Isiris Break the Mark Your Card Monopoly

2016-11-30

Having spent much of the year in the shadow of stablemate Mark Your Card, Isiris stepped into the spotlight in November, claiming a second monthly crown of 2016. Mark Your Card had to content themselves with second this time around, with Middleton finishing third – the ninth time this consistent service has claimed a podium-placing this year.

Steve Jones’ Probets finished fourth, while those perennial profiteers, Personal Info and First Favourite again posted positive returns.

Eight of Isiris’ 26 November selections were victorious, at odds ranging from 6/4 to 19/5 Highland Reel, Santa Anita, 5 November), while a 28/1 advice, Feeltherhythm, earned each way money when finishing second at Catterick on the final day of the month. It all amounted to a 36.2-point yield.

Mark Your Card’s 22.9-point profit, the tenth monthly gain of the year, ensured second position and strengthened an already tight vice-like grip on the 2016 Besttipping Challenge. An annual tally of 278 points puts Mark Your Card well clear of the nearest challenger, Middleton, and only a Devon Loch stands between them and a third successive title.

This month’s grab-bag of winners was topped by Clondaw Cian, a winning 28/1 advice at Cheltenham on 12 November. Other pleasing nuggets included a brace of 12/1 victors, Oh This Is Us (Doncaster, 5 November) and Titian Boy (Ayr, 9 November).

Two winners (at 5/2 and 11/4) and four seconds from just six selections gave Middleton another month of profit. A 14.9-point yield (the ninth monthly profit of 2016) increased the annual profit to 122.8 points – almost double the yield registered in 2015. Whilst second position looks the reward for this fine effort, it’s worth considering that if the Challenge was settled to starting-price, not recommended price, Middleton would be preparing to celebrate victory, as they are well clear of their nearest rivals, Those2oppose.

Eighteen of Steve Jones’ Probets’ 27 selections last month came first, second or third (67%) with 10 finishing first. This 37% strike-rate translated into a healthy 6.3-point November yield. Newcastle was a happy hunting ground with three of the month’s 10 victors triumphing at Gosforth Park. These included 7/2 Groundworker (8 November) and 3/1 Six Strings (29 November).

Personal Info’s seventh monthly profit of 2016 helped a move to fourth in this year’s overall table. Seven winners were posted in November from 15 bets (47% strike-rate) with a couple more finishing second and one third. Looking back over recent years, Personal Info’s consistency is remarkable. Since the start of 2011 (that’s 71 months ago) PI has posted 52 months of profit. That represents a 73% strike-rate: an outstanding achievement.

First Favourite is another master of the art of securing monthly profits. Last year, of course, saw a clean-sweep – 12 monthly profits out of 12 -  and November’s profit made it seven out of eleven this year. Ironically, First Favourite also boast a 73% monthly profit strike-rate since joining Besttipping mid-way through 2014.

Next month will see the usual round-up the year and a look ahead to 2017. In the meantime, I wish all followers of Besttipping a peaceful and enjoyable Christmas.