On paper, this year’s la Touche, leg 10 of the 2023-24 Crystal Cup, looked a shoo-in for Coko Beach, 10lb in on any of his rivals, and with the benefit of course experience and a creditable 11th in the Grand National behind him.

But as so often is the case on this eclectic course of banks, ditches and fences, what looks simple on paper doesn’t always play out. Punters who’d backed the horse down to 5/4 favouritism were comfortable with their decision as Coko Beach was prominent or led much of the way, but he was never allowed to assert completely, and it was the 14 year old Singing Banjo who played the best tune as he joined the lead two out, doggedly seeing off Three For Two and Coko Beach for the minor placings in a thrilling finish, just 3/4l separating first and second, 3 3/4l back to third.

Singing Banjo was one of two previous winners of the race in the field, having won in 2021, the other being last year’s winner Vital Island,  who pulled up when his chance was gone two out.

Owner, trainer and rider Barry Walsh, told Racing TV,  “He really comes alive with these cross-country jumps. He just loves it. He was second for us at Cheltenham at the November meeting in 2021. He just gives you a great thrill.”

There was keen interest from others among the runners to explore other cross country options, bearing in mind the narrow calendar of events during the Irish season. Forays to France are a growing trend among entrepreneurial Irish and British trainers, and among this genre of cross country horses, the prizes are that much more attractive on the Continent.

Take nothing away from the second horse either. Three By Two had run in the Ladies Cup on the Tuesday of Punchestown, beaten 7 1/4l into fourth behind Knockiel Synge in another good quality cross country (See 1:47 below)

An all – Irish cast will face the starter in the Mongey Communications La Touche Cross Country, making up leg 10 of the Crystal Cup, this Thursday at Punchestown.

19 entries have distilled into 15 runners for this year’s unique 4 miler over the banks and ditches of Punchestown, headed by Coko Beach, already a winner over a shorter trip here in February as part of his preparation for a tilt at the Grand National, in which he finished a 33l 11th to I am Maximus. On his rating alone, Coko Beach has 10lb in hand on his nearest rival.

Coko Beach is one of two entries from Cullentra for Gordon Elliott, the other being The Bosses Oscar, whose sparing prep this spring has been a 6l second to Winged Leader in an open point-to-point at Castletown.

The Enda Bolger – J P McManus axis of power is never to be underestimated in this type of race, and Bolger has won it many times. Entry Stealthy Tom has not made the cut, but by contrast, his other candidate, Birchdale is a winner of a banks race over 3m here in November when beating Vital Island, and ran a close third, beaten 2l in a Listed chase at Leopardstown earlier this month.

Gavin Cromwell, whose forays to the UK have proved so successful this winter, has entered two. Stumptown, winner of a valuable handicap at Cheltenham on New year’s Day, was pulled up in the Ultima during the Festival, but has since returned to form with a 1 3/4l third in a handicap at Cheltenham in mid April.

He may also run Fameaftertheglory, whos is well held by Coko Beach on their running in the banks race at Punchestown in February, but whose best performance may have been a 5 1/2l third to Latenightpass in the December leg of the Crystal Cup at Cheltenham.

Peter Maher is no slouch with his cross country runners, and sent 2 to Pardubice last October. Neither runs here, but Subset is a winner over this course, having won a banks race at last year’s Punchestown Festival. His form since has been in and out, whilst Blast of Keoman is held on that same running from 2023, and also by Vital Island in this race two days later.

Richard O’Keefe has been a regular visitor to Crystal Cup races this winter, and returns to defend his La Touche record  12 months on, where he beat Stealthy Tom into second. He was running creditably at Craon before ripping off a shoe, and weakened two out in the December leg at Cheltenham where some highly rated horses made up the placings. His only two wins under Rules have been here at Punchestown, so he’s not easily ruled out.

De Nordener has been carrying all before him in open point-to-points, winning four this winter, but was no match for Winged Leader in an open at Quakerstown in late March. He has taken a softer option in the shorter Ladies Cup on Tuesday.

Of Cieran Murphy’s pair, Enjoy d’allen is held by Coko Beach on February form here over the banks, but got the better of Vital Island on their December form at Cheltenham. Second preference Michael’s Pick has something to find on The Bosses Oscar and Vital Island.

It’s difficult to make any case for Singing Banjo from Barry John Walsh. His best form was a second to Stealthy Tom in a banks race over 12 months ago, whilst Streets of Doyen has no cross country form, and Three By Two is held by several of the other entries. He ran on Tuesday, finishing a 7 1/4l fourth to Knockiel Synge in the 3 miler.

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Running in parallel with the Crystal Cup, the Trophée National du Cross produces the best cross country horses in France, as judged across a series of 15 races concluding in December.

The T N C has rarely been a medium for foreign competition; indeed the population of cross country trained horses in France is more than sufficient to fill its races. That trend was broken by the brave attempt by the Czech-trained Gap Pierji to improve upon his Fontainebleau third in the Grand Cross de Strasbourg at the eponymous racecourse on Monday.

