Champion tipster Russell Nunn is again serving it up to naps table tipsters across Northants after landing a scorching 80/1 selection last Saturday to leave two of his three teams first and second in a 160-strong field.
Nunn, based at Lubenham near Market Harborough, partner Julie Gregory and father Roy, hold three entries in the Dalepak Summer Naps Challenge.
With 11 weeks to go, Where’s Me Glasses and Nipper Time sit proudly in first and second, putting them in line for £1,500 in prize money.
It doesn’t all end there as Nunn finished in the Naps Table prize money 12 months ago after Bee Brave won at 50/1 at Ayr and won the flat prize two years ago with cohort Alan Wright, under the team name Postman Pat.
He was also a past winner of the Kettering Telegraph naps table.
Nunn explained: “It all started back in 1992 when I was third in the Racing Post Ten To Follow competition. I had just one £5 line.
“We have always enjoyed the challenge of a naps table but I don’t back the horses I select on a Saturday... it is all a bit of fun.
“However, we haven’t won anything yet. As we have seen in the past, anything can happen.”
Saturday’s 80/1 winner Stoneacre Oskar at Hamilton is the latest of a series of napping shocks for Nunn which has also included at Ortac Rock (66/1), Bee Brave and Tweety Pie (both 50/1).
While some people might dismiss this as lucky, those closer to the plot know differently.
Nunn explained his strategy by saying: “I certainly never tip in the big handicaps. After all, they tend to be sponsored by bookmakers don’t they?”
He added: “I look in maiden races for a bit of value. I love sitting down in my local McDonald’s on a Saturday morning and trying to pick out a long priced winner.”
Nunn has had to endure long losing runs by picking fledgling runners with minimal experience in maidens, concentrating on smaller stables..
The Where’s Me Glasses team now holds a lead of £19.50 over Nipper Time and it seems certain the two teams will at least win the £25 monthly tipping prizes for July and August.
Back on July 6, Tweety Pie won a 5f maiden at Beverley while the success of Stoneacre Oskar at Hamilton on Saturday evening recorded yet more earth tremors.
The name Nipper Time derives from the pet name of the five-year-old grey Nipper currently stabled with Caroline Bailey at Holdenby North Lodge.
Nunn and Gregory have already seen their other horse ‘Nugget’, whose racing name was Baltimore Bullet, finish second in a Dingley point-to-point race last season and both were bought as foals in Ireland.
They hope that Nipper, whose dam Redlands Magic is a full sister to 2001 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner See More Business, will prove good enough to run in a point to point, or National Hunt flat race.