And they're off - Sports Preview - April 3-5

Horse Racing

The world's most famous steeplechase will be run at Aintree Racecourse for the 162nd time on Saturday.

The talk in the Paddock is whether Comply or Die (16-1) can become the first horse since Red Rum to win two Nationals.

But the favourite over the 33 fences and 4m 4f course is My Will (7-1) as jockey Ruby Walsh seeks his third National success after winning on Papillon (2002) and Hedgehunter (2005).

For most casual punters, like myself, it's the equivalent case of sticking a pin on the page of the newspaper while blindfolded.

But one horse I will have to go for is Fleet Street, even if it is a 66-1 shot and even though there are no newspapers left in that area of London.

The beauty of the National, of course, is that it might be the only one left in the running.

The race starts at 4.15pm, in the middle of the second half of the Saturday 3pm football kick-offs...

Premier League football

Alan Shearer makes his return to Newcastle United as temporary manager with eight games left.

That starts on Saturday against third-placed Chelsea who are four points behind leaders Manchester United having played a match more.

Newcastle start the weekend in a perilous position in 18th on 29 points but Shearer insists his role is only on a temporary basis.

He said: "I'm definitely only here for eight weeks and that's all I'm concentrating on."

In the chase for the title, Liverpool could regain the lead if they succeed at Craven Cottage against Fulham where Manchester United failed.

But United can ensure it is a short stay at the summit by beating rapidly-unravelling Aston Villa at home on Sunday.

And Arsenal can stretch further ahead of Villa in fourth by beating travel-sick Manchester City at home.

Back at the bottom, Hull City (13th, 33 points) face Portsmouth (15th, 32 points) at home with the safety line in sight.

But Hull have the worst home record in the lead and Pompey's Peter Crouch seems to have hit a hot streak at the right time.

Middlesbrough (19th, 27 points) desperately need a win soon, being four points adrift of safety already.

But this weekend, they face a tough test against Bolton Wanderers (12th, 34 points).

West Brom (20th, 24 points) are even further adrift and to give themselves any hope surely must take three points against Stoke City (16th, 32 points) who are still without an away win all season.

Of the other teams in trouble, Sunderland (14th, 32 points) travel to the Boleyn Ground to face West Ham who will be without Carlton Cole after his injury on England duty.

And Blackburn Rovers (17th, 31 points) meet resurgent Tottenham Hotspur in the Saturday lunchtime kick-off.

Sunday's match between sixth-placed Everton and seventh-placed Wigan at Goodison rounds off gameweek 31. The reverse fixture ended up with Wigan winning 1-0.

In local non-league football, Whitley Bay travel to Lowestoft Town for the second leg of their FA Vase semi final, defending a narrow lead (2-1).

Away goals do not count in the competition and the Bay will hope to avenge last season's defeat at the same stage against the same team.

Meanwhile, Gateshead lost the lead at the top of the Blue Square North in midweek when second-placed Tamworth Town beat third-placed Southport in their game in hand.

With the teams around them still having games in hand, all the Heed can really do is win as many points as possible and see where they end up - starting away at Stafford Rangers on Saturday.

Cricket

England have managed to hang onto the coat-tails of the West Indies and have travelled to St Lucia for today's decider in the five-match series in good spirits.

The availability of Andrew Flintoff and Kevin Pietersen has given the squad a timely boost as they seek to secure a first-ever one-day series win in the Caribbean.

Meanwhile, the Windies have potentially been distracted after their players threatened a boycott because of a row with the WICB over payment.

But Gayle calmed fears that the match would not go ahead by confirming there are now talks between the WICB and the Players' Association (WIPA).

He will hope to continue his magnificent form as the Windies aim to win a Test/ODI-series double.

England will hope to emerge from this torrid winter with some credit.

Formula 1

The F1 circus has moved to Sepang in Malaysia for the second race of the new season which is already engulfed in controversy.

In my review of last weekend's sport, I congratulated Lewis Hamilton on his skill in getting his uncompetitive McLaren up to third, although this was only after Jarno Trulli's 25-second penalty.

But this was not the end of the matter and Hamilton was called to the governing body, the FIA, to explain emerging evidence.

The hearing discovered Hamilton, under instructions from team boss Dave Ryan, gave stewards "deliberately misleading" information about team radio instructions which told him to allow Trulli to pass him.

Hamilton has been stripped of his points with Trulli promoted back into third. Ryan has been suspended by McLaren.

"I'm not a liar or a dishonest person," said Hamilton.

But his reputation remains tarnished in the eyes of many F1 fans and it is doubtful if Hamilton will ever radiate the same glow as what followed when he won the world championship in Brazil.

Of course, he could start by racing brilliantly and fairly this weekend. But his chances are likely to be restricted by Brawn GP, Williams and Ferrari after they all impressed in practice.

In first practice, Niko Rosberg led a Williams one-two ahead of Kazuki Nakajima with the Brawns of Button and Barrichello in third and fourth, and the two Ferraris in fifth and sixth.

In the second practice, it was the Ferraris turn to enjoy a one-two with Kimi Raikkkonen faster than Felipe Massa and Sebastien Vettel in Red Bull in third.

Ice Hockey

In ice hockey, it's finals weekend for the Elite League.

Sheffield Steelers facing Cardiff Devils at 1pm and it's Coventry Blaze against Nottingham Panthers at 5pm at the National Ice Arena in Nottingham on Saturday.

The winners of the two semi-finals meet on Sunday.

Sheffield, playoff champions in 07/08, won the regular season by a clear 11 points from Nottingham and Coventry who both finished on 78 suggesting that the evening match-up could be very competitive indeed.

Cardiff are very much the outsiders, hacing finished fifth in the regular season on 63 points before surprisingly beating Belfast over two legs in the quarters.