Nine entries make up the Italian leg of the Crystal Cup, with Josef Vana determined to wrest back a lead in the 12 race challenge. The Czech trainer is a keen supporter of Merano all told, with entries across the whole weekend, but his five entries dominate the €40,000 contest.

The team is led by 13 year old Almost Human, second in this race last year with Flavius and Laldann behind, but he’s advancing in years, and may not be the logical choice this time around.

Vana fields three other recent winners in the aforementioned Laldann, now 10, and winner of 13 of his 27 starts. He comes to this from a successful summer that began with a head victory over stable companion Almost Human and Younes, also entered in the race. He had Zubiena and Almost Human behind in his most recent run, a 1 1/2l beating of Gap Pierji at Merano at the start of August. Gap Pierji gave Zubiena a 2 1/2l beating in a 5,000m chase here at Merano earlier in the month.

Six year old Ramuntcho comes here on the back of 2 Merano scalps in May and June, the first of these a narrow victory over Younes. Both of those races were over 4,100m, and he had to give second best to stable companion Beau Saonais earlier this month in a longer race over 5,000m. He is unproven over this extended trip, so there has to be a doubt over his stamina based on that most recent run.

Outsider of the Vana quintet is Brunch Royal. At 12, his best years may be behind him, and he hasn’t won since 2022, although he’s been running into the frame in good class races at home in Pardubice.

Patrice Quinton fields two among the 9 entries, including last year’s third, Flavius. Flavius took the easier option at Waregem earlier in the month, skirting the Crystal Cup steeplechase in favour of the shorter 4,600m contest, in which he finished second to stable companion Jeriko de Kerser. This six year old is another from the Ecurie des Dunes, and has been running admirably consistently, albeit he’s never tried this extended trip.

The entries are made up by the 10 year old Zubiena, aiming for back to back wins in this race, but yet to find the wining thread again since that day, and Younes, winner of a Group III chase here in June, where he had three of the field behind, in laldann, Almost Human and Gap Pierji. Trainer Seménka Zdenĕk brought the 7 year old back to Merano at the end of August to finish a 2 1/2l second to Gap Pierji, with Zubiena and Brunch Royal behind.

All in all, not the most consistent form lines among the contenders, which may narrow down with the weights on Wednesday.