Friday’s Chester Tips: Tom Collins fancies course winner to plunder opening contest

City Streak ended Thursday’s Chester card on a high and I’m hopeful of building on that success with another winning tip in the opening contest on Friday. There’s nothing better than heading into the weekend on a good note, right?

The event in question is the CAA Stellar Earl Grosvenor Handicap (1.30 Chester), a 7½f handicap for horses rated between 0-105. Eight of the last nine winners have jumped from stall five or lower - the exception was Sound Advice in 2017 - and there has been a good mixture of four-year-old and older horse victors. 

I like one from the latter category this year as Boardman stands out like a sore thumb for trainer Tim Easterby. This seven-year-old is now just 2lb higher than his last winning mark and usually saves his best efforts for this unique venue (he has form figures of 514516 here). Sean Kirrane, a leading 3lb apprentice, further boosts my confidence.

Boardman always takes a run or two to reach full fitness and, following a couple of quiet outings at Wolverhampton and Doncaster over trips that would have stretched his stamina, he showed serious signs of life with an eyecatching fifth at Haydock last month.

That race was dominated by forwardly placed horses and he was the only runner that made any kind of inroads from behind. The switch back to Chester will definitely help him and rain-softened ground suits him far more than others. 

Last year’s winner Red Mirage would be interesting if he wasn’t drawn in gate 10, though the long absence further quells my excitement. Revich finds it difficult to win (he was unlucky in this race 12 months ago), while Croupier didn’t show anything on his return in the Lincoln at Doncaster. 

Friday’s Chester Tip

Boardman (1.30 Chester) @ 5.8