/1 for six goals or more.

Carlton Cole is West Ham’s top scorer this season with 14 goals and his odds of 11/2 to score first here shouldn’t be ignored, nor should Kevin Nolan’s odds of 7/1 given the former Bolton man has hit 13 already from midfield this campaign.

For Blackpool it’s all about Kevin Phillips. The 38-year-old just keeps on going and his odds of 8/1 to score first, adding to his 17 goals already this season, should also be considered.

It has been 41 years, though, since Blackpool last beat West Ham and all the signs here suggest that wait will go on. A goal-filled 3-2 victory for the Hammers will leave their supporters blowing bubbles down Wembley Way and should send punters home happy too given that scorecast is priced at a tasty 25/1.

West Ham

The prize for the winners of the Championship play-off semi-final is not just a spot in the Premier League but also an estimated cash windfall of around £60million.

Both these clubs know all about the riches on offer in England’s top flight having suffered the agony of relegation last season. Both will be equally desperate to make an instant return with victory at Wembley.

Ian Holloway’s men will be able to draw on the memory of their recent play-off victory over Cardiff in 2010. West Ham, meanwhile, have mixed memories of the play-offs, having lost to Crystal Palace in 2004 but then beating Preston a year later.

For West Ham, a spot in the play-offs was a consolation prize after missing out on automatic promotion.

Sam Allardyce’s men were widely tipped to go up automatically at the start of the season, but despite consistently flirting with the top two a failure to convert draws into wins saw them fall behind Reading and Southampton.

Blackpool boss Holloway admitted he found relegation on the final day of last season hard to take, but despite losing the likes of Charlie Adam and David Vaughan, the astute purchases of Barry Ferguson and Kevin Phillips allowed them to rebuild and mount a sustained play-off challenge.

The Hammers begin the game as 20/21 favourites to win in 90 minutes, with Blackpool priced at 11/4. Given play-off finals are often tight and tense affairs, do not rule out the prospect of extra time, with the draw after 90 minutes priced at 13/5.

West Ham’s favouritism appears justified, given they are unbeaten in their last eight matches, winning six of those. In the play-off semi-final they breezed past Cardiff 5-0 on aggregate.

But Blackpool are hardly out-of-form, without defeat in nine games, though four of those are draws. However, in their two league encounters with Blackpool the Londoners have triumphed handsomely, winning 4-0 at Upton Park in October and 4-1 at Bloomfield Road in February.

If the play-offs are all about peaking at the right moment, West Ham have timed things perfectly. With 160 goals scored between the two sides in the regular season, penalty-box action should also be guaranteed at Wembley.

Blackpool in particular are known for their swashbuckling brand of attacking football, but West Ham have plenty of firepower themselves and will look to exploit any gaps at the back.

Backing over 2.5 goals at 5/6 should produce a return while brave punters could get hefty odds of 11/1 for six goals or more.

Carlton Cole is West Ham’s top scorer this season with 14 goals and his odds of 11/2 to score first here shouldn’t be ignored, nor should Kevin Nolan’s odds of 7/1 given the former Bolton man has hit 13 already from midfield this campaign.

For Blackpool it’s all about Kevin Phillips. The 38-year-old just keeps on going and his odds of 8/1 to score first, adding to his 17 goals already this season, should also be considered.

It has been 41 years, though, since Blackpool last beat West Ham and all the signs here suggest that wait will go on. A goal-filled 3-2 victory for the Hammers will leave their supporters blowing bubbles down Wembley Way and should send punters home happy too given that scorecast is priced at a tasty 25/1.

In many aspects the European Championships is a tougher tournament to win than the World Cup. There may be only 16 nations in the finals compared to the 32 nations at the World Cup but there are no even remotely easy fixtures. Group A is an interesting group with three eastern European sides along with the 2004 winners Greece. We have the host nation Poland, Russia, Greece and the Czech Republic.

There have been co-hosts before in the European Championships but this time it would not be surprising to see both home nations fail to make it beyond the group stages. Russia are always a tough proposition and they got to the semi-finals in 2008 and Greece were winners in 2004. The Czech Republic are not as strong as in recent years and they too were finalists as recently as 1996.

So we have three countries that have all had good runs in this event in recent tournaments and that spells a tough proposition for Poland who did not have to qualify and so could lack match sharpness coming into this event. Poland have been fortunate to avoid the really big favourites in their group and their fans will fancy their chances but it really could be anyones guess as to who progresses from Group A. Polish coach Franciszek Smuda (pictured) will be under pressure for sure because not qualifying from this group will be seen as failure by the Polish people.

Race 1 (York 1.30) – Mark Johnston’s Baileys Jubilee has impressed in both starts to date and looks a potential Royal Ascot candidate. We rate him a banker selection in this opening event.

Race 2 (York 2.00) – Caucus and Easy Terms both come into this race in good form, the former having run well when third on his seasonal return and the latter having hacked up at Pontefract earlier in the term.

