Former Gold Cup Winner has Sights on Aintree

Imperial Commander is aiming to emulate the great Golden Millen by adding the Grand National to his list of honours after already winning the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 2010.

Nigel Twiston-Davies’ runner was set for another shot at the blue riband event at the Festival earlier this month but was ruled out of the race through injury. He is expected to be fully fit for the showpiece at Aintree though over 4m4f next month, where he is likely to enjoy the bigger obstacles.

If he does run, Imperial Commander will have to carry top weight of 11-10 and become the first horse since Red Rum in 1974 to do so with that allowance. Tidal Bay was set to be at the top of the card before he was withdrawn last month through injury.

Ever since winning the Gold Cup in 2010 where he beat both Kauto Star and Denman in a memorable race at Presbury Park, he has struggled to remain fit. He has run on just four occasions since then, winning once in the 2010 Betfair Chase at Haydock where he finished ahead of Tidal Bay in Lancashire. 

He made his long awaited return this year after just under two years off the track in the Argento Chase at Newbury where he finished a respectable second behind Cape Tribulation.  Twiston-Davies was hoping that would springboard a follow up at Cheltenham but he was ruled out of the Gold Cup just a week before the big race.

Not only does he have Imperial Commander entered in the Grand National, but also Major Malarkey and Viking Blond. Both of the latter need other horses to pull out of the race before they make the maximum 40-runner field in Merseyside.

Mighty Mike Eyes Top Spot

Michael van Gerwen has the opportunity to move to the top of the 2013 Premier League table following a victory over Gary Anderson in Cardiff on Thursday.

Although his fellow compatriot, Raymond van Barneveld, may take back the spot later in the evening, Mighty Mike will be keen to try to pick up maximum points against the Scotsman to continue his impressive campaign on his debut in the Premier League.

Van Gerwen has lost just once so far in six games with defeat coming to dual-world champion, Adrian Lewis, two weeks ago.

The 2013 World Championship runner up has won on three occasions and drawn twice during the tournament. Anderson on the other hand, is under real pressure to avoid the drop from the league when the bottom two players are eliminated and currently sits in eighth place.

Mighty Mike won the last three legs against the man from Fleetwood in Manchester last week after the scores were locked at 4-4.  The Dutchman finished with an average of 101.52 despite his finishing not being very clinical. 

He hit just 7 of his 17 attempts at a double but it proved to be enough to bring up his third win this year in the Premier League.

Anderson, on the other hand, had to hold his throw in the final leg of the match against Lewis to pick up a much needed point. Despite getting off to a good start, the Scot found himself under pressure in the final stages of the clash to avoid a further defeat. 

The critical point in the game came in leg 10 where Jackpot missed several darts to break the throw, instead Anderson took advantage to level the scores. The 2011 winner needed just 10 darts to secure the draw in leg 12.

Rangel Eyes Strong Finish

Swansea defender Angel Rangel has called on his team-mates to ensure they don’t end this season with a whimper following their recent poor form.

The Welsh side have been excellent since earning promotion to the Premier League in 2011 and after finishing 11th under Brendan Rodgers last term, they have continued to evolve since Michael Laudrup arrived in the summer, becoming a more complete team in the process, much to the delight of fans who bet on Premier League.

  

Their improvement was most apparent last month as they beat League Two Bradford City 5-0 to claim the club’s first ever major trophy in the Capital One Cup final.

Their run to Wembley saw them comfortably beat both Liverpool and Chelsea and they are now being tipped to possibly contend for the European places, a feat which would prove incredible considering that they almost went out of business a decade ago.

However, they have dropped off since their trip to the capital, losing their last two games in a run that has seen them drop to ninth in the table.

Rangel admits to the Premier League betting news that he’s been frustrated by their recent slip-ups and has called on his team-mates to ensure they finish the season in the manner that their hard work deserves.

“When you look at the table and the amount of points we have at this stage, you can appreciate the amount of hard work everyone has put in this season," Rangel told the club's official website. "But everyone here is constantly battling to raise their game and push the club up the table.

"I think if we finish the season on a bad note, then that is what a lot of people will remember. That will eradicate the good work that went on earlier this season.”