What appeared a meagre field on paper produced a splendid race to savour at Merano for the third leg of the Crystal Cup, and has asserted a change in the leaderboard in favour of Eastern Europe, just a fortnight ahead of the Czech Republic’s most famous steeplechase.

This is a weekend of great importance to the Vana – Aichner axis of supremacy in Czech racing. Last year they came away with multiple winners across the weekend, and again are represented in the big events on Sunday for which the Gran Premio Dell Nazione – Memorial Marco Rocca is merely an aperitif.

Younes has the edge in the Crystal Cup cross country at Merano

But what an aperitif.

Josef Bartos sent Almost Human off from the off, with an exhuberant leap of the first that told of a race where jumping prowess would hold sway. The two Aichner runners were in close order together with Younes, the youngster in the race – Vesuvio – in rear. But for the first two-thirds of this 6,000m race, no more than 5l separated first from last.

Laldann’s jumping frequently took him up to challenge, but Alessio Pollioni had clearly been told to hold him up. 1,200m from home, Vesuvio made his move under Ondrej Velek, taking closer order, whilst Younes bided his time, catching breathers but now in rear.

Retirning the reverse route over the Passage of Liverpool, which bears no resemblance to any fence at Aintree, sadly, Vesuvio took up the running, headed for home. A clumsy jump 3 out hindered his chance, but they were queuing up behind, except Almost Human, who dropped away.

Grand de Thaix had the advantage at the last, Younes upsides, and with the rail to help him, Jan Faltejsek made it count, the winning margin 1 1/4l. laldann ran on one-paced to finish a 9l third, a half length ahead of Vesuvio. Don’t rule him out of further longer distance races; he showed good speed and will learn from the experience.

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The domination of Czech runners in Italy inevitably shapes the early stages of the Crystal Cup, and Vana’s four runners leapfrog him into pole position in the leaderboard with 28pts to Patrice Quinton’s 19. Vana has a chance to improve on that in next month’s Velka Pardubicka, before the pendulum swings back toward France for Compiegne.

His leading patron the Aichner family, bereft of their leading light following the death of Josef Aichner in July, regains the top of the Owners’ leaderboard, requiring  David Cottin, Patrice Quinton or even Gavin Cromwell to travel to Cheltenham to reel in the lead. Cottin and his sporting octogenarian owner Caroline Tisdall certainly have ambitions in that regard.

For the full result click here.