Fifth monthly crown for Sprint Specialiser
2019-10-31
The volitivity that has defined much of 2019 continues with Sprint Specialiser recovering from September’s bottom place to earn top position in the October listings. A 12.7-point yield secured a fifth monthly title of 2019 with Probets second on 7.8 points. First Favourite, Personal Info and Personal Info Saturday-Only also posted October profits. But, despite only breaking even, the real winner was Steve Jones’ Daily Bargain, who returned to the top of the overall table, thanks to a losing month for Mark Your Card.
Having opened 2019 brightly with three table topping months, Sprint Specialiser looked unstoppable. Another big month followed in April, at which point, they had opened up an 86-point lead in the overall table. Three losing months followed but the winning thread was regained in August, before September’s reversal.
October’s profit was earned from three winning advices and a big priced each-way return from 21 selections. The best priced of the three successes was Our Little Pony, a 12/1 advice when winning a five-furlong dash at Pontefract under Faye McManoman on 21 October. The other two winners both recorded SPs of 7/2, while Cold Stare (third at 22/1, Doncaster, 25 October) also helped to swell the coffers.
Probets claimed second with a 40% strike-rate: 8 winners from 20 selections. They included Highfaluting (3/1, Kempton, 15 October), Piece Of History (3/1, Kempton, 28 October) and Alson (5/2, Longchamp, 27 October). Kempton was certainly a happy hunting ground as, along with Piece Of History and Highfaluting, El Misk (13/8, 30 October) also scored, giving a return on investment (ROI) at Kempton of 191% (75% strike-rate).
First Favourite’s only October selection – the William Haggas-trained Convict – was an easy winner at Newmarket on 23 October at odds of 6/5, which converted to a 1.2-point profit (120% ROI).
Personal Info’s Saturday-Only service was again in good shape with two October winners from six selections – Amma Grace (2/1, Leopardstown, 19 October) and Ramses De Teillee (7/4, Cheltenham, 26 October. A 1-point yield was the outcome, a seventh profitable month out of ten in 2019.
Personal Info’s mainline service also made it seven winning months from ten with a 0.8-point October yield. Six winners were advised in 14 races (43% strike-rate) including Mossy Fen (9/2, Worcester, 10 October) and the previously mentioned pair Amma Grace and Ramses De Teillee. A further seven selections were placed including Shanroe In Milan (Worcester, 10 October).
In July 2018 Daily Bargain finished the month with a zero balance, a feat that was repeated last month with 20 points staked and 20 points returned. Three selections were successful including two 13/2 shots, One Master (Longchamp, 6 October) and Technician (also at Longchamp, 27 October), while a further six selections occupied second or third places, including one at 20s.
Although Daily Bargain’s overall 2019 profit (91.3 points) remains unaltered, there was a move from second to first place in the table as Mark Your Card experienced a rare losing month. With two months to go, Daily Bargain has a 21.3-point advantage over Mark Your Card with Probets, another Jones service, third on 12.6 points and Sprint Specialiser next on 6.5 points.