Some trainers tick along at steady rates. S G Tighe is doing more than ticking. Over the last three months, 15 winners from 48 runners gives a win rate of 31.3%, and when you add in 9 places (18.8%), his combined win-and-place rate sits at 50.1%. That means half his runners are finishing in the first two. For context, the average trainer operates around 16-17% win rate, so Tighe is running at nearly double the norm.
What makes a trainer hit this kind of purple patch? It's usually a combination of placing dogs well, having them fit, and knowing when to step up and when to hold. Tighe's kennel has clearly been in good health this spring, and the numbers suggest he's not just winning by running high volumes in weak races. The quality of the placements matters.
Tonight, he saddles three runners at Nottingham. Deelish Crofty goes in the 19:27 OR3 over 480m from trap 6. Good Teddy is the debutant in the headline OR race at 20:19 from trap 1. And Vialli, who has seen a massive ratings jump (see Form Watch below), runs in the 20:54 OR3 over 305m from trap 1.
The debutant Good Teddy is particularly interesting given Tighe's record. When a 31% trainer sends a first-timer straight into open company, there's usually a reason. No form to judge the dog on, but the trainer's conviction is worth noting.