We were thrilled to announce our partnership with the PBR last week, and the action rolls on in Oklahoma!
The PBR Lucas Oil Invitational gets underway on Sunday AEST, and two adrenaline-filled days of Bull Riding awaits. We managed to grind out a small profit at last week’s Cooper Tires Invitational and much like a lot of these Cowboys in Round 1, we’ll be far better for the hit-out.
Along with Neds’ exclusive rights to stream and offer markets on the PBR, you can find a preview and tips for the PBR Lucas Oil Invitational below.
Sunday
Stetson Lawrence finished fourth at the Cooper Tires Invitational after recorded two good scores from three rides. His best ride, an 87.75 was returned in his first-round contest with Rising Sun, and as the quality of opponent increased in the next two rounds, he was unable to go on with it.
He faces Top Shelf first-up on Sunday, the PBR’s 41st-ranked Bull and undoubtedly a far tougher Round 1 opponent than Rising Sun.
Understandably, Lawrence has been marked the outsider in this contest and I think that the market has got this one right. I’m going to take the value on offer in the Ride Duration – Under/Over market.
Jose Vitor Leme could hardly have been more impressive on his way to a dominant win at the Cooper Tires Invitational last week and understandably, he has opened the $1.28 favourite to defeat M.A.G.A. on Sunday.
The twenty-three-year-old Brazilian has been in rare form in 2020, winning six events already and impressively remained aboard all three of his bulls last week.
I’m actually eager to take the value for M.A.G.A. as the outsider.
Vitor Leme’s recently record speaks for itself, but M.A.G.A. himself has managed to unseat several high-ranked Cowboys, including each of his last two contests.
I think that he is over the odds at $3.25.
All of XO, South Texas Ranger and Hard & Fast have proven to be a handful for Cowboys this year and they will all take plenty of beating at the Lucas Oil Invitational on Sunday.
Hard & Fast has been particularly impressive and he is yet to be beaten in 2020, which included a smart win over Derek Kolbaba last week.
I’m confident that all three bulls will win their contests and the $3.21 on offer for this multi at publish looks great value.
Monday
Betting suggests that this is going to be the best contest at the PBR Lucas Oil Invitational.
The world’s ninth-ranked rider returned a couple of flat efforts at last week’s event, which interestingly included a ride on this week’s opponent, Skeeter Peter.
In that instance, Skeeter Peter was able to unseat Vieira in just over 3.5 seconds.
At publish, Vieira does remain the slight $1.82 favourite, but I am happy to be with the bull to make it two in a row.
Jose Vitor Leme’s second ride will be on the 20th-ranked Blue Crush early on Monday morning.
Given his dominant performance last week and his overall record, this might sound like a bizarre betting play, but I’m actually eager to take him on again.
Blue Crush has been utterly dominant for a long period of time now, and if there’s a recent record that is better than Vitor Leme’s, it’s his.
The last time that Blue Crush was defeated was August 2019, meaning that he is now amidst a fifteen-contest winning streak.
He made light work of Tye Chandler last week and until he gives me a reason not to be, I’m happy to stick with him.
We’re re-saddling with another multi on Monday and a little more than even money is available for both Udder Lover and Trail Of Tears to win their respective contests.
Udder Lover doesn’t boast a particularly high ranking, but he has proven to be a tough opponent for the Cowboys recently and has lost just two of his last eight contests.
Trail Of Tears meanwhile lived up to his name at the Cooper Tires Invitational, bucking Mason Taylor in a little under 5 seconds.