Fourteen will go to post for the Anjou-Loire Challenge on Thursday as France celebrates Ascension Day, but Dragey-Ronthon trainer Patrice Quinton will need some divine intervention to topple Josef Vana from a second consecutive Crystal Cup.

The Czech set out his stall for this year’s Challenge from the opening race in late August, and has withheld all challengers, despite not running in any of the three races in Britain or Ireland. By gaining a minimum 1pt for running Gap Pierji, Quinton must accumulate 10pts to overtake his Czech rival, meaning his two runners must finish first and second.

Neither Gold Allen nor Shawninigan are slouches, but both are exposed in this company, and a more obvious challenge to favourite Miss Laura may come from Gabriel Leenders with Gentilhomme, 3 times a winner at Fontainebleau since October, including most recently in the listed Grand Cross in March, leg 10 of the Crystal Cup.

The race offers a truly international flavour as three of the four foreign entries have stood their ground, the fourth, Subset, opting for the shorter Prix Georges Bonsergent earlier in the card. Gap Pierji has been a regular competitor in the Challenge, having run at Merano, Fontainebleau and winning at Wroclaw. This looks a better standard race than he may be used to, although he lacks nothing in courage and grit.

Ireland is doubly represented by two candidates who figured prominently in the banks race that is a feature of the Punchestown Festival. Three By Two represents Denis Murphy, and J J Slevin enjoys his first ride at Lion d’Angers, whilst Vital Island, at 13 an elder statesman in this company, is still showing plenty of zest for racing, and will be the mount of amateur, Barry Stone. Three By Two was putting in her best work when a fast-finishing third to Busselton, ridden by Slevin, in that Punchestown race.

Bingo de l’Aunay merits his place here on the back of a fourth place to Roi Mage in the listed Grand Cross at Compiegne last November. He’s not run against this standard of field since, whilst Hawax ran a remote sixth in this race 12 months ago, but ran Miss Laura to a 4l second here in April, in receipt of 8kg. Espoir was a remote 10th in that race, and whilst a winner several times over, looks over-faced in this company. the third in that race, Wal Cassandre, produces his best on this course, and looks capable of running into the minor placings.

Jean Yves Toussaint runs Gemini d’Ax, who has yet to finish over any distance exceeding 4,600m, albeit a winner here in early April with Wal Cassandre and Shawninigen behind. Will he stay over an additional 3,000m? A surer stayer is Adsum, who has ground to make up on Miss Laura in that key Lion d’Angers race over Easter.

Miss Laura is a worthy favourite, but the unique demands of Lion d’Angers and the sheer volume of obstacles make this a race as much for the entertainment as betting value.