Max Comley is backing Gloucestershire’s trainers to make an impression at this year’s Cheltenham Festival.

The four-day spectacular gets under way tomorrow and Naunton-based handler Comley, who is hoping to have his first runner at the meeting this week, has picked out a couple of county-trained horses to look out for.

“Johnnywho in the Kim Muir, he’s a nice bet,” said Comley. “He’s owned by JP McManus and I expect he’s been lined up for this race for a while.”

He’s trained by Jonjo and AJ O’Neill, and Derek O’Connor is expected to be on board for the three miles, two furlongs handicap chase.

The eight-year-old ran at the Festival last year, finishing eighth of 13 in the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle.

His most recent success was at Carlisle in November in a two-and-a-half mile novices’ chase. He has finished third in his last three races and the bookies are offering odds of around 4/1 for him in Thursday’s race.

Meanwhile, Comley believes Fergal O’Brien’s Sixmilebridge is one to watch in the Turner's Novices Hurdle over two miles, five furlongs on Wednesday.

O’Brien, who is once again among the leading trainers in the country, is still looking for his first Festival winner and Comley said: “I think Sixmilebridge will give you a good run for your money.”

The six-year-old has won his last three races, most recently at Cheltenham at the end of January in the AIS Novices’ Hurdle. His odds for Wednesday’s race are around 14/1.

Jonbon and Galopin Des Champs are much shorter odds in two of the meeting's showpiece races, of course, with Jonbon offered at around 5/6 in the Queen Mother Champion Chase on Wednesday while Galopin Des Champs is around 8/15 to retain the Gold Cup on Friday.

The Nicky Henderson-trained Jonbon, who has been in dominant form for a good number of years, is owned by JP McManus, and Comley said: “For me he’s the certainty of the Festival, I just can’t see him getting beaten.

“He’s head and shoulders above everything else in the race, I can’t see anybody getting close to him.”

And Comley believes Galopin des Champs will win another Gold Cup for trainer Willie Mullins.

“I think he will be the shortest priced Gold Cup winner in my lifetime,” he said.

The Gold Cup gets under way at 4pm and 40 minutes later Comley is hoping that his horse, Au Fleuron, can give a good account of himself in the Hunters’ Chase.

Comley has only recently bought the French horse and the bookies have him at around 100/1 for the race over three-and-a-quarter miles.

Comley will be heading to Cheltenham in good spirits because he has just had his first winner under Rules after taking out his National Hunt trainers’ licence at the end of November.

Wearapinkribbon, who was ridden by Liam Harrison, eased to victory in a handicap hurdle at Huntingdon – and Comley, who has been a very successful point-to-point trainer, said: “It was fantastic, very good, everyone was very happy.

“There was obviously a bit of relief too but it was a perfect day.”

The nine-year-old Wearapinkribbon is set to run again at Wetherby later this month.