Get in the Game UK

This Sundays' Carling Cup Final may not be the glamour tie that everyone anticipated when all 92 teams from four divisions kicked off back in August, and not quite what we expected when Arsenal and Villa got to the last four. But here we have it, two teams from `no-man's land' between mid-table and relegation, scrapping it out for a place in Europe!

At least the sorry statistic that no English manager has won a major trophy since 1996 will be laid to rest on Sunday, and in a desperately tight game to call it is with the straight talking Sam Allardyce and Bolton that our hopes will be pinned.

Ok, Saturday's defeat to Man City at the Reebok Stadium may not have been the ideal preparation, but Boro were little better, going down 2-1 to Newcastle in the pressure cooker of the North-East Derby. The Trotters may indeed have had one eye on the Final, and they can be expected to at least find the net on Sunday in a competition where they have averaged two goals a game. Up front they have the power of Kevin Davies - 11/2 to be First Goalscorer - while the talented Jay-Jay Okocha has the habit of producing sublime goals from set-pieces. However, it is in midfield where their real driving force lies in the shape of Kevin Nolan - 9 goals from the centre of the park this season! Throw in the fact that Bolton have had the edge over their rivals in recent seasons, winning three and drawing one of their last five meetings, and a case can be made for a 2-1 or 3-1 victory for Bolton at 9/1 and 25/1 respectively.

bet365 match odds...Bolton 7/4, Draw 2/1, Middlesbrough 6/4 (Outright - Bolton Evens, Middlesbrough 8/11)

In what should be an open and entertaining match, here at bet365 we are offering our clients a free IN-RUNNING bet on the game to be placed during the SECOND HALF. Simply place any single bet on the game before kick off and we will give you a free in-running bet to the same stake (up to £25) on the market of your choice during the second half.

bet365 now have seven In-Running markets for you to choose from including: Total Goals; Match Winner; Next Goal; Next Card; Total Corners; Total Bookings; and Correct Score.

Last weekend's meetings at Ascot and Wincanton provided us with plenty of pointers for the Cheltenham Festival, which is now only three weeks away (starts 16th March). Rigmarole was all the rage for the Champion Hurdle (now 9/2) after putting up a cracking performance to win the Kingwell Hurdle from Intersky Falcon (out to 10/1). This was probably not such a good performance as that of reigning champion Rooster Booster, however, whose fine second in the Tote Gold Trophy the previous week saw him tighten into 11/8 for a repeat. Thisthatandtother was another to impress on Saturday and his quick accurate jumping will stand him in good stead in the Arkle (now 5/2). Trainer Martin Pipe's Our Vic simply oozed class when taking the Reynoldstown Chase, and has the Sun Alliance Chase as his likely target, for which he is our 5/2 favourite - his 11/10 SP on Saturday certainly looks a gift now!

This Saturday's big race is the Racing Post Chase from Kempton, and for the winner we shall turn to another Pipe inmate in the shape of Shooting Light. This one bounced back to form last time out, his first run for 415 days, and will cope with the ground better than most, including the current ante post favourite Irish Hussar - an unlikely runner if the ground came up really fast. Formerly a high class chaser who lost his way after being pulled up in the 2002 Gold Cup, Shooting Light can maintain his remarkable comeback with victory here, although his price is not going to be as generous as last time when he was sent off at 33/1. Pipe also has a good second-string in the shape of Iznogoud (better than his name suggests), who also bounced back to his best when winning over the course last time out.

Watch the race live on Channel 4 (14.55 GMT), one of seven live races from Kempton and Warwick, and if you back the winner of any of these races at 4/1 or over we will give you a free bet to the same stake (up to £50) on the next Channel 4 race.

The BBC are at Haydock to cover this race in which several of the runners will be hoping to enhance their Grand National credentials. Again the freakish dry weather conditions are likely to play a part with ante post favourite Bear On Board an unlikely runner if the ground has any `jar' in it. This one is quoted at 20/1 for the National, along with Joss Naylor, another possible runner on Saturday. It would not be a major surprise to see You're Agoodun put up a good run, however, as he was narrowly beaten in last years renewal off a 3lb higher mark.

This week's Accenture World Matchplay is already under way but that does not mean that you cannot still get involved. Outright and match prices will be available daily after each round, with IN-RUNNING betting available on selected matches during TV coverage. A word of warning, however, last year's victory by Tiger Woods was the first by anybody seeded among the top ten of this 64-man knockout competition. In fact only 58% of the matches played over the last five years have been won by the higher seed, so don't be afraid to go for the underdog. The likes of Singh, Mickleson and Goosen do not have good records here and could be worth taking on in their matches. Last year's USPGA Championship winner Sean Micheel, although seeded to meet Tiger in the quarter-finals, may be a decent long-shot after showing glimmers of his best form recently.