Dave Nevison's Friday fancies: Petite looks a big price at Cheltenham

It is always a big day when the first Cheltenham meeting of the new season comes around I am looking forward to some great viewing from my sofa on Friday afternoon.

Has had a disappointing season but now finds herself on a decent mark and might just come good under the excellent Jason Watson, whose booking looks significant given his record at Newbury.

She made late progress from way back on the wide outside at Catterick last time and is a previous course-and-distance winner and has run well on heavy ground in the past (won a handicap here in these conditions).

Surprisingly no Irish raiders line up in this amateur riders' handicap chase, which has long been a feature of the first day of this meeting.

I have mentioned before that I fancy Liam Harrison as a young lad who will make his mark this autumn and he is on a well-weighted horse here for Fergal O’ Brien.

Petite Power is back down to the mark he last won off and won’t have any issues should there more rain. He does, admittedly, have to prove that he is over whatever limited his season to just one appearance and a very moderate run at that.

But I am encouraged by the stable form, an 8lb drop in his mark, and the valuable 7lb claim his jockey offers. He has got every opportunity to go well again in a race in which he finished fourth two years ago.

Charles Byrnes will no doubt have his attentions focused on nearby Cheltenham, but has found an interesting opening for this horse, who is on a four-timer on the Flat and over hurdles, so he is certainly using his diesel efficiently.

Despite his recent successes, he still looks well weighted off a mark of 55. He will have no issues with the heavy ground and the stiff track will surely suit. It's hard to see him beaten here.