2017 Besttipping Review

2017-12-31

Steve Jones’ Daily Bargain secured the 2017 Besttipping challenge, with a December return of 3 points. Although a modest profit, it contributed towards an overall 2017 tally of 153.5 points – a handsome result in a testing year.

Mark Your Card made a valiant effort to make it four winning challenges in a row, but were thwarted at the last. Nevertheless, a 2017 return of more than 113 points is a clear indication of the continued brilliance of a service which, in four years with Besttipping, has accumulated more than 2150 points of profit.

December’s table was headed by Isiris with a 26.5-point yield, with James Boyle, who was making a welcome return to action, finishing second on 10 points. Daily Bargain were third with Personal Info’s Saturday-Only service fourth.

2017 was a curious year by any standards, with poor weather playing havoc, both during the jumping and Flat seasons. Major upsets were a common feature, with Douvan’s Champion Chase debacle and the victory of a 200/1 chance, Killahara Castle, in a race at Thurles in December being just two of many examples. In times like these, services which look for value come into their own, and this helps to explain Daily Bargain’s success. Despite selection odds averaging more than 11/1, and with a strike-rate of less than 13%, Daily Bargain were able to post profits in all but three months last year. Losing runs, which are inevitable, are cushioned by long-priced winners (tips are advised on the eve of races, ensuring the best possible odds can be secured).

By the end of July, Jones’ long established service was leading the table and from then on there were few alarm bells. 2017’s success was a second challenge victory for Daily Bargain, following a 183.5-point yield back in 2012. Since 2008, this service has posted profits seven years out of ten, a notable achievement.

For Mark Your Card, 2017 began badly, with two successive losing months. But March and April brought big pay-days, and a third of the way into the year, Mark Your Card were back in pole-position. However, despite finding numerous winners, they lost ground thereafter to the consistent Daily Bargain. At the start of December, the deficit stood at 36-points and try as they might, Mark Your Card were unable to close the gap. Disappointing though it must be to surrender their crown, Mark Your Card can take credit for another year of stunning results.

Isiris made an astonishing recovery to finish the year in third position in the table with a 13.7-point yield. This after languishing at the foot of the table for much of the year. At the end of September they were showing a loss of more than 93 points, but returns of 69, 11.4 and 26.5 points during the last quarter ensured that 2017 would end with a pleasing overall profit. December’s record featured eight winners and a further four returns from placed each-way selections.

As well as celebrating success with Daily Bargain, Steve Jones can take great satisfaction from the record of his second service, Probets, which posted a 2017 profit of 9.6 points. Probets has now recorded profits in each of the last four years. Like Daily Bargain, Probets provides one selection per day, advised on the eve of the race to maximise potential profits. Odds tend to be lower than Daily Bargain, but a strike-rate of more than 30% was achieved last year.

Personal Info’s Saturday-Only service secured eight winning months out of 12 in 2017, a figure bettered only by Daily Bargain. A model of consistency, this service has posted profits in each of the last four years. Thirty of last year’s 78 bets won, while each-way returns pushed the overall strike-rate for bets that secured a profitable return to more than 41%.

No service found the going easy in 2017, but First Favourite were hit more than most.  This service aims to secure a 50%+ strike-rate with selections returning starting prices of more than 11/10. Given such a finely calibrated balance, it is understandable that selections were fewer than usual last year, as favourite backers suffered reversal after reversal. To their credit, First Favourite did finish the year in profit, making it four winning years out of four with Besttipping.

Personal Info posted seven winning months out of 12 last year, while James Boyle’s December profit of 10 points which included 12/1 Wolverhampton winner Swift Emperor (16 December) was an encouraging return to form.

The new year represents a fresh start and we wish all the Besttipping services well for 2018. Having been displaced from their lofty position at the top of the tree, it will be fascinating to see how Mark Your Card respond this year. Will Isiris’s current strong form continue? Can Daily Bargain retain their title? Or will another candidate emerge from the pack.