Dave Nevison: Chester Cup pick and Friday horse racing tips

Our resident website tipster Dave Nevison shares his tip for the Tote Chester Cup and more on Friday with live action from Nottingham, Market Rasen and Kilbeggan coming your way live on Racing TV.

1.30 Chester: Boardman

Boardman hit form on his second start last year, but it looks like it will be on the fourth run this term as everything seems to have aligned for this spring horse here.

He has lucked out with the draw in stall 3 and should be able to hold his position near the rail, while this two-time course-and-distance winner landed this race two seasons ago. His running style means that quite often he meets trouble in running - a fact of life when backing a horse like Boardman - but a glance through his runs here shows that he usually navigates the turns of Chester very well.

Boardman is phenomenal force in handicaps when he is in the zone and his latest run looks very encouraging, while he has run very well previously under Sean Kirrane and the rider claims a valuable 3lbs.

2.05 Chester: Savvy Victory

Ryan Moore is back on board Savvy Victory, whom he rode to be fifth in the Cambridgeshire last season. Both can strike in this valuable handicap this time.

Savvy Victory generally runs at big galloping tracks but he was third of four in the Chester Vase last year and has won at Goodwood, so he will have no issues with the track and soft ground holds no fears.

He has run consistently well in competitive Listed and Group races and definitely has shown form good enough to win this handicap from a favourable draw.

3.15 Chester: Call My Bluff

John Egan last rode the winner of the Chester Cup in 2006 on Admiral, on whom he set a stop-start gallop and led from start to finish. He has a good chance of doing exactly the same here on a horse who has got a lot going for him.

Call My Bluff is a solid staying handicapper who will appear in plenty of this season’s marathons, but has been given a good opportunity here off a mark just 2lb higher than when narrowly beaten in a 15-runner race over course and distance (under Egan) last autumn.

The stable is in cracking form this spring and, after a very solid reappearance at Newbury, Call My Bluff should be spot on for this. It’s difficult to see him not getting the run of the race and, given his reserves of stamina, I don’t think too many will get past him.