Hopes are high in the Jonjo O’Neill camp that Crebilly can provide the Jackdaws Castle yard with a first Cheltenham Festival winner since Sky Pirate in 2021.

O’Neill has trained 27 winners at the showpiece meeting in all and sits fifth on the list of current trainers bidding for more.

There was a time that O’Neill rarely left empty handed and as recently as 2014 he enjoyed a treble when Taquin Du Seuil, More Of That and Holywell were all victorious.

Crebilly is ante-post favourite for the TrustATrader Plate Handicap Chase having comfortably accounted for Tahmuras last time out, while he gained valuable Cheltenham experience with two runs at Prestbury Park earlier in the season. In the first of those he fell two out when upsides Ginny’s Destiny, who is a strong fancy for the Grade One Turners Novices’ Chase.

“We were very happy with the way he was running first time out this season but unfortunately he fell,” said O’Neill’s son and assistant, AJ.

“It wasn’t a reflection on his jumping, he’d actually jumped very well but he just crumpled on landing really.

“He wasn’t quite as fluent the next day (fourth) with his jumping, but when he won the other day he showed a bit more like we were hoping to see first and second time.

“Hopefully he’ll go well in the Plate and we’re happy with him.”

Another live chance for the yard is Springwell Bay in the Pertemps Final, having qualified when second at Musselburgh last time out.

“We were hoping for an indication of which way to go with him when he ran at Cheltenham when heavy ground and top-weight probably just got the better of him,” said O’Neill.

“We felt if he was good enough for the Stayers’ Hurdle he’d have been good enough to take on those conditions.

“Since stepping him up in trip he hasn’t won, but he was second the last day and probably showed a bit more of what we were looking for and it showed he probably does get the trip. Hopefully it doesn’t get too testing.”

Johnnywho has run two solid races in graded company since winning first time out over hurdles and holds each-way claims in the Albert Bartlett.

“Johnnywho stayed very well at Newbury, he hit a bit of a flat spot before staying on strongly in the Challow,” said O’Neill.

“We hoped he’d run well at Cheltenham the last day but he got a bit outpaced over that trip (fourth to Gidleigh Park) so stepping him up in trip looked the logical thing to do.

“He’s yet to prove it, but we were very happy as the ground was very testing at Newbury. Off the back of that we’d be hopeful.”

Jonjo O’Neill’s Are U Wise To That is having a short spell out of action having picked up a cut when winning at Cheltenham recently.

The six-year-old is the winner of four of just seven races under rules and looked a novice going places at the December meeting.

Raised 5lb for his win to a mark of 130, plans are currently on hold while he recuperates.

“Unfortunately he’s given himself a nasty little gash so he’ll be out for a while,” said O’Neill.

“He will be OK, but just to prevent infections it needed washing out. It shouldn’t take too long if all goes the right way.

“He did everything sweet at Cheltenham and he jumped away grand, hopefully he’ll be a nice horse.”

In the same blue and yellow silks of Michael Geoghegan, Inch House has enjoyed a good first half of the season, winning twice at Newbury.

“He’s going OK. He might develop into one for Ultima. We’ll know better where we are going after his next run,” said O’Neill.

“I’m not sure where that will be as he wouldn’t want the ground bottomless so we’ll see how we go.”

At Newbury on Wednesday Fortunate Man cruised to victory for JP McManus, a much better outcome than when unseating at the third flight on his racecourse debut.

“To be honest I thought he’d run well at Ffos Las as that was an easier race. At Newbury you never know what you might bump into,” said O’Neill.

“The ground was very heavy there and I’d say that might have played into his strengths. It was nice to see him do it anyway.

“I’d say he might be ground dependent, but hopefully he’s a nice horse.”

Springwell Bay could take a shot at the Dornan Engineering Relkeel Hurdle at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day following his taking victory at the track last month.

Jonjo O’Neill’s six-year-old was a progressive performer over timber last term, winning on three occasions before finishing his campaign in Grade One company at Aintree.

He made his first outing in the handicap ranks on his return to action at the November Meeting, but having obliged favourite backers with a good deal up his sleeve, could be set for an immediate return to a higher calibre of contest.

“He might go to the Relkeel,” said O’Neill.

“He’s in good form at home and ran a nice race there at Cheltenham last time, so hopefully he can improve on that.

“He has had plenty of problems, so you are always just biting your lip a little bit with him. But he has the ability if everything goes according to plan for him, so fingers crossed.”

The Jackdaws Castle handler has always held the Gay Smith-owned gelding in high regard and believes the Prestbury Park Grade Two would give a good indication as to Springwell Bay’s credentials in deeper waters.

When asked about him developing into a Graded-level operator, O’Neill added: “That’s what you would hope for and the Relkeel would probably tell you a lot, so that would be one of his options, anyway.”