Placenet provided a suitably international launch point to this year’s Crystal Cup in the opening Grand Steeplechase de Flandres at Waregem in front of 35,000 spectators.

Owned by English pair Caroline Tisdall and Geoffrey Thompson, and trained by David Cottin, the winner defied top weight in the handicap to win by 4l, Gino des Dunes, for Patrice Quinton in second, and Czech raider, Volkov Jelois, 2 1/2l back in third.

A promising 22 entries had whittled down to just 7 starters for the €100,000 contest, but nevertheless  provided a thrilling start to the unique Crystal Cup series, which concludes at Lion d’Angers in late May 2025.

Quinton was trying to win this race for a remarkable 11th time, but found one too good in Placenet, who spent last winter competing in England under David Pipe, before returning to France in the Spring, prepping for this race with a 7l third in holding ground at Dieppe in a listed chase.

Josef Vana Jnr, who supplied three of the 22 original entries, has made clear his intention to retain the Crystal Cup he won for the first time earlier this Spring. French-bred Volkov Jelois is one of a team raiding steeplechases outside Czechia, securing him double points for running outside his own country.