The Scout crowned Britain’s best newspaper racing tipster | Racing | Sport
Daily Express racing ace Melissa Jones has been crowned the best newspaper tipster in the country. Melissa, tipping as The Scout, has won the 2025 Racing Post National Press Challenge. The prestigious competition, comprising 11 of the UK’s top tipsters, spanned the whole of 2025 and was based on more than 9,600 selections.
It is the first time in 17 years that The Scout has won the competition. Melissa was the first female to become The Scout when she was appointed the paper’s Chief Tipster in 2022. She is also Racing Correspondent for the newspaper.
Tipsters are ranked by return on a theoretical £1 bet on all selections at their starting price (SP), expressed as a percentage of turnover.
Melissa was locked in a head-to-head battle with The Guardian but showed the better stamina and consistency to pull clear in the closing stages.
Our top tipster started to make her way up the table thanks to Gracchus Du Balme’s game effort at the Aintree Festival at odds of 22-1, which was followed by her 25-1 Royal Ascot selection Time For Sandals.
However, the last few months made all the difference, as a flurry of winners at double-figure odds saw her land a hat-trick of monthly tipping prizes on the way to the title.
One lucky punter doubled up 66-1 shot Another Run and Silca Bay (22-1) when both outsiders scored on an evening card at Kempton.
Melissa continued the relentless run by using her knowledge of all-weather racing to pick out the likes of Final Night (16-1), Poke The Bear (22-1), Gunlock (18-1), Aeolian (16-1) and Society Man (22-1).
In April, she was pipped to the post in the Racing Post Naps Table on the final day – the fifth time she has finished in the top three of that competition.
Melissa said: “After being caught in the closing stages of the Naps table on quite a few occasions, I wasn’t sure my time would come!
“More than 9,600 selections later, I’m absolutely delighted to have got over the line in the most stamina-sapping of competitions.
“My main aim this year was to take my all-weather tipping up a notch and I am particularly pleased to have achieved that.
“All of this could not be possible without the support of my colleagues on the racing desk, who are a brilliant team to work with.
“I would also like to thank Greg Wood of The Guardian for his sportsmanship as the winning post neared, after setting such a strong pace throughout.
“Let’s hope 2026 is as lucky!”
