There are 26 entries for the third stage of the Crystal Cup at Merano on Saturday September 28th.

Josef Vana has made little secret of his ambition to retain the Crystal Cup for 2024-25. To that end, he supplies no less than 10 of the entries. There are lines of Czech form through several of them, but the most notable are Beau Saonois, a nine year old French-bred, and winner of 2 of his starts over fences, most recently in a cross country handicap over 3,900m at Merano in mid July.

Gap Pierji, the flagship horse that enabled Vana to secure his first Crystal Cup last season, is also among the entries. He has been campaigning largely abroad recently, but won in Merano in June over 5,000m, where he held another Vana entry, Laldann,  before finding the competition a bit hotter at Vittel a month later.

Joint leader of the challenge, David Cottin, has just one entry for his British owner, Caroline Tisdall, but he may yet emerge the winner if he takes his place. Iceo Madrik has been knocking on the door in recent months, with a half length second at Compiegne and went down by just a head at Craon in mid-June over a shorter distance.

Nor should you rule out Imaginaire from Emmanuel Clayeux’s stable, not seen since running at Pau in February.

Another cross country advocate is Patrice Quinton, whose two candidates include Flavius, a winner of a chase on the same card as the Grand Steeplechase de Flandres at Waregem, and Jalousie d’Ainay, for whom this looks to be well within his capability. A 1 1/2l winner of a conditions cross country at St Pierre-la-Cour in mid July, he improved on that at Granville a month later. Although beaten in a better class race at Ploermel a week ago, his record may yet be enough to put him in the frame if he takes his place. His GB rating would be 108.

Final declarations are on September 26th.