Race 3 (York 2.30) – It will be a big surprise if Melbourne Cup runner-up Red Cadeaux doesn’t finish in the first three after showing plenty of dash on his seasonal return at Newmarket recently. We rate him a solid banker selection.

Race 4 (York 3.00) – Lily’s Angel put up a creditable effort when seventh in the 1000 Guineas and has prospects her, but we also include David Simcock’s Hello Glory, a good third in the Lowther Stakes at York last season.

Race 5 (York 3.35) – Dreaming of Rubies, Chooseday and Annie Beach are our three against the field in a very competitive handicap in which a case can be made for a host of runners.

Race 6 (York 4.10) – Cambourne, course and distance winner Shamdarley and the recent Musselburgh scorer Staff Sergeant are relied on to see us through to a winning dividend in a very tough final leg of the bet.

Suggested York Placepot perm ? 1×2×1×2×3×3 = 36 bets

Liverpool

Some may say the decision to sack the Scot was a harsh one, given that he led his beloved Reds to the FA Cup final having already securing the Carling Cup, but ultimately results in the Premier League did not meet expectations and whoever comes in will have to hit the ground running next season.

There are plenty of names flying about already but Liverpool may choose to take their time in order to make the best-possible appointment and here are our thoughts on the three early favourites to take charge at Anfield.

Andre Villas-Boas – 2/1

The Portuguese tactician lasted just nine months at Chelsea and will be desperate for a speedy return to management.  Villas-Boas, or AVB as he came to be known as in the press, was a target for Liverpool before he joined Chelsea but as a free agent he may appeal to the Anfield hierarchy perhaps keen to recruit on the cheap.

For:

Villas-Boas is a free agent and as such the club won’t have to pay any compensation to secure him as manager. The 37-year-old managed Portuguese side Porto for just one year but led them to four trophies, including the Europa League and the league title – with Porto undefeated in the Portuguese league for the entirety of the campaign. Villas-Boas is the youngest manager ever to win a European competition and will have the hunger to succeed after his struggles at Stamford Bridge.

Against:

There is no getting away from the fact Villas-Boas failed to impress at Chelsea.  Rumours suggested he couldn’t control, or had lost control of, the dressing room and the fact that Roberto Di Matteo managed to turn things around at the Blues so quickly after his departure will certainly raise questions as to whether he has what it takes to manage big players with big egos and succeed in the Premier League.

Roberto Martinez – 4/1

The current Wigan boss worked miracles at the DW Stadium this season to drag the Latics away from the drop zone.  The Spaniard also enjoyed a successful spell as manager of Swansea and Martinez is the second favourite to replace Dalglish.

For:

Martinez led Wigan to safety against all odds this season, picking up improbable wins over Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool along the way, and the Latics played an attractive brand of football too. Martinez is a manager who likes to play a free-flowing passing game, something the owners will want while he also has a decent record in the transfer market, having signed the likes of Victor Moses, Mohammed Diame and Ali Al-Habsi during his time as Latics boss.

Against:

Martinez may have led Wigan to safety but he was also the manager who led them into danger in the first place. The Latics struggled until the closing stages of the campaign and at one point many expected the Spaniard to be axed by Wigan chairman Dave Whelan.

It is easier to close the gap at the bottom than it is at the top and a late surge up the table won’t be enough for the Liverpool faithful. Martinez also has no experience of European football as a manager but does have five years experience as a boss.

Brendan Rodgers – 5/1

The current Swansea boss comfortably led the Welsh side to safety in their debut Premier League campaign. When it seemed as if Harry Redknapp was set to take charge of England, Rodgers was immediately highlighted as a potential successor at Spurs. Swansea were never really involved in the relegation battle, despite being tipped by many to drop straight back down to the Championship, and were hailed for their attacking, attractive brand of football.

For:

The former Watford and Reading boss has a great record in the transfer market as well as on the pitch, having picked up the likes of Scott Sinclair, Michel Vorm and Danny Graham for the Swans. Swansea had a formidable record at the Liberty Stadium and their home form was key to their survival, and with Liverpool’s form at Anfield considered a major factor in Dalglish’s exit, it comes as little surprise that Rodgers has been tipped to take charge at Anfield.

Against:

A big stumbling block is his lack of experience. He has overseen just one campaign in the Premier League, with the rest of his managerial experience coming at Championship level.  Rodgers has never managed in European competition and has been a manager for just four years, with spells at Watford and Reading before he joined Swansea.

The Others:

Former Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez still lives on Merseyside, is currently without a club and is seeking a return to management. The Spaniard can be backed at 10/1 to be given another chance at Anfield and has made it clear in the past he would relish a return to take charge of the Reds.

Former Barcelona and current Saudi Arabia boss Frank Rijkaard is 8/1, as is former England boss Fabio Capello. Some outsiders include Fulham boss Martin Jol, priced at 50/1, while Pep Guardiola, who stepped down as manager of Barcelona at the end of the season, is an unlikely 33/1 to succeed Dalglish.

