Stacey’s final Climb to glory
The X Factor final this weekend sees our 25-1 tip from way back at the start of the series, the endearing Stacey Solomon, still in there with a fighting chance.
Stace has drifted in the betting this week, and is currently outsider of three at 6-1. This is due to the fact she is paired with Michael Buble, whereas Olly has a far more viewer-pleasing duet (in theory) lined up with Robbie Williams.
How much this sways viewers on the night to pick up their phones to vote for Olly is a moot point because Williams isn’t the best vocally, and isn’t nearly as big as he used to be. Joe looks like going from strength to strength paired with George Michael, despite press reports hinting that George isn’t on top form currently.
The contestants will also sing their favourite song choice from the series. If Stacey has good advisors this should be her magnificent cover of Queen’s ‘Who Wants To Live Forever’, in our humble view the performance of the series:
It could be a galling weekend with Stace getting knocked out tonight, but we still think she has built enough of a fan base to hold off Olly and progress to tomorrow night’s final. If she does, she could yet give Joe something to think about, especially in light of the fact one of our trusted contacts has been reliably informed Stacey’s version of Miley Cyrus’s The Climb – the X Factor Christmas single – is far and away the best of the three, at least sung live in rehearsals.
With today’s front page of The Sun reporting Joe topping the polls by a country mile, Joe’s biggest danger is voter apathy, some of his supporters not bothering to pick up the phone thinking he’s already past the post.
Joe should win and will probably win and we recommended you to stay green on him. But at the prices, we still see Stacey as the value at 6-1 on the outright, and the only remaining small value resides in the 7-4 offered on a Joe/Stacey one, two, with a smaller wager suggested on Stacey 1st, Joe 2nd at 8-1.
Rob Furber