January profits, despite adverse conditions

Despite incessant rain, and the large number of meetings that were lost as a consequence, January was a lucrative month for Newsboy, who headed the month’s naps list. The Mirror’s pundit ended the month with an 11.2-point gain, securing a 38% strike-rate in the process.

In all, eight napsters ended the month in profit, with Newsboy being chased home by Racing Post Ratings (9.1 points). The Duke of the Yorkshire Post and West Tip (Western Morning News) secured the next two positions. Garry Owen (Daily Record), Racing Post Spotlight, Rob Wright (The Times) and Scout of the Express completed the list of profit-makers, while Marlborough (Telegraph) missed out by just one tenth of a point.

The best priced of Newsboy’s eight successful naps were Gossip, a 6/1 winner at Southwell on 6 January and Pallas Dancer (4/1, Newcastle, 15 January).

Finisher, a 21-race maiden, secured his first success at Doncaster in a novices’ hurdle on 29 January, and the 12/1 shot was that day’s nap for Racing Post Ratings. The win turned a modest loss into a healthy profit, and second place in the January table.

Tipsters from regional papers occupied third and fourth positions with The Duke of the Yorkshire Post notching a 7.2-point profit and the Western Morning News’ West Tip securing a 6.9-point gain. Star of St James, a winning 17/2 nap at Southwell on 7 January led the way for The Duke, while West Tip’s 40% strike-rate, was the best of any napster during the opening month. West Tip’s best return came courtesy of Upside Down, a 6/1 success at Southwell on 8 January.

Garry Owen made a sensational start to 2021, with four of his first seven nap selections prevailing. These included 6/1 Seaston Spirit (Plumpton, 3 January) and 11/2 Maykir (Southwell, 10 January). At that point, the Daily Record’s tipster was boasting a 15.3-point profit. The rest of month was less spectacular, but a yield of 6.4-points remains a decent return.

Apart from a five-day losing streak mid-month, the winners flowed with pleasing regularity for Spotlight, who ended the month 4 points to the good. Rob Wright finished with a 3-point gain, despite a lengthy losing run in the second half of the month. There was also a January profit for Scout, thanks to a 32% strike-rate.

Turning to the all-tips table, two tipsters finished January with positive returns. Brian O’Conner of the Irish Times posted a 9.3-point yield, while the Irish Sun were up 6 points. O’Conner registered a 34% strike-rate with Glenabo Bridge – an 11/1 winner at Punchestown on 18 January – providing the biggest pay-out. Highlights for the Irish Sun were Sir Bob, a 14/1 Navan victor on 29 January and Perceval Legallois, who won at 12/1 at Gowran Park a day earlier.

The best of the British-based tipsters was Rob Wright, whose winning haul included an 11/1 shot, two at 12s, and 22/1 Visibility, a 11 January Wolverhampton strike.

Date Published: 08/02/2021