Early entries for the penultimate leg of this year’s Crystal Cup are poised to provide a scintillating climax to this year’s European cross country challenge, with Stumptown heading an all-Irish field for the €40,000 Mongey Communications la Touche Steeplechase on day two of the Punchestown Festival next Thursday.

The two time Cheltenham cross country winner was last seen pulled up 3 out in the Grand National after no luck in running. He is one of three entries for Gavin Cromwell, who has every chance of overtaking Josef Vana at the head of the Trainers’ leaderboard, particularly with a good performance from one or more of his runners. Stumptown though will be saddled with a welterweight of 12st 7lb, 9lb higher than any of his rivals, which may be a tall ask.

Vanillier and Peaches and Cream may represent the Cromwell stable if the Punchestown race comes too soon after Aintree. Vanillier ran with distinction at Aintree, but couldn’t match his previous year’s second place. A more relevant line of form is his 8 1/4l third to Stumptown at Cheltenham, having nearly taken the wrong course early on, costing several lengths.

But the 4m 1f contest is far from just a Cromwell benefit. The Calentra yard of Gordon Elliott includes four familiar entries: Coko Beach, Conflated, Chemical Energy and the Goffer, the latter of which ran an eye-catching race into third in the shorter 2m 5f contest over the Aintree fences a day before the National. Coko Beach has good form over this course, but was beaten here in February by Vanillier when giving 10lb. He can reverse form on that basis.

Conflated will need to improve over these obstacles to figure, although he has been running at the highest level over regulation fences in this and previous seasons. Chemical Energy has ground to make up on Stumptown and Vanillier on Aintree and Cheltenham form.

French Dynamite hasn’t found the sweet spot since winning a Grade 3 chase here in October, and is untested over this extended distance.

Tony Martin has form over these obstacles, and may run Read To Return with Maxine O’Sullevan in the plate. Although rated under 120, Martin is a master at concealing a horse’s true rating until the money is down, so the market may tell the chances for his 8 year old better than the form of his Easter win at Fairyhouse.

A clutch of pointers make up the middle order of the entries list, few of which have a rating. With a choice of engagements across the five days and four cross country races of the Festival, a watching brief is best, although as last year’s result illustrated, no pointer should be ruled out. Indeed, the 2023 winner Vital Island is back for another tilt on the back of a recent success at Lingstown, but at 13, others may have faster legs when it comes to the business end. Trainer Richard O’Keeffe may be better represented by Transprint, 4 years his junior, who was a close third in the shorter Kildare Hunt Club cross country 12 months ago.

The drop in class may suit Desertmore House from Martin Brassil’s stable. The 10 year old winner of three of his 10 chase starts will appreciate the lower calibre of competition from listed status races over the course of the winter, most recently pulled up in the Irish National at Fairyhouse over Easter.

Denis Murphy has entered four, of which the most interesting is 7 year old Fralimonto Bilbery, who hasn’t been out of the frame in 5 runs this winter, but he is held on Lingstown form by Vital Island, and none of these are of the calibre of the higher rated candidates in the race. Empire Builder and Iroko d’Airy are the other two, likely with multiple engagements. Threebytwo was narrowly held by Singing Banjo in this race 12 months ago, but is held by Vanillier of previous Punchestown form earlier this season.

One should never rule out any Enda Bolger – trained animal in this race, especially one owned by champion owner J P McManus. Stealthy Tom is held on form through Vanillier here in February and Stumptown in November, and looks on the downgrade, but banks races can bring about a resurgence of form, and Bolger is a master at rekindling enthusiasm.

Another pointing handler of note is Peter Maher, whose two entries include Jet Fighter and Subset. Subset’s unprepossessing series of Ps belie a win over these obstacles in 2023, whilst this looks a bit hot for Jet Fighter.

Final declarations take place on Tuesday.