The Sporting Year to Come Part 1: A new Dessie will rise at Cheltenham

Sir Des Champs leads them home at the Jewson in 2012

From Spain to India to Prestbury Park, Gloucestershire, Eliot Pollak picks the top betting events in the early months of 2013. Warning: article contains Handball...

January
As the Olympic Stadium looks all set to lie desolate, or even worse, be used by West Ham United (only joking Hammers...), now is the right time to cast our mind back to that golden summer, when we were all so young, love was free, and handball was tipped to be the surprise hit of the games.
So we are disappointed to announce that the 2013 World Championships of Handball will be starting in Spain on the 11th January, to the sound of shrugs across the nation. Team GB's brief experiment mixing with the best in the world is over, and it is now time for the pros to get on with it. 
Like its footballing friend, Handball's showpiece will draw entrants from all six continents. Six groups of four will whittle the 24 nations down to 16, before the knockout format begins, and the tournament really gets going.
France are the defending Champions and were triumphant in London 2012, but we fancy the Spanish with home support to go all the way. They can be backed at 3.185/40.  
 
February
If your body clock stubbornly refuses to readjust from Indian time after the current England Test Match / ODI tour ends, salvation could be at hand in the form of the ICC Womens World Cup 2013. Eight nations (very much the usual suspects) will battle it out in India, to determine who nabs England's crown, won in 2009.
The tournament starts at the end of January, when two groups of four swiftly (and pointlessly) form the Super Six. Unlike the men's events however, the competition doesn't finish in a different decade to the one in which it started. The final is on a very civilised February 17. 
Charlotte Edwards can call upon eight players who helped win the title, whilst Tammy Beaumont, Heather Knight, Danielle Hazell and Danielle Wyatt, along with Amy Jones, were all part of the ICC World Twenty20 squad that reached the October final in Sri Lanka.
It is hard to see the Three Lions retaining their trophy however, and again, we like the hosts, this time at 4.03/1. 
 
March
We're guessing the post-new year's eve detox will have finished by now so get yourself down to the worlds's biggest Guinness drinking competition - Gold Cup Day at the Cheltenham Festival. Even at this early stage, the antepost market is well worth a look.
With the legendary Kauto Star now trotting around, and last year's winner Synchronised sadly suffering a fatal fall at the Grand National, attention turns elsewhere. Long Run looks likely to be a major contender again for Nicky Henderson, but look out for Sir Des Champs at 7.87/1 who was the brilliant winner of the Jewson Novices Chase at the 2012 Festival for Willie Mullins.