The seventh leg of the Crystal Cup is set to enjoy an international field again as battle is joined between British, Irish and 2 French challengers.

A month ago, Gabriel Leenders flew the tricolor for France when winning an identical cross country race at Cheltenham, albeit not part of the Crystal Cup, with Sweet David. This time around, it is David Cottin who is trying his hand with progressive 6yo Iceo Madrik, who put 10 others to the sword by 5l in leg 6 of the series, the Grand Cross Country Steeplechase at Compiegne a month ago, a race avoided by Sweet David for the easier contest at Cheltenham at the end of the same week. Iceo Madrik is on a hattrick, and it must be hoped the weather doesn’t play a part in preventing him attending, as on a light weight, he has been given a big chance to shine and put Cottin right in the frame for the Crystal Cup as the series oscillates back toward France.

Iceo Madrik may well be joined by the Guillaume Fabre – trained Izino d’Airy, who despite his maiden status, has been running valiantly in heavy conditions at Auteuil and Compiegne this autumn, albeit he is untried over this distance. He may find the faster pace of races in Britain a more testing affair.

A clutch of Grand National pretenders are entered, seeking to burnish their credentials before the world’s most valuable steeplechase in April.

Mister Coffey will be aiming to go one better than his second to Sweet David a month ago. His 6 1/2l beating that day finds him still seeking a first win over fences at this, his 15th attempt.

Latenightpass found his return to Aintree for the Becher Chase a tough ask, but he is 2 from 2 over these obstacles, and should be respected. With a rating of 144, weight may tell as he’s carrying 5lb more than the 10st 8 of this time last year.

A case can be made for fellow hunter chase graduate Gabiorot, under the direction of Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero.  Winner of hunter chases at Cheltenham and Cartmel in May, the 8yo opened his season with a 4 1/4l third to King Turgeon in Aintree’s Becher Chase. He looks on the upgrade still, and would be a handsome replacement for Gesskille, fatally injured in this race 12 months ago.

A third hunter chase graduate, Deise Aba, has something to find against these higher rated horses on the basis of his win in a hunters contest at Stratford in the Spring.

Vanillier is one of two entries for Gavin Cromwell, and one of the 14 contenders from across the Irish Sea. Cromwell has an outstanding record from a sparing but highly targeted team of runners at Cheltenham. Fourteen winners from 63 runners these past 5 seasons tell their own story, and the tallywag reads just one in this term to date, so success is well overdue. Vanillier is yet to show anythinbg like the dizzy form that saw him finish a 2 1/4l second to Corach Rambler in the 2023 Grand National, and it may be argued his best days are behind him.

Stumptown from the same stable comes here on a hattrick after banks success at Punchestown in May and November, where he beat fellow entry Three By Two from Denis Paul Murphy’s Enniscorthy yard.

Gordon Elliott has entered 7 of the 14 Irish contenders, which include Chemical Energy, a 5 1/2l third to Real Steel in October’s Munster National; Coko Beach, who has proven form over cross country obstacles, and despite finishing behind Stumptown at Punchestown last month, would have gone very close in the Velka Pardubicka in early October but for unseating his rider 4 out; Irish Gold Cup winner Delta Work is a second Gigginstown entry, and won the March equivalent race here in both 2022 and 2023. Form this season is unremarkable, but a look back to April serves to remind you this is no back number. His 7 1/2l second to I Am Maximus in the Grand National gives him the highest rating in the field.

Fakir d’Alene,  Gevrey, The Goffer and Wine An Dine, the remaining Elliott entries, both have some way to make up to be in the reckoning here.

Tommie Beau seized his chance in the corresponding race a month ago before dramatically running out with 3f to run. He owes owner Peter Prout no favours, having won handicaps around the smaller tracks for several years. Whilst the November race was a weaker contest than usual, Seamus Mullins’ flagbearer deserves better than that, and is certainly a candidate for the places.

Cheltenham has long been a destination racecourse for the Keighleys, since both Belinda and Martin worked for the course. In Back On The Lash, they have a former winner of the cross country, third in the most recent running a month ago. Escaria Ten’s form figures are unreassuring, and he is unproven over this genre of obstacle or the trip, but the variety may be a tonic, as it has been for many reaching their veteran years.

Arizona Cardinal, winner of the Topham Chase at Aintree in the Spring, is a fascinating addition to the cross country ranks, and a first runner in this type of race for trainer Stuart Edmunds. He was pulled up in the Becher Chase, but if returning to his form of the Spring, is a live candidate under Charlie Hammond. Fellow also-ran Percussion at Aintree looks an improbable winner.

Both John McConnochie and Joseph Patrick O’Brien have entered two each. Bodhisattva has been well beaten in two banks races at Punchestown, whilst Streets of Doyen’s jumping has been found wanting in two cross country races this autumn. Fakir d’Oudairies put in a career best in the Melling Chase at Aintree 20 months ago, and might appreciate this drop in class whilst stablemate Busselton has something to find on his sixth to Sweet David a month ago.

Final declarations are made on Wednesday.