Alan King believes Montbazon, who runs in the opening William Hill Supreme Novices' Hurdle on Tuesday, is one of his stable's best hopes of success at the four-day Cheltenham Festival.

The Barbury Castle trainer has a decent team for jump racing's biggest meeting and reports his squad to be raring to go.

"Apart from Grumeti, who worked on Saturday morning, having had that little hiccup, all our Cheltenham horses had their last major gallop last Wednesday, and I must say that nothing is going there in better form than Montbazon," he said.

"Montbazon and Smad Place worked exceptionally well. Montbazon has improved so much since he won his prep-race at Newbury, and his work at home has been unbelievable, while, though Smad Place has it to do against Big Buck's in the World Hurdle, his work has been a revelation compared to what it was last season, and he just seems a different horse.

"If he could finish third or fourth it would be absolutely fantastic.

"Grumeti only missed one day's cantering for that pricked foot, so there are no worries on the score of fitness, and I am very laid-back as to which Choc (Robert Thornton) rides (in the Triumph Hurdle).

"He can decide Thursday morning if he wishes - Wayne (Hutchinson) has won on Grumeti and Balder Succes, so it does not matter which way Choc jumps."

Meanwhile, King believes Call Me A Star could be something special and is looking forward to running her in the mares' bumper at Aintree's Grand National meeting.

The five-year-old lived up to her name with a battling victory in the EBF Mares' Final at Sandown on Saturday.

"She is yet another fabulous advertisement for Midnight Legend, who has always been a top jumping stallion but is finally now getting the mares that he deserves," said the Barbury trainer.

"Most of Midnight Legend's progeny want good ground, so I was afraid that conditions might be too soft for Call Me A Star, but she settled well and her class got her home.

"She won well at Wetherby but could not run at Huntingdon on Boxing Day because she coughed, and it took us a long time to get her right again.

"Happily, they put on that bumper meeting at Kempton last month, which enabled us to get valuable match-practice into Call Me A Star, and if she comes out of this tough race OK we will probably go to Aintree.

"Then we will put her away until next season, when she could be quite exciting."