Eight runners lined up to face the starter in this 5,200m (3m 1f) challenge of 29 fences, including the winners of 11 races. Indian file was the order of the day in the early stages, with no-one keen to force a pace in the sticky ground. Baptiste Leclerc was happy to dictate the pace of the race on Ivresse d’Estruval with favourite Jack Lux for the Clayeux/de Giles axis handy.

The curious route which criss-crosses the all-weather trotting track and has many sharp turns does not lend itself to a fast-run race. To that end, fallers are mercifully rare, although we lost Inouie Tiepy and James Reveley at the 18th. At this pivotal stage, little more than 5l covered the field, with Gazee de Bedon, Baby Business and Gap Pierji queuing up for their opportunity to pick off Jack Lux and Ivresse d’Estruval in front.

Jack Lux all but lost his advantage at the 26th, blundering away his chance with a mistake that had de Giles on the buckle end. This handed the lead to Ivresse d’Estruval, chased down by Halco de Sarti, whose effort faded as Leclerc sprinted clear in the final 200 yards.

The first three are all candidates worthy of a Crystal Cup adventure, and we’re likely to see them at winter venues like Pau. The sporting Scuderia Aichner, owners of Gap Pierji, picked up €1,560 for their sixth place position.

Following the cancellation of the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase at the Cheltenham Festival due to a waterlogged track, the Crystal Cup committee has taken steps to ensure the unique pan-European competition maintains its 11 legs.

Punchestown’s Mongey Communications La Touche Cross Country Steeplechase, with a prize fund of €30,000, will be added to the series, with points afforded just as in the other legs. The 5yo+ Weight for Age Conditions chase is run over 4m 2f (6,800m), a distance only capped by the final race at Lion d’Angers on May 9^th.  Entries close on April 25^th at noon (11am for foreign entries).

Conor O’Neill, CEO of Punchestown, commented, “We’re delighted to have been offered the chance to join this prestigious and unique series in the exceptional circumstances of this wet winter. A cordial Irish welcome awaits British and Continental runners over the unique banks course at Punchestown.”

Ian Renton, Managing Director of Cheltenham, added, ““We were naturally very disappointed not to be able to stage our leg of the Crystal Cup Series during the Festival due to the loss of the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase. However, we are truly delighted that this has provided an opportunity for Punchestown to participate in the Series. Cheltenham is very proud of its cross-country course, the only one of its kind in England and we are wholly committed to the promotion of cross country racing and the Crystal Cup. We know that our racing fans very much enjoy the unique spectacle cross country brings, with many people travelling across Europe to witness other legs of this popular Series. The inclusion of an Irish leg in the Crystal Cup Series will be welcomed by many.”

Alain Peltier, Chairman of the Crystal Cup committee, concluded, “This season’s series has seen a flurry of Irish runners, not just at Cheltenham, where they are expected, but in other races of the series, notably when Roi Mage won at Compiegne in November. The Series has evolved to become a valid route to the Grand National, as well as producing some fabulous races in its own right. Punchestown is a natural addition and we’re thrilled to be there again after a long absence.”

Despite Irish enthusiasm for the Series’ races, this season has been dominated by the Czechs for the first time. In pursuit of the €20,000 bonus prize and the Crystal Cup, Scuderia Aichner SRL and trainer Josef Vana Jnr are in a commanding position requiring any other contender to win both remaining legs to deny them a first success in the challenge.

An eventful race for the Grand Cross de Fontainebleau on Good Friday saw Travel de Belair, trained by Hector de Lageneste and Guillaume Macaire, land the spoils after a gruelling 6,000m (3m 5f) in heavy ground, whilst the brave Czech challenge asserted the lead in the Crystal Cup leaderboard.

The 6 year old winner, with wins at Durtal and Craon to his name this Spring, hunted round the first two circuits, before taking closer order 5 out, and asserting down the centre of the track in the finishing straight.

Credit should go to long time leader Gasby des Planches under Quentin Defontaine, who led from flagfall at a raking gallop, rendering the rest of the field in Indian file from the start until half way, including some exuberant leaps, especially at the Talus Landais (7th). Harmonie Roque, third in Pau’s Grand Cross back in January, took up a position on the leader’s heels, with eventual runner-up Elcond ‘or Forlonge in third.

The sharp turns that define cross country racing at large, and Fontainebleau’s configuration in particular, nearly caught out the leader who nearly ran out right on the sharp left hand bend prior to the 14th. Gasby des Planches forfeited the lead then for a couple of fences before Defontaine pushed him back into the vanguard as the pace increased.

With the field bunching at the 19th as the business end of the race evolved, the Czech challenger Gap Pierji, and eventual winner took much closer order.  Elcond’or Forlonge led at the 20th, with Travel de Belair saving ground on the inner under Kilian Dubourg. Round the final bend, any one of five might have won it, and the € 26,220 first prize looked as if it could be bound for Prague. But Dubourg conjured his horse to lengthen nicely to win by 2l.

The 8 points for his third place propels owners Scuderia Aichner and trainer Josef Vana jnr to an unassailable lead in the Crystal Cup leaderboard.