A fascinating Grand Cross de Pau confirmed the two top exponents of cross country racing in France as favourite Hip Hop Conti reaffirmed his liking for this race with a back-to-back victory by 1 1/2l over the 2022 winner Saint Godefroy, with Harmonie Roque making up the minor placings.

The nine entries whittled down to 7 who faced the starter for this marathon chase over 6,300m (4m), run in heavy ground. A modest pace ensured the field completed without incident on a day enjoyed by nearly 10,300 spectators, many of whom enjoyed a rare view of the Cheltenham Gold Cup trophy, touring the heartland of jumping enthusiasts in this centenary year of the race, to be staged on March 15th.

Favourite Hip Hop Conti made the early running under Clement Lefebvre, with Illico and Saint Godefroy handy. However, Felix de Giles riding Saint Godefroy, opted to take it up from the fourth, precipitating a higher tempo, and the rankings remained largely unchanged until the banquette de Bordeaux for the final time, 4 out, when the pace quickened. Even then rounding the turn in, de Giles still held the advantage, but Hip Hop Conti has a powerful burst of finishing speed, and reeled in his great rival 150m out to win going away.

Lefebvre was effusive in his praise for the Clayeux team after the race, ” It’s a great reward for the work of the whole team and I’d like to thank the people around them for trusting me,” he said as he stepped off the podium. “This is what you get up for every morning, when you’re a jockey”.

Hip Hop Conti heads the entries for the Grand Cross de Pau Allianz Olivier Ournac on Sunday, in a select entry of 9. The 7 year old gelding comes into the race on the back of a brace of wins at Pau over shorter distances than the 6,300m (4m)  here, the latest at the end of last month, and will be well-fancied to repeat his success in this race in 2023.

Emmanuel Clayeux is doubly represented by 11 year old Lucky Net Love, who has run into the placings in two efforts during Pau’s winter season, and struck gold at Paray-le-Monial back in November. He is well held by Hip Hop Conti on the basis of a 7 1/2l third to him at Pau in mid-January.

A more likely threat to the supremacy of the Clayeux star comes from a combination of Illico, Solingen and St Godefroy.

6 year old Illico, trained by David Cottin,  comes into the race on the back of an unbeaten run of four wins across every discipline of the sport. He prefaced his winter campaign with a 1/2l victory over Mishka des Mottes in a 3,500m (2m 1f) hurdle race before winning a cross country at Pau in mid January over 4,100m (2m 4f). He’s yet to try this longer distance.

St Godefroy is held by Hip Hop Conti on the back of their meet here in the Prix Jean Henry Wright in January, and re-opposes on 4kg worse terms. Solingen, one of two entries trained by Daniela Mele, has been tapped for speed in each of his most recent runs, and might benefit from a stronger pace.

Emira du Gouet looks an unlikely winner, but Harmonie Roque has downed the favourite as recently as mid-December, when second in a race won by St Godefroy, Hip Hop Conti 8 1/2l back in third.

There are no runners from abroad, but British interest extends to the David Maxwell – owned Feu du Large, a nine year old trained by Patrice Quinton, who also trains St Godefroy. The longer distance may be to his liking as he’s been tapped for toe in races over shorter distances last month since winning at Durtal at the beginning of November.

Coco Beach has added to the strength of the Irish challenge for the March leg of the Crystal Cup with a stirring victory in today’s PP Hogan Memorial Cross Country at Punchestown. The  11/8 favourite was prominent throughout, taking up the running at the 18th and putting distance between him and runners-up Genois and Fameaftertheglory, who finished 6 and 11l behind.

Crystal Cup followers will have noted the presence of Jet Fighter, last seen at Pardubice, and Vital Island, who ran at Craon and Cheltenham in December, but both failed to fire on this occasion.

It can be reasonably assumed that Coco Beach will be aimed at the Grand National, having finished a 13l second to Chambard in the £85,000 Boylesports Becher Chase over the Liverpool fences back in November. But first, he’ll be tilting at the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase during next month’s Festival alongside stablemates Delta Work and Galvin.

Not even Willie Mullins, who blanket-bombed the weekend’s Dublin racinbg festival with a clean sweep of the eight Grade I races, could outpoint Coco Beach. His Stattler was a remote fourth.

The Pau season reached its climax yesterday with the Grand Prix de Pau Foie Gras Biraben, the course’s marquee steeplechase, won by In Love under the guidance of Nicholas Gauffenic for Hugo Merienne, which took place in front of a bumper crowd of over 14,000.

Whilst the top chasers have been gracing Pau during the 10 week winter season, the storyline of the route taken to Pau’s other marquee chase – the Grand Cross  – is also taking shape. In the past 10 days, Pau has staged 3 cross country contests which may have a bearing on the feature cross country over 6,300m, worth €85,000 on February 18th.

A week ago, 2023 victor Hip Hop Conti announced his well-being and intent in a 1 1/4l victory over Saint Godefroy in the Prix Jean Henry Wright. But over this past weekend, two shorter distance races have also shown the strength in depth in this segment of the sport.

On Friday, Riskman, an 8 year old gelding trained by Erwan Grall, made it two from two in 2024 with a hard-fought 1/2l victory over Solingen in the 4,600m (2m 7 1/2f) Prix Gerard Sereys.

On Sunday, the shorter distance 4,100m (2m 4f) Prix Jean et Rene Couteuil delivered a 10 runner field and a debutant winner in cross in J’Arrive de l’Est, a 5 year old trained by Daniela Melé and ridden by Valentin Morin. Held up in rear with favourite Falko des Flos, Morin made good ground at the Banquette de Bordeaux, 5 out, and J’Arrive de l’Est showed good speed from the last to win by 3l.

Unlike their foreign counterparts, French horses have a variety of distances to choose from in Cross Country, but the stye of racing is such that it is easier for horses to run over multiple distances. Don’t be surprised to see Riskman among entries for the Grand Cross, although the higher profile race would surely test a novice at these fences.

Pau stages two more races before February 18.

Pau’s winter season is halfway through, and there were definitive clues for the Grand Cross de Pau in 3 weeks’ time last week for the first Cross Country chase of the campaign on Friday last – the Prix John Henry Wright.

A select 4 runners went to post for the €52,000 prize over 5,000m, headed by the winner of Pau’s big cross country in 2023, bidding for a second consecutive winner over Pau’s impressive fences. Hip Hop Conti, under the tutelage of Emmanuel Clayeux, is no stranger to success at Pau, having won here over 5,600m earlier this month.

Chief among his rivals was Saint Godefroy in receipt of 4kg from the winner, trained by Patrice Quinton, and the two dominated proceedings from the off. Hip Hop Conti made the running until the final 1000m when Felix de Giles pushed Saint Godefroy on to take up the running. By the “passage de route”, these two and Harmonie Roque had put distance between them and I’m Walking, working to keep pace as the race quickened.

The three jumped the last in unison but Clement Lefebvre had left enough in reserve to fight back and regain the lead with 1 1/4l to spare.