For those unfamiliar with the Copa, it is basically the South American equivalent of the Champions League, with 32 teams split into eight groups from which the top two advance. This year has already seen some big name casualties, with Brazilian giants Flamengo and last year’s finalists Penarol having made early exits.

The first legs of two quarter-finals have already taken place with both matches finishing in draws. The all Brazilian affair between Vasco de Gama and Corinthians ended goalless in Rio de Janeiro with the weather hampering both teams.

The second quarter saw Universidad Chile grab a 1-1 draw away from home against Paraguay’s Libertad.  The next two matches are also likely to be cagey but more intriguing for the neutral.

Boca Juniors v Fluminense 11.45pm BST

These two giants of Brazilian and Argentinian football respectively meet at La Bombonera in the first leg of their clash on Thursday night in what should be the more intriguing off the two quarter finals. Boca and Fluminense were in the same group together this year – the Rio outfit winning five of their six matches as they finished in top spot.

Fluminense won in Buenos Aires but Boca got their revenge by defeating Abel Braga’s team on their own patch. While it’s tough to judge Fluminense’s form outside of the Libertadores as they are still going through the regional competitions in Brazil, they are unbeaten in five on their travels. However, they will be without some big name players against Boca, with Wellington, Fred, Deco, Diguinho and Valencia all out.

Boca have injury problems of their own, although not as extensive, with Pablo Ledesma, Leandro Somoza and Santiago Silva all absent. Los Xeneizes have been good at home recently but were frustrated by Velez Sarsfield on Sunday and will need to up their ideas if they are to break down Fluminense.

The Chocolate Box is bound to be bouncing on Thursday and Boca should have the edge, though, in a tight first leg given all Fluminense’s injury problems.

Boca are 7/10 for the win, with the draw priced at 23/10 and Fluminense 18/5.

Velez Sarsfield v Santos 2am BST

As defending champions and with Brazilian superstar Neymar flying right now, Santos should cruise through this quarter-final tie, especially with the second leg at home.

While the Sao Paulo outfit lost the first leg of their last-16 tie with Bolivar 2-1, they did show their class with an 8-0 win at home in the second leg.

Santos look more tactical astute than they were this time 12 months ago, their mauling at the hands of Barcelona in the Club World Cup obviously taught them a valuable lesson. The Peixe are far from just a one man team either, with Alan Kardec, Arouca and Elano all threats.

Standing in their way are Velez, the winner’s of last year’s Clasura in Argentina. The Buenos Aires outfit have made a strong start to the season and are currently five points off top spot in their domestic leage.

However, it has been Velez’s away form which have served them well recently and at El Fortín they are winless in the last seven.

As a result, Santos to win the first leg at 9/5 could be the way to go, with Velez 13/10 and the draw 21/10.

Goalkeepers – Joe Hart, Robert Green, John Ruddy.
Joe Hart will obviously take the gloves and has been the best in the League all season. Robert Green has international experience but his season in the Championship will have held him back in terms of a spot at number 2. John Ruddy was fantastic as Norwich’s man between the sticks all season and gets married during the tournament!

Defenders – Leighton Baines, Gary Cahill, Ashley Cole, Glen Johnson, Phil Jones, Joleon Lescott, John Terry.

Cole, Terry and Glen Johnson look certain to start. Whether Lescott or Cahill partner Terry in the middle will be the big question. Huge criticisms over the missing Ferdinand being shunted by Terry but Hodgson claims it was on footballing reasons alone. Baines provides adequate backup but again questions are being asked about Phil Jones getting the nod over a title winning Micah Richards.

Midfielders – Gareth Barry, Stewart Downing, Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Scott Parker, Theo Walcott, Ashley Young.

No arguments from anywhere over the selections of Barry, Gerrard, Lampard, Parker or Young although who actually plays will be interesting. Milner is a good all round cover option and Theo Walcott will offer pace after getting the nod over a disappointed Aaron Lennon. Oxlade-Chamberlain is a welcome inclusion after doing well in his first season at Arsenal but whether Roy will bring him on if England need a game change is yet to be seen. Stewart Downing has provided no assists or goals all season and his inclusion over Adam Johnson is laughable to many.

Strikers – Andy Carroll, Jermain Defoe, Wayne Rooney, Danny Welbeck.

Andy Carroll has hit form at the right time and will be happy to get given a chance. Jermain Defoe scores goals but can’t even break into the Tottenham side so his selection has raised a few eyebrows. Rooney was always going even with his 2 game ban at the start of the tournament. Welbeck has done well all season for United and has earned his place but many are asking about Daniel , who Sturridge, who has been electric for Chelsea.

Roy Hodgson has got his critics with this squad, but I guess there is only one way we truly can tell, and thats when the tournament is over.