David Jennings' Expert Preview and Tip Ahead Of Friday At Cheltenham

'The 5-1 on offer is worth taking now' - David Jennings answers all the big questions ahead of Cheltenham's return

What's the big story?

Cheltenham is back, baby! It gets abused from all angles these days, but it remains our spiritual home. A place of worship.

We can argue all day and night about the mecca in March and whether or not it has been made better or worse by recent changes, but the fact of the matter is that there is no finer sight in our sport than seeing thoroughbreds jump around the most picturesque plot of land in the heart of the Cotswolds.

The showcase meeting is the perfect appetiser for the meatier dishes to come later in the season, for me that's spicy tiger prawn pil pil with warm sourdough bread.

The star of the show on Friday? Probably Gale Mahler in the Grade 2 Sky Bet Novices' Hurdle (3.00). She's won her last six and even came over to Ireland and whipped the locals at Galway summer’s shindig. You need plenty of talent to do that.

Get us off to a flyer – who wins the Cheltenham opener (1.15)?

Support Act has sneaked in here with a beautiful mark, one which could seriously underestimate him.

He was last seen winning with a real swagger at Doncaster back in February and the horse who was a well-beaten third there, Paradias, is now rated 96 on the Flat and won at Glorious Goodwood this summer.

Support Act is the type of horse who could take a while for the handicapper to catch up, and an opening mark of 113 certainly poked my eye out.

Support Act13:15 Cheltenham

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Jky: Kevin Brogan Tnr: Toby Lawes

Aleezdancer: loves the mud

What's the bet of the day?

Don't let form figures of 000 fool you, Aleezdancer has belatedly got a bog to run in and it should be deep enough at Donny for him to do himself justice in the 6f handicap (3.18).

He won over course and distance in April on soft ground off an identical mark of 93 and it is worth pointing out that he posted a Racing Post Rating of 105 that day. Neil Callan takes over from a 7lb claimer for this and he ran better than the distance he was beaten suggests at York last time. The 5-1 on offer is worth taking now.

Aleezdancer15:18 Doncaster

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Jky: Neil Callan Tnr: Kevin Ryan

And the lay of the day?

In The Air in the Cheltenham opener (1.15). He is on a hat-trick, but this is much deeper than his last two races and the likes of Support Act could be chucked in against him.

Wyenot, Letterson Lily, Anna Bunina and even American Sniper all have a squeak too. It's a hot contest.

What's the golden rule for the Showcase meeting?

Take on Gavin Cromwell at your own risk. He has targeted this meeting for some time and Path D'Oroux should make his experience count in the 2m novice chase (1.50), for starters.