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Racing Post Ratings win 2016 Napchecker crown

With a seven winner December haul, Racing Post Ratings maintained their lead at the head of the Napchecker Naps table, securing the 2016 title with an overall 39-point profit to SP. The Daily Telegraph’s Marlborough claimed second positon, leapfrogging The Blackpool Gazette’s Simpson, thanks to a strong end-of-year showing. Garry Owen of the Daily Record was fourth with Glendale of The Scotsman and Fortunatus of the Sheffield Star occupying the next two positions in the table.

Racing Post Ratings earned a 7-point December profit, with 8/1 The Jogopolist (Huntingdon, 4 December) and 7/1 Goal (Ludlow, 21 December) aiding the cause. With Simpson, who was seeking to overturn a 17-point deficit, failing to make serious inroads on the leader, it proved to be a comfortable margin of victory.

What challenge there was came in the form of Marlborough, who added to a fine recent record (fourth in 2015, second in 2013) to gain another second place. With 11 winners from a total of 26 nap selections in December (42.3% strike-rate), Marlborough earned a 9-point yield, which included 6 December Uttoxeter heroine, Mrs Burbridge, as well as a 4/1 strike. Having won with seven of his first 11 December selections, Marlborough had closed the gap on the leader by 13 December, but a sequence of seven successive losers ended the Telegraph-man’s challenge, although a run of four winners over the festive period ensured the month ended with a pleasing profit.

Top of the tree for December was the Belfast Newsletter’s Wise Owl, who made nine successful nap selections from a total of 24. This produced a yield of 18 points and including a sensational sequence in the build-up to Christmas when eight out of nine naps prevailed between 12 and 20 of December. This run included 7/1 Templehills (Fakenham, 18 December) and 8/1 Ballylare (Chelmsford City, 19 December) as well as a 13/2 winner.

Wise Owl finished ahead of Gary Owen of the Daily Record and Marlborough who both racked up 9-point yields from 26 naps, with Owen just shading second place by way of a marginally better strike-rate. (Owen also finished top of the overall 2016 tips table, ahead of Brian O’Connor of the Irish Times.)

The Guardian, Patrick Weaver of the Daily Star and The Daily Mail’s Robin Goodfellow all posted December gains with Weaver enjoying a sequence of nine winning naps out of 10 between 11 and 20 December.

So much for last year, what’s happened so far in 2017. Well, the Racing Post’s Spotlight service has made a bright start, and after six day’s action, heads the tipster table with a 15-point profit. Winners include an 8/1 shot and two 6/1 chances. The Guardian has also made a good start and sits in second place with a 10-point profit.

A New Year’s Day winner at 9/2, followed by a 4/1 strike on 2 January, meant that Farringdon of The Morning Star got a way to a swift start in the naps table. Farringdon currently leads the table with 6 points. Fortunatus of The Sheffield Star is second with 4 points, one point ahead of third-placed Wise Owl, who has carried 2016’s good form into the new year.

Date Published: 08/01/2017