Garry Owen extends lead in Napchecker Challenge
September’s naps table was headed by Robin Goodfellow, who narrowly denied Fortunatus after a grand tussle with fortunes changing almost on a daily basis. The margin of victory was just 0.6 points with Robin Goodfellow ending the month with 11.1-points and Fortunatus finishing 10.5 points up.
Templegate (4.5 points), Garry Owen (2.5 points) and Racing Post Spotlight (1.5 points) also posted profits during another tough month.
By virtue of that small profit, the Daily Record’s tipster, Gary Owen, has an overall tally in the 2022 contest of 14.7 points, exactly ten points more than the second placed pundit, Glendale (The Scotsman). Apart from this Caledonian duo, no other service is currently showing a profit. Scout, with a 17.2-point loss sits in a distant third place.
Robin Goodfellow secured eight winning naps from 26 selections (31% Strike-rate) with 8/1 Danzan (Ayr, 16 September) and 9/2 Elegant Erin (9/2, Beverley, 14 September) leading the way. At the point of Danzan’s Victory, September’s profit was above 20 points, but the advantage began to disappear as the remaining dozen naps yielded just one further winner.
Fortunatus, who began September well, lost the way mid-month, only to come alive again with a sequence of five wins from nine (21-29 September). But when Greystown, the last day nap, went down by half a length at Hexham, Robin Goodfellow was assured of September’s crown.
Although losing out on the monthly title by a narrow margin, Fortunatus could take great satisfaction from a month that featured a 16/1 winner (Catch Cunningham at York on 4 September) and a strike-rate of 32%.
In terms of strike-rate, however, no one matched Templegate’s 39%: eleven winning naps from 28. A glance through the month’s record reveals a curious pattern which featured two five-day losing runs but when the winners came, they came in clusters - three from four (1-4 September), three from three (12-14 September), two from two (19-20 September) and three from three (26-28 September). Prairie Dancer (4/1, Listowel, 19 September) topped the list of winning selections.
Despite a strong opening: Eeh Bah Gum (9/1 Haydock, 2 September) and Minzaal (7/2, Haydock 3 September), Garry Owen will be relieved to have ended the month in credit. A grisly three-week period produced just two winners, and it was only the intervention of 6/1 Abduction (Ayr, September 27) that secured the month’s positive return.
A first profitable return of 2022 for the Racing Post’s Spotlight featured nine winners, including 11/2 Cave Diver, successful at Chester on 24 September.
September’s all-tips listing was headed by Curragh Correspondent with a 20.6-point profit. Marlborough, who advised 749 tips during the month, 500 more than Curragh Correspondent, returned a highly satisfactory 2.2-point return on all-tips and a stunning 38-point yield on selections priced at 10/1 or above. The Guardian also did extremely well with selections priced 10/1 or above, showing a 36-point return.
Marlborough also heads the list for winners priced at 20/1 or more. The Telegraph’s racing correspondent boasts a remarkable 84-point profit on all such tips this year, with eight winners from 132 selections (6%). With winners at 40/1 and 25/1, Racing Post Ratings secured a 44-point gain with 20/1+ tips in September and show a 49-point profit for the year. Captain John (45 points) and Rob Wright (40 points) are also showing healthy profits from selections priced at 20/1 or bigger. Not so the Irish Independent’s Curragh Correspondent, the Star and Scout, who are all showing losses of 100 points or more.
Date Published: 05/10/2022