What a sensational few days of sport we have ahead of us: the PGA Championship at Wentworth, second Test at Headingley, the Champions League Final, Froch v Kessler, Monaco Grand Prix, Scottish Cup Final and Championship Play-off Final - all live on Sky Sports.
LMA Awards
Managers were to the fore when I hosted the LMA Awards at Billingsgate in central London on Monday evening.
David Moyes, Michael Laudrup, Chris Hughton, Steve McLaren, Paul Lambert, Sam Allardyce and Roy Hodgson were all there to present awards. Martin Allen won the League Two Manager of the Year Award and we had a chuckle on stage about the trip Gillingham made to Benidorm to celebrate winning the title. He described his relief at seeing the aeroplane had two wings and horror at the state of their two-star hotel.
Gary Johnson won the League One prize and was on a high after victory at Wembley the day before, while Championship winner Malky Mackay expressed his pride at taking Cardiff City to the Premier League after a 51 year wait.
However, it was Sir Alex Ferguson who took centre stage winning both the Premier League Manager and LMA Manager of the Year. Sir Alex joked how "at Sunderland last year we were champions for 10 seconds. 10 bloody seconds!"
I also put to him how management has changed over time and now on average a new manager in the game lasts less than a year in the job and 55% of first time managers never get another managerial role. I asked him what his advice to young managers would be now and Sir Alex replied praising the LMA for the role they play, whilst warning managers about the need to prepare for the job. He said "I'm dead against this fast tracking. Do your badges and earn you way to be a manager".
Racing
I also made the point that for 40 years journalists have been asking about his players' fitness, injury and team news but now the big question was whether the horse he part owns, Telescope, would run in the Derby.
He said he was off to see Telescope work the following morning but told me as he left the stage that the horse was "very good". However, Walter Smith had already warned the audience that Sir Alex was a terrible tipster!
Telescope then had a racecourse gallop at Lingfield on Wednesday, which left work watchers and bookmakers underwhelmed. Sky Bet pushed him out to 9/1 from 7/1 and the horse now faces a gallop on Saturday to determine whether he goes to Epsom. My principal concern was how he sweated up and refused to settle at Lingfield. He won't be able to do either on the big occasion next Saturday.
Meanwhile there's some great racing in England and Ireland this weekend. The horse I'm most interested in is Magician, who may well take his chance in the Irish 2,000 Guineas (9/2 with Sky Bet) on Saturday.
For me, he was the most impressive of all the Aidan O'Brien Derby trial winners when he bolted up at Chester in the Dee Stakes and I'm told he's been showing some serious speed in his work since then, hence the decision to drop back in trip and run at the Curragh.
I'm also going to have a small bet on Magician completing a quick fire double in the Derby. O'Brien often does the 1,000 Guineas/Oaks double with his fillies but not often the Colts' equivalent.
However, if Magician wins well on Saturday I could easily see him heading to Epsom (20/1) as he is bred for the job. The double is a tasty price!
