NAP of the Day: Today’s NAPs Table of horse racing tips across the UK & Ireland

The Jumps are well and truly back as Cheltenham stages the opening day of the Showcase. The Grade 2 Sky Bet Novices’ Hurdle (15:00) is the feature and Gale Mahler, who bagged a Listed prize at Galway in the summer, bids to make it five from five over timber. Elsewhere on the card, Dancing On My Own attempts to win the Class 2 Handicap Chase (14:25) for the second year in a row but last season’s Arkle fourth Matata and C&D scorer Triple Trade are also in the mix.

The ITV Racing gang are also at Doncaster for three races including the Class 2 British Stallion Studs EBF Maiden Fillies’ Stakes (14:08), which sees Cracksman’s full sister Queen Of Thieves make her racecourse debut.

The evening card at Dundalk’s all-weather track features Group 3 action courtesy of the Mercury Stakes (19:30) as Star Of Lady M, who has climbed 43lbs in the handicap in 11 months, attempts to add to last month’s Listed success at Ayr.

The talented Colonel Mustard is sent to Sligo in a bid to score for the first time in three years and faces three rivals in the Sligo Races Halloween Hurdle (14:00), Newbury – subject to an 8am inspection – stages a turf fixture on the level and there is also an all-weather meeting at Wolverhampton.