Cheltenham tips: Dave Nevison has three best bets for Friday's racing

There’s an early start to a terrific afternoon of racing at Cheltenham on Friday and one of the last chances to get the Christmas funds in.

As ever, it’s the handicaps that make most appeal to me and I will be looking for the best extra-place offers for my each-way trixie which will pay a few quid if it lands! Best of luck.

Benny’s Bridge has obviously had a few issues given how lightly raced he has been in recent seasons but signalled on his reappearance that he was still going to win a race or two if he could be kept fully fit and is worth chancing here.

He should certainly get much closer to Tegerek who beat him over course and distance last time as he is now rated 2lb below that rival.

The result of that race doesn’t tell the whole story as Benny’s Bridge got hampered when making his move and would definitely have been closer.

He is a previous winner at Cheltenham, plus now has the benefit of race-fitness and is from a stable that has been in top form throughout this season.

Nikap Is 5lb better off with the top weight Arian for finishing behind her at Warwick last time and combined with the jockey’s 7lb claim, that might be enough to see her turn the tables on this stiffer track.

Nikap was staying on well after being behind early in that Warwick event and is gradually warming to steeplechasing after just two runs.

Nigel Hawke has trusted accomplished amateur Kieren Buckley to ride for him around this track on several occasions, so the booking looks a positive, and Nikap does not have many miles on the clock over hurdles or fences, so is open to improvement.

After a reappearance over three miles at Uttoxeter in bottomless ground, Tom George hasn’t rushed to get this horse out again and this looks a good bit of placing getting him in off just about bottom weight in a race where few, if any, of his rivals look to have improvement in them.

That is not to say they should be dismissed as there are some useful staying hurdlers in opposition here and Come On Teddy will need to improve to beat them, but he looks in the right spot to do so and victory certainly looks possible.

Tom George has had four seconds from his last 14 runners and with his stable jockey on the sidelines, George deserves a change of luck.

Sam Twiston-Davies is an excellent replacement rider here and I expect him to go close on the selection.