Friday ITV Racing Tips: James Mackie has three picks from Cheltenham up to 11/1

• James Mackie has 11/112.00, 8/19.00 and 5/23.50 selections for Cheltenham on Friday

• Jazzy Matty can gain third Cheltenham win

• Country Mile to improve for Uttoxeter run

• Brookie drops in class and is overpriced

Cheltenham, 13:15 - Back Jazzy Matty E/W (5 Places) @ 11/112.00

The season opener at Cheltenham on Friday is a highly competitive 20 runner Class 3 Handicap over 2m4f and I want to take advantage of the five places on offer on the Betfair Sportsbook.

Plenty in here have chances but having now drifted to 11/112.00 dual Cheltenham Festival winner Jazzy Matty makes big appeal to hit the frame.

The eight-year-old has shown prolifically that he can mix it over both hurdles and fences and racing off 9lbs lower than his chase mark makes him seriously appealing on Friday at a track he loves.

A winner back in 2023 of the Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival on his first outing at the course, he has since been moved to Cian Collins.

Tried over both obstacles, he returned to Cheltenham in October last year at this meeting when a head second in a 2m4f Novice Chase behind the talented Path d'Oroux conceding 8lbs.

He returned to the Cheltenham Festival last season in the Plate Handicap Chase off a mark of 135 and went on to land the 20 runner event seeing off the talented Unexpected Party for Dan Skelton.

Seen in July this season in the Galway Plate off a mark of 142 when not staying the trip and being friendless in the market, he returns to Prestbury Park now back over hurdles and racing off 9lbs lower than that race.

He has shown he runs to a high standard at this time of year and with plenty going for him I would be disappointed to see him out of the first five places at a double-figure price here.

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Cheltenham, 13:50 - Back Country Mile @ 5/23.50

Just the seven runners head to post for the second race on the Cheltenham card but it looks a nice little event with King Of Kingsfield, a three-time winner during the summer, top of the market for Gordon Elliott.

Being turned around in just nine days though leaves question marks for me and I would rather back the unexposed Country Mile for the Skeltons.

A winner of his sole bumper start at Huntingdon in April last year in good fashion, he was sent hurdling last season.

He won cosily on his hurdles debut at Ayr over two miles before heading to Haydock on Betfair Chase day in the Grade 2 Newton Novices' Hurdle.

He chased home the talented Roadlesstravelled on very soft ground by three lengths which was another solid effort.

Returning to better ground at Cheltenham in December last year he got back to winning ways in seriously impressive style under a penalty, seeing off the dual Grade 1 placed Wingmen for Gordon Elliott by close to eight lengths.

Tried in the Grade 1 Formby Novices' Hurdle at Aintree on Boxing Day it did not go to plan at all and he was saved after that to go chasing this term.

Making his chase debut at Uttoxeter 19 days ago, he looked to need the run when finishing behind Alnilam who he reopposes on Friday now getting 5lbs.

He will come on markedly for that run and having given the best performance of his career so far at Cheltenham last year, it could be a happy hunting ground again.

Cheltenham, 15:35 - Back Brookie E/W (3 Places) @ 8/19.00

The final selection on Friday from Prestbury Park comes in the competitive Class 2 Handicap over two miles and there are plenty of familair faces back in action.

Calico and Matata were first and second in this race last year and have obvious appeal but Brookie for the Anthony Honeyball team looks overpriced to me at 8/19.00 to fill the first three places.

Having won on his chase debut at Sandown last term in what looked a decent enough Novice Chase, it took him until 2025 to show the best of his form again.

He got back to winning ways at Doncaster in early March when seeing off the likes of Homme Public and the reopposing Calico off a mark of 130.

Sent to Aintree and upped into Grade 1 company, he ran a superb race to finish narrowly behind the talented Kalif Du Berlais for Betfair ambassador Paul Nicholls. That day he took his form to a new level with the winner now a 14/115.00 chance for the Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.

Tried again at Grade 1 level to finish his season at Punchestown in the Castle Novice Chase, he ran another valiant race chasing home superstar Majborough back in fourth, only finishing two lengths behind the second Only By Night who was second in the Arkle Novices' Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.

Having contested two Grade 1 events and ran to a fair standard he now drops back into an easier handicap event but does harbour a mark of 149.

He still has a nice racing weight of 11st 3lb and if he is fully up for it on Friday he should outrun his odds of 8/19.00.

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