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Competition for this year’s Crystal Cup is intensifying following the running of leg 8 at Pau this past weekend. And whilst it’s not on the cards that Emanuel Clayeux will send hat-trick winner of Pau’s big cross country to Cheltenham, there are other candidates lining up.

The conditions of this year’s 3m6f race (5,885m) have been changed back to a handicap from a level weights contest, affording runners in each of Cheltenham’s previous two cross country chases in the autumn and early winter a cut at a Festival prize. For the past 10 years, the race has been a conditions event, letting in highly rated horses like Minella Indo, Delta Work and Tiger Roll to clean up.

Whilst the stables of Josef Vana, Patrice Quinton and David Cottin dominate the Trainers’ race for Crystal Cup glory on the back of contributions by several horses, one stable is aiming at Festival success by dint of a single runner.

That runner is Roi Mage, whose unorthodox preparation in British and Irish eyes, could stand him in very good stead in March. Currently rated 145, Roi Mage has raced more frequently in France than in England these past 12 months, narrowly beaten at Corlay in June, winning at Craon in September, and a well-beaten fifth behind Iceo Madrik at Compiegne in November.

Iceo Madrik ran in Cheltenham’s December cross country with an inconclusive result, falling at the fourth in a  race where he was hoping to get a handicap mark. Six days earlier, Sweet David had won a cross country at Cheltenham, sidestepping Iceo Madrik. Roi Mage had previously beaten Sweet David handsomely at Craon.

James Griffin, who has masterminded his stable star’s efforts abroad, told the Racing Post,

“He won at Craon and went back to Compiegne but it proved one race too many as he hadn’t a break since the 2023 Grand National, plus he’s been to France three times since that,” said Griffin. “He got a break for seven weeks after and came back in the week of Christmas.

James Reveley and Roi Mage are led in after their listed win at Craon in September

“He’s 13 but he’s fresh for his age mileage-wise. He’ll go straight to Cheltenham and has an entry in the Grand National but we might lean towards the Irish National instead.”

A solid run at Cheltenham by Roi Mage, Sweet David or Iceo Madrik  would re-inforce Cheltenham’s attraction as a cross country venue, and put the Roi Mage bang in contention for the Leading Horse category of the Crystal Cup, which he already leads.

Hip Hop Conti illustrated his supremacy over Pau’s fearsome cross country obstacles with a peerless third consecutive victory in the Grand Cross de Pau yesterday, seeing off all comers to win by 3 1/2l under James Reveley.

The King of Pau’s cross country feature, this was among the easiest of Hip Hop Conti’s three victories in this race, and at eight, who is to say he doesn’t have another two at least to add? His rivals currently struggle to lay a glove on him.

Winner of 12 of his 25 starts, the gelding, bred by owner Patrick Joubert, enjoys a particular association with Pau, where he is a winner of 11 of those contests. In fact, he’s only ever won at Nancy, and trainer Emanuel Clayeux holds him back solely for the Pau winter season. Sadly it seems unlikely the Crystal Cup will be blessed by his presence in our other races.

Jumping off alongside chief rival Saint Godefroy, Hip Hop Conti soon took up the lead, with Ici Avrilly and Illico in close contention, Riskman next of the remainder. Seven year old Ici Avrilly, running for the first time over this extended distance, made a mistake at the fourth, but the order remained virtually unchanged for the first half of the race, I’m Walkin’ tailed off from the bulk of the field.

At the 19th, Saint Godefroy was less than foot perfect, but with no obvious loss of momentum, and de Giles sent him up the inner to challenge 5 out, briefly leading. Reveley was having none of it however, and kicked on again on the favourite, rapidly asserting by 3l.

As they turned out of the country, with three to jump, it was the younger Ici Avrilly who looked the danger under Baptiste Leclerc, but as soon as they entered the straight, it was over. Hip Hop Conti stays all day, and had a burst of speed to see off the one-paced Ici Avrilly, who couldn’t quicken past him. Old rival Saint Godefroy was 8l back, Illico on his flank.

Jockey James Reveley surrounded by Crystal Cup members, from left, Jean-Louis Foursans-Bourdette, (Pau), Frederic Landon (Fontainebleau), Andre Martin (Lion d’Angers), Jean de Cheffontaines (Compiegne), Hugues Crosnier (Craon) & Mario Pirone (Merano)

The result has little effect on the Crystal Cup leaderboard, leaving Josef Vana still in pole position. By dint of his third and fifth placed horses, Patrice Quinton moves to within 5pts, and could consolidate this if running at Cheltenham or Fontainebleau. The latter is a likely target for the Vana stable too.

Hip Hop Conti will go to post a red-hot favourite on Sunday to land a third consecutive Grand Cross de Pau, following the final declarations which see the 19 entries whittle down to nine runners. The Emanuel Clayeux trained 7 year old relishes the stiff 6,300m test and impressive obstacles around Pau, and ground conditions to suit. Clement Lefebvre will take the ride again.

The race has a familiar refrain from 2024, with runner-up Saint Godefroy re-opposing, as well as Illico and Solingen, who made up the minor placings. Patrice Quinton, who has brought Saint Godefroy down from Dragey-Ronthon, also runs Hello de Sivola, who was paying his way without hitting the number one spot before parting company with his rider here at Pau 3 weeks ago in a shorter cross country over 4,700m. Between the pair, Quinton fares a reasonable chance of narrowing the gap on Crystal Cup leader Josef Vana, currently 11pts.

Any upset is most likely to come from Riskman, a 5l second to Iceo Madrik in the listed Grand Cross de Compiegne in November. This was, however, something of an anomaly, as the eventual winner was baulked early on, and ran his own race far in the rear until rejoining the field late on. The form may be questionable.

