Sensational Scout hammers the bookies

March is often a testing month for tipsters given the challenges presented by the Cheltenham Festival, not to mention the opening exchanges on the Flat. The test is particularly great for newspaper tipsters who are expected to provide a tip for every race: there are no hiding places. But the Scout of the Express rose to the challenge spectacularly last month, posting a monster 137.1- point profit on all selections (754 in all) settled to official starting prices. The strike-rate was 30% which is also outstanding.

Winners came at a steady rate throughout the month as the line graph demonstrates, and losing days were few. Of the 200-plus winners, two stood out. Firstly Ginistrelli, who scored at 33/1 at Doncaster on 6 March, on his return to the track after a wind operation. Then, the next day, Scout advised a 50/1 “no-hoper” called Mrs Barnes, who bravely got up to win a novices’ hurdle at Huntingdon. She’d been absent for four years before finishing fifth on her reappearance at Wetherby in mid-February, an effort that clearly caught the Scout’s eye. Other standout winners included Ahoy Senor (16/1, Ayr, 1 March), Sir Titan (14/1, Kempton, 3 March) and Flooring Porter, the 12/1 winner of the Stayers’ Hurdle at Cheltenham (18 March).

As well as securing a huge profit with all tips, the Scout came close to winning the March naps race as well, finishing with a 17.4-point gain. This figure was bettered by just one tipster, Fortunatus of the Sheffield Star, who ended the month 27 points to the good.

The Sun’s Templegate (3.0 points), Postdata of the Racing Post (2.2 points), Robin Goodfellow of the Mail (2 points) and the Yorkshire Post’s Duke (0.4 points) were also celebrated March profits.

As well as producing the leading monthly yield, Fortunatus also topped the table for strike-rates, which at 42% was exceptionally high. Sky Pirate, the 14/1 winner of the Grand Annual at Cheltenham on 17 March headed a list of 13 winners which also included strikes at 5/1, 9/2 and 4/1. And to top things off, the longest losing sequence was just five.

Fortunatus’ just reward is top position in the 2021 Napchecker table with a 19.7-point profit for the first quarter of the year.

Scout’s March naps earned second place in the month’s listings. A 17.4-point profit was earned thanks to another impressively high strike-rate of 35%. Again, the Cheltenham Festival featured in the rollcall of winners, thanks to Flooring Porter, the 12/1 winner of the Stayers’ Hurdle (18 March). That list also included Gavi Di Gavi (8/1, Lingfield, 10, March).

A 32% strike-rate translated into a 3-point yield for Templegate with a pair of 9/2 winners heading the months returns.

Herbiers (12/1, Ascot, 28 March) saved Postdata month, while Robin Goodfellow was similarly indebted to Artistic Rifles (8/1, Doncaster, 27 March). The Duke secured his profit with winning naps on the last three days of the month.

The show rolls on with the Aintree Grand National meeting attracting most attention. But there are plenty of other big-race attractions vying for attention in April, as the jumps season draws to a close and the turf Flat campaign begins in earnest. There’s something for everyone.

Date Published: 05/04/2021