PJA All Weather smartly out of the stalls in 2013

 

PJA All Weather made light of the poor January weather to post an impressive 64.6 point profit. Second, on 45.4 points came Rightprice Racing with Insideoutracing performing strongly to take third with a 17.2 point yield.

            PJA All Weather’s pace-setting display was a case of history repeating itself as they were also fast out of the stalls in 2011 and 2012, posting table-topping returns of 35.5 points and 33.2 points respectively.

            Winners came with impressive regularity for PJA All Weather. Wolverhampton proved the venue for several of the highlights with Dhhamaan’s 3 January success proving particularly pleasing. The Ruth Carr-trained eight-year-old scored comfortably at odds of 11/1. Kames Park (7/1) maintained the early momentum by winning the following day while a brace of successful 9/1 advices Toga Tiger (8 January) and Kai (11 January) continued PJA All Weather’s fine run at Dunstall Park.

            Lingfield also provided its fair share of winners, with Putin (10/1, 5 January) and Restless Bay (9/1, 12 January) worthy of note.

            Since joining the Besttiping Challenge last summer, Rightprice Racing has performed solidly. The service took off in spectacular fashion in January with Buffalo Ballet (14/1) and Silver Steel (4/1) both winning at Musselburgh on the 4^th. Four winning 6/1 advices: Big Fella Thanks (Wincanton, 5 January), Reginald Claude (Lingfield, 6 January). Madam Bovary (Punchestown 12 January) and Polar Kite (Wolverhampton, 14 January) kept the ball rolling while Delightful Sleep, a winning 9/1 advice at Wolverhampton on 25 January ensured the month ended on a high note.

            Four winners (at 15/2, 100/30, 100/30 and 11/4) and four returns on placed each- way advices from just 17 bets gave Insideoutracing an excellent January.

            Rain and then snow caused havoc with the jumping programme during the middle of the month, but PJA National Hunt still managed to post a useful 6.8 point profit, helped along by the victory of 8/1 advice Mauricetheathlete (Chepstow, 8 January) and by Venetia Williams’ impressive French import, Katenko, advised at 13/2 prior to his Wincanton success on 5 January.

            Personal Info began the year in fine fettle, finding six winners from their first seven selections, while GorrieUK also enjoyed a profitable month aided by the success of 15/2 advice Oscara Dara at Kempton on 12 January.

            Last year’s Besttipping champions, CD Systems, made a steady start to the New Year with four winners – at 13/2, 6/1, 9/2 and 4/1 – and a small profit.

            And so, we are off and running in 2013. February is often regarded as the lull before the storm that is the Cheltenham Festival. Nonetheless there are plenty of highlights including Newbury’s Betfair Hurdle on the 9^th. The Betfair, which remains one of the season’s most challenging handicap hurdles, is supported by the Denman Chase, one of the most important annual Gold Cup trials and the Game Spirit Chase, which regularly attracts Queen Mother Champion Chase hopefuls. On the same afternoon, Leopardstown stages the Hennessy Gold Cup, Ireland’s equivalent of the Cheltenham Gold Cup.