10% strike-rate but a big profit for Irish Post's napster

It’s rare that the dreaded combination of a modest strike-rate and a lengthy losing run can be turned into a healthy long-term profit. Rare, but not impossible as Kevin Walsh of the Irish Post demonstrated in September. Despite scoring with only three of his 30 naps and enduring a sixteen-day fallow spell, Walsh finished top of the Napchecker Naps table, with a more than acceptable profit of 14.5 points.

Walsh was followed by Rob Wright of The Times, with a 9.4-point yield and West Tip (Western Morning News), who finished third on 4.3 points.

Having topped August’s table with a 16.9-point yield, Walsh entered September in great spirits. And the victory of Another Angel at 25/1 at Newcastle on 3 September continued the good work. Prior to that success, Another Angel had been without a win for eighteen months, and his previous four starts included two last places. But Walsh’s confidence was rewarded with a one and three-quarter length success under seven-pound claimer, Harry Russell.

Six days later, Walsh was on song again when Glimpse Of Gold (10/1) won at Uttoxeter on his first start for Sarah Humphrey. With two lucrative winners secured, Walsh was already guaranteed a September profit, and just to make sure, Mr Lupton (11/2, Curragh, 13 September) added to the pot.

Even though Walsh went winnerless for the next sixteen days, none of his rivals could take full advantage. Rob Wright came closest with a powerful late surge -with seven winning naps in the last twelve days of the month. Had Sharney obliged at Bath on 28 September, Wright would have snatched victory, but a 9.4-point yield (36% strike-rate) was a more than satisfactory return for his month’s efforts.

Best priced of Wright’s ten winning naps was Ilaraab, successful at 7/1 at Newbury on 19 September. And, apart from an eight-day losing streak between 4 and 12 September, the winners arrived with a pleasing regularity.

With five days of the month to go, West Tip was heading for a sizable loss, but the victory of 18/1 Imperium Blue at Ripon on 26 September turned things around.

One place below West Tip in September’s list came Templegate (The Sun). Nine winning September naps included 4/1 Leicester winner Bear Me In Mind (Leicester). A 31% strike-rate, however, was unable to secure a profit as a miniscule 0.02-point loss was registered.

Thanks to the outstanding results of the last two months, Kevin Walsh has emerged as the new leader of the 2020 Napchecker Naps challenge. Walsh’s yield for the first nine months of the year is 22.7 points. Previous leader, Robin Goodfellow (Mail) drops to second (9.5 points) while West Tip (0.1 points) is now third. The Daily Record’s Garry Owen and the Telegraph’s Marlborough both slipped back following losing months.

Date Published: 06/10/2020