Dual winner of Craon’s Grand Cross Country Steeplechase will never have a better (or indeed another) opportunity to record a third consecutive win in the Mayenne racecourse’s marquee race, facing just five other starters in a summer marked by small fields for cross country races.

However, even now, the race is a tough ask, with a clutch of emerging talent, and an age range of nine years from five to Roi Mage, who topped 14 this January. That he has appetite for the fight is not in doubt; he has been carefully nurtured through the latter part of his career, and specifically aimed at this race. Indeed, it will be his first run in 2026, and a victory would add a strong poignancy to a family who lost licence holder Paddy at 84 only last month. Son James has pioneered his exploits back in France with great panache and no little skill.

Ranged up against the veteran however is an impressive array of previous Crystal Cup winners. Klitchco de Belair had top class cross country horses like Gold Allen and Miss Laura behind when winning by 2l at Fontainebleau in March, but ground conditions here are as chalk to cheese, that being heavy ground. And he was beaten by the youngster in the field, Pepite Bleu, in Corlay’s Grand Cross on good to soft in June. He doesn’t look an obvious choice on ground not best suited to him.

Iceo Madrik created chaos when refusing at the trou de loup at Compiegne last November, but after extensive schooling, that waywardness looks behind him. He ducked a showdown with stable mate Placenet at Waregem on Tuesday to come here, and Placenet won handsomely. A 2l win over L’Irlandaise here in June over a shorter distance is a perfect prep and with the assistance of cravache d’or winner Felix de Giles, he will be a strong fancy.

Gabriel Leenders fields Sweet David, who has run sparingly since running out a 6 1/2l winner over perpetual bridesmaid Mister Coffey in Cheltenham’s opening cross country last November, thus swerving an appointment with tougher opposition the same weekend in France. His only outing in 2026 to date was a 1 3/4l third in a pump primer hurdle at Senonnes at the end of July, so assume he is primed for the task. He won well at Cheltenham indicating that whilst a handicap, he is more than capable against this opposition.

Which leaves two remaining. Gemini d’Ax has drawn a blank from 4 runs so far this year, and was a distant fourth in the Anjou-Loire Challenge at lion d’Angers in May. He showed some sign of winning form when a 3l second at the same course last month, but others appeal more.

Pepite Bleu finishes this preview. As the youngest horse in the race, he is stull subject to improvement, but he comes from a long line of cross country horses trained at Dragey-Ronthon by Patrice Quinton, who already leads the Crystal Cup leaderboard after Waregem, and could assert a further advantage here. Five year old Pepite Bleu comes to this race on a hat-trick after a convincing debut over cross country obstacles at lion d’Angers and a short head victory in Corlay’s Grand Cross, in which Klitcho de Belair was found wanting. The Corlay race was a tight finish, so positions could readily be reversed, but he more than deserves to be in the field, and may yet prove the best.

A race to savour then, in which the heart will favour the veteran Roi Mage, the head Pepite Bleu.

Full race details here