Cheltenham Tips: Two to consider for Friday afternoon

Cheltenham's two-day Christmas Meeting begins on Friday with a seven-race offering from 12:05-15:35.

I've looked through the card and picked out a couple of fancies - including a Jonjo O'Neill-trained, JP McManus-owned novice chaser who's taken to make amends for falling last time out.

12:40 - Crebilly @ 7/2

I suspect Grey Dawning will prove popular for this novices' chase over an extended 2m4f. He was a good novice hurdler and has shown an even higher level of form in two runs over the bigger obstacles so far this season, but I have a couple of reservations.

Dan Skelton's six-year-old has an eight-pound penalty for his latest success in a Graduation Chase at Haydock late last month when - albeit impressively - beating two out-and-out stayers over an inadequate trip. One who was conceding 11lbs, too.

Trelawne, Ginny's Destiny and Tritonic also carry penalties - five pounds - while Crebilly and Blue Hop go off the standard 11-4.

It's the former, for the O'Neills, that gets my vote.

In the main, he was an average novice hurdler, but he did record a statement victory in a good handicap, off a mark of 127, at Sandown to sign off last season.

He fell two out on his chasing debut at Cheltenham just under four weeks ago after travelling like the winner. I certainly thought he was going to win, anyway.

Ginny's Destiny was the hero that day, so he's now penalised and therefore six pounds worse off with the selection. I'd strongly fancy Crebilly, providing he stays upright, to get the better of him under these circumstances.

He also gets the same allowance from Trelawne and an extra three from Grey Dawning, so I think he's an excellent bet at current prices.

15:35 - Gyenyame @ 9/2

The final race at HQ on Friday is a three-mile handicap hurdle that's attracted 10 runners - and the one I like is Joe Tizzard's Gyenyame.

He looked a promising youngster when bolting up by 26L in a maiden hurdle at Wincanton back in March, but he was disappointing in his prior and subsequent efforts.

However, the five-year-old son of Nathaniel reappeared this term with a good second in a competitive affair at Wincanton back in October. That, off a mark of 117, was almost certainly a career-best effort - at the time, at least, because I thought he bettered it next time out. Off a three-pound higher mark, he was again runner-up, this time in a 0-140 affair at Cheltenham behind the heavily-fancied Springwell Bay.

It appears he continues to impress the handicapper, as he's been put up a further two pounds for that effort, but I think there's more improvement in him, especially now tried at this trip, and therefore he's well worth a couple of quid at current prices.