Isagirl is unproven over this distance, and the seven year old Ici Avrilly has 10 1/2l to make up on Hip Hop Conti based on their run in the Prix Mortimer Lassence here in mid December. At the very least, she should get the trip and may run into the minor placings.

An all-French field for the Grand Cross de Pau Allianz Olivier Ournac – Prix Gaston de Bataille offers a further chance to French trainers David Cottin and Patrice Quinton to reassert their credentials for the Crystal Cup.

This eighth leg of the pan-European cross country challenge presents the longest race yet, at 6,300m (3m 7f & 100yds), and a testing ground for a tilt at the Cheltenham Festival cross country race 4½  weeks hence.

But this Pau listed contest is no prep race, but a showcase for the cream of French cross country steeplechasing, headed up by two-time winner of this race, Hip Hop Conti, under the wise tutelage of Emanuel Clayeux. Clayeux doesn’t venture far beyond Pau with the 8 year old who loves this track and mid-winter ground conditions. A win and a second, giving 3kg to winner Saint Godefroy, who re-opposes here, in Pau’s season these past 2 months, should allow him to reverse placings with his old rival in this level weights contest. However, it’s no foregone conclusion; 2½ l separated them in this race 12 months ago, so the margin is hardly definitive.

Both Clayeux and Quinton, trainers of the respective favourites, may be two-handed in Pau’s big race this weekend. Six year old Lovely Kap has 4l to make up on Saint Godefroy on their running in the 4,700m Prix Hubert de Navailles in mid-December at Pau, in which Riskman was also behind, but the mare is a relative youngster. She’s yet to be tested over this extended distance.

Patrice Quinton, sitting on an 11pt deficit to Crystal Cup leader, Josef Vana, has two further entries. Hard Roc de Kerser has been running over shorter distances, and been found flat-footed in 3 runs where he’s been runner-up, so the longer distance may suit. There seems no reason why Hello de Sivola should reverse placings with Hip Hop Conti on their December form here either, when he was well beaten. However, any placed effort will put Quinton within spitting distance of Josef Vana with two more races in France to come. Home advantage may come into play here.

Current Trainer Leaderboard standings

The Peltier stable can never be underestimated in a race of this nature. However, Interdit de Jeu looked one-paced against Hip Hop Conti and Saint Godefroy in the Prix John Henry Wright at Pau in mid-January when receiving weight, so conditions are not in his favour.

Marc Nicolau fields two in the race, but neither is likely to trouble the judge. I’m Walkin has now gone 25 races without a win; 11 year old Go’N Win looks well exposed too.

Solingen is one of two entries for Daniele de Mela, and a sound trial for this race with a 6l victory in January over this course, but not this extended distance, means he is at least unbeaten this season, since running fifth in this event 12 months back. Both Hello de Sivola and David Cottin’s Illico were behind that day. Her other candidate, Iridia, was among the unplaced horses in the Prix John Henry Wright a month back, and has something to find.

David Cottin had high hopes of creating a Cheltenham Festival fancy with Iceo Madrik in the December Crystal Cup qualifier at Cheltenham, but an early exit made that rather inconclusive. Illico doesn’t look up to this class yet, and would be a surprise winner here.

A more probable upset could come from Riskman, Eric Grall’s 5l second in Compiegne’s big cross country in November. On that performance, he’d be thereabouts, although he found Saint Godefroy too good back at Pau in mid-December.

The entries are completed by two recent winners in Ici Avrilly, a 7 year old from the Seror stable, and Isagirl from Jacques Delauney. Both have acquitted themselves well to date, but this is a step up in class.

Final declarations are on Thursday February 6^th.

Stumptown justified his 4/1 favouritism in the Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Chase at Cheltenham on Friday, adding a second Irish winner to the ranks of Crystal Cup horses in this year’s challenge.

Keith Donoghue rode a patient race in mid-division , coming between horses at the last to land the odds rather cheekily from Mister Coffey, the Henderson novice filling the runner-up berth a second time in this genre of race. Latenightpass, briefly in the lead on the run-in, was swallowed up by the other two to finish 1 4 1/4l third.

Iceo Madrik, one of two runners David Cottin had sent to Cheltenham’s December fixture, was an early casualty, unseating Thomas Jouniac at the third fence. Cottin didn’t return home empty-handed however, as Jet Blue set up a tilt at the Albert Bartlett Novices Hurdle at the Festival the following day with a 6l win in the 3m hurdle of the same name.

The early pace was set by Vanillier and Escaria Ten, with top weights Delta Work and Mister Coffey in close attendance, Stumptown, Three By Two, Coko Beach and Arizona Cardinal not far behind. This leading group cut out the pace until the third last, when Escaria Ten bid to make the race his own, Latenightpass and Stumptown in pursuit.

Donoughue has a mind to March, and it showed. As he guided Stumptown through the leading pair on a tight rein, his was a finish with the handicap mark in mind for 3 months hence. The winning distance of a length could have been considerably more were this a conditions chase. Trainer Gavin Cromwell has campaigned very successfully at Cheltenham, and departed Cheltenham on Friday to fly to Bahrain for flat runners in the week to come.

Iceo Madrik’s fall leaves the leaderboard largely unchanged. Josef Vana retains a commanding lead with 39, Patrice Quinton and David Cottin on 28 and 22. Unsurprisingly, the leading owner remains Scuderia Aichner with a 10pt lead over Iceo Madrik’s owner Caroline Tisdall. The leading horse, however is Patrick Griffin’s Roi Mage, winner at Craon back in September.

The Crystal Cup takes a break now until February, when the Grand Cross de Pau sets the scene for a return to France for 3 of the remaining 5 legs.