Last yea's champ takes early lead

2020-01-31

Last year’s champion, Steve Jones’ Daily Bargain made a stunning start to the new year, with a 7/1 winner on the opening day of January. This was followed two days later by an 11/2 success. These two victories helped to secure top spot in the January table with another of Jones’ services, Probets, claiming second spot.

There were also opening month profits for Personal Info’ Saturday Only, Personal Info and Mark Your Card, while First Favourite missed out by a smidgeon.

Daily Bargain, whose Besttipping crown followed previous titles in 2012 and 2017, posted a 9.5-point January yield with 29 selections uncovering five winners. Sir Chauvelin (7/1, Musselburgh, 1 January) was followed by Nezar (11/2, Wolverhampton, 3 January), Canford Bay (11/2, Wolverhampton, 19 January), Ulterior Motives (15/2, Sedgefield, 26 January) and Ruby Gates (8/1, Wolverhampton, 27 January).  The three Wolverhampton strikes followed a winning 10/1 advice at the same course back in December.

Probets was also in excellent shape with six January successes including 15/2 Zylan (Southwell, 15 January), Split Down South (6/1, Chelmsford City, 14 January) and Sandridge Lad (9/2, Southwell, 28 January).

Both Jones’ services advocate win-only bets, but there was plenty for each-way punters to get their teeth into. Six of Daily Bargain’s selections were placed, including two at 11/1 and one at 10s, while 13 Probets’ advices finished second or third, albeit at shorter prices.

The two Personal Info services also started January with profits. The Saturday-Only service recorded a 0.9-point yield while the mainline service finished the month 0.8 points to the good. Two winners and two each-way returns ensured the Saturday-Only service would end January in credit, while for the mainline operation, 13 bets yielded six winners and four returns on each-way selections.

Over the last three years, subscribers to the Saturday bets have enjoyed 27 profitable months out of 36 (75%) while the full service also boasts a 75% profitable month strike-rate during the same period. This includes, of course, a remarkable effort in 2018, when 11 of the 12 months ended with profits.

Mark Your Card, Besttipping champions on numerous occasions, also started 2019 with a profitable return of 0.2 points. Winners included 16/1 Oldgrangewood at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day, Sir Ivan, successful at Wincanton at the same price four days later, Highway Companion, victorious at Musselburgh at 15/2 on 17 January and Ruby Yeats, winner of a handicap hurdle at Fontwell on 26 January at sumptuous odds of 25/1.

First Favourite were unlucky to miss out on a January profit when Seaforth (a 4/1 advice) ran well below expectations at Wolverhampton on 27 January. This loss wiped out an early gain, resulting in a miniscule 0.2-point loss for the month.

February is traditionally a month when the racing fraternity has one eye focussed on Cheltenham, but there’s still plenty to get our teeth into including big weekend meetings at Newbury, Haydock, Ascot, Newcastle and Kempton. And for followers of the all-weather, Lingfield stages the Winter Derby on 22 February.