Another big month for sprint king

Published: 03/04/2019

Cheltenham was the centre of the racing world last month, but, sometimes, the secret to successful punting is to avoid the big meetings. That was definitely the case this month as Sprint Specialiser headed the Toptipsters’ table with a handsome 56.45pt yield earned at the prosaic All-Weather venues. Best Value Tipping Service finished second with an 8.86pt haul ahead of Sovereign Racing and John’s Value Selections.

Winners of the first Toptipsters’ Challenge back in 2016, and third and second in the latest two renewals, Sprint Specialiser are already in a strong position to claim the 2019 title. After three months action they are well clear of the field with a three-month yield of 104.69pt. March’s record reads 8 winners from 34 selections (23.52% strike-rate, 70% return on investment) with the 20/1 success of the mare Precious Plum (Chelmsford City, 15 March) standing out. There were also two 15/2 successes: Ballyquin (Chelmsford City, 7 March) and George Bowen (Kempton, 30 March), while the other five winners were all priced between 7/2 and 11/2.

Best Value Tipping Service recorded an 8.86pt yield – their best since November’s debut-month profit of 15.50pt. Five of March’s 38 selections did the business. Just a 13% strike-rate, but the prices ensured a nice return on investment of 23%. Two 11/1 advices J’Ai Froid (Exeter, 5 March) and Royal Act (Taunton, 11 March) caught the eye as did the success of 8/1 City Island in the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle on the second day of the Cheltenham festival (13 March).

With four winners from just 14 selections, Sovereign Racing posted an 8.45pt March profit (60% return on investment). Zapper Cass, a winning 6/1 advice at Newcastle (1 March) was the best-priced of the triumphant quartet.

Last month’s table toppers, John’s Value Selections, returned an 8.08pt return in March. That pushes the year’s profit up to 30.35pt and third place in the overall table behind Sprint Specialiser and M & S Racing, who suffered a modest 1.19pt loss in March, despite scoring with five out of nine selections. M & S currently stand on 51.11pt, more than 53pt adrift of the runaway leaders.

Already, we are a quarter of the way through 2019. April always promises much with top class jumping action at Aintree, then Ayr and Sandown (not to mention over the water at Fairyhouse and Punchestown), as well as the earliest skirmishes in the Flat campaign.