Managed to beat my own detagged.co.uk snap today on a name I've been gunning down since Feb by checking Nominet and hand-regging.

I wonder how effective those drop scripts are, or is it just that Nominet is very random in the way they release their drops?

No they just put huge restrictions on the queries. Screws the system right up. fortunately there appears to be some movement toward educating the morons running the place to business realities.