Middleton and Probets Flourish in May

 

Middleton Racing Service’s precision selection policy paid dividends again in May as the service secured a second monthly crown in four months. Steve Jones’ Probets, which enjoyed a remarkable run midway through the month finished second ahead of Those2oppose, Isiris’ Mark Your Card and James Boyle Racing. Personal Info and Personal Info’s Saturday-Only service also posted profits this month.

The selective approach used by Middleton has been a revelation so far this year. Each month has yielded a profit, with May’s return of 22.3 points the best yet. Since the turn of the year, 27 selections have been made. The form figures for these selections make impressive reading: 127112212371312413123315111. As well as the 12 winners, three placed each way bets returned profits resulting in an overall 2016 profit of 90.2 points.

Four of May’s six selections prevailed, including 4/1 Mehmas (Newbury, 14 May). There were also winners at 7/2, 3/1 and 11/10, adding up to a monthly return of 22.3 points.

May began with a winner for Steve Jones’ Probets – Minding, advised at 11/8 prior to her 1,000 Guineas success – and the winners continued to roll in throughout the month. Twelve of Probets’ 25 tips won at odds up to 11/2 – So Beloved (Haydock, 7 May) – and, at one point, Jones enjoyed a run of nine wins from 12 selections (6-18 May). In all, 21 out of the 25 selections finished in the first three (84%) and a May yield of 15.9 points helped push Probets up to fourth place in the 2016 table behind Middleton, Isiris’ Mark Your Card and Isiris.

Those2oppose also enjoyed a good return in May with twelve selections producing five winners (at prices ranging from 9/4 to 7/2), three seconds and three thirds. The last day of the period under review (28 May) was particularly profitable for Those2oppose with 7/2 advice Gunmetal winning at Salisbury. Home of the Brave (9/4 advice, Haydock) also triumphed, while Dark Shot (9/4 advice, Salisbury) finished second.

After a quiet April, Mark Your Card returned to form in May with a string of big priced winners that included 16/1 Gilmer (Salisbury, 28 May), 14/1 Hint Of Grey (Brighton, 3 May), 11/1 Sound Advice (Leicester, 28 April), 10/1 Occasionally Yours (Huntingdon, 17 May) and 10/1 Pour La Victoire (Goodwood, 19 May).

The victory of 25/1 advice Clear Spring in the Starlight Handicap at Newbury on 13 May, was the highlight of a fourth profitable month of 2016 for James Boyle, who also scored with 12/1 advice Plucky Dip (Catterick, 28 May).

A month of steady profits for Personal Info ended in spectacular fashion with six of the service’s last ten selection winning. Of the other four, three finished second and one fourth. The prices of the six winners during this sequence ranged from 5/6 to 11/4, while earlier May winners included 13/2 advice Turbine (Newcastle, 17 May) and 9/2 So Beloved (Haydock, 7 May).

That Haydock success by So Beloved, along with Eddiemaurice’s 9/2 Ffos Las win (28 May), helped Personal Info’s Saturday-Only service to another profit, while First Favourite were denied yet another monthly profit by a mere 0.4 points.

As we enter the busy mid-summer period there is something for everyone, with the Derby, the Oaks and Royal Ascot offering racing of the highest class, while the honest journeymen of the all-weather circuit continue to ply their trade. There is also plenty of summer jumping action. Let’s hope with sun shines on everyone in June.