Tough field taking shape for $50,000 International Gold Cup

10/07/11

The winners of this year's Virginia Gold Cup, Radnor Hunt Cup, and National Sporting Library Chronicle Cup are among ten nominees for the $50,000 International Gold Cup, the featured event of the 28th annual International Gold Cup meet at Great Meadow Race Course in The Plains on Saturday, Oct. 15. Also nominated for the 3 1/2-mile timber race was the defending International Gold Cup winner, He's a Conniver.

Merriefield Farm's Bon Caddo won the Virginia Gold Cup by 13 lengths on May 7 but then finished sixth in the Radnor Hunt Cup two weeks later. The Pennsylvania race was won by Pin Ribbon Racing's Won Wild Bird, who is among the International Gold Cup nominees.

The National Sporting Library Chronicle Cup at the Virginia Fall Races may prove to be a key race for the International Gold Cup. Among the nominees are the first five finishers from the timber race in Middleburg on Oct. 1. Alfred C. Griffin Jr.'s Aero took over at the final fence and won by six lengths over Magalen O. Bryant's G'Day G'Day. Both are trained by Middleburg-based trainer Doug Fout.

EMO's He's a Conniver finished third, two lengths behind G'Day G'Day, and gave some indication that he is returning to the form that propelled him to an International Gold Cup victory last fall.

The ten nominees are:

Aero. 2005 b. g., Northern Spur (Ire)--Best Victory (Fr), by Cadoudal. Owner: Alfred C. Griffin Jr. Trainer: Doug Fout. 2011 record: 3-2-0-1, $28,000. Ran sparkling race in the National Sporting Library Chronicle Cup to win by six lengths at the Virginia Fall Races in Middleburg on Oct. 1. Scored his maiden timber victory at Willowbrook in May.

Bon Caddo. 2001 b. g., Bon Point (GB)--Tactical Info, by Tactical Advantage. Owner: Merriefield Farm. Trainer: Dawn Williams. 2011 record: 3-2-0-0, $67,200. Won the Virginia Gold Cup by 13 lengths on same course on May 7 but then was sixth in the Radnor Hunt Cup. Front-running winner of the My Lady's Manor in first 2011 start.

Expel. 2004 dk. b. or br. g., Expelled--Kentwood Miss, by Our Native. Owner: Northfield Farm LLC. Trainer: Teddy Mulligan. 2011 record: 4-0-0-0, $1,850. Finished fifth in the James P. McCormick Memorial, a maiden timber race at Virginia Fall on Oct. 1. Also finished fifth in a similar race at Winterthur in Delaware in early May.

G'Day G'Day. 2003 b. g., Eastern Echo--Say Farewell, by Second Bar. Owner: Magalen O. Bryant. Trainer: Doug Fout. 2011 record: 3-0-1-0, $6,300. Homebred finished second to Aero in Chronicle Cup on Oct. 1.

Gather No Moss. 2001 gr. or ro. g., Awad--Caro Landing, by Caro (Ire). Owner: Manown Kisor Jr. Trainer: Michael Berryman. 2011 record: 2-0-0-1, $3,400. Finished fifth in the Chronicle Cup after a third in the C. P. & Edith Wills DeBose Cup at the Carolina Cup Races in Camden, S.C., on April 2.
Gorgeous Charger. 2003 b. g., Awad--Gorgeous Gerty, by Darn That Alarm. Owner: Irvin S. Naylor. Trainer: William Meister. 2011 record: 5-0-0-2, $5,050. Finished third in $15,000 Legacy Chase at Shawan Downs in Maryland on Sept. 24, 17 1/4 lengths behind winner. Well-beaten third in Benjamin H. Murray Memorial at Grand National meet.

He's a Conniver. 2002 ch. g., Crafty Friend--Better to Be Lucky, by Roberto. Owner: EMO Stabled. Trainer: Dale L. Jackson. 2011 record: 4-2-0-0, $51,000. Defending winner of International Gold Cup finished third in Chronicle Cup. Faded in 2011 debut to finish second in the Middleburg Hunt Cup on April 23.

I'm Telling. 2001 dk. b. or br. g., Linkage--Don't Tell Ma, by Ga Hai. Owner-trainer: Bay Cockburn. 2011 record: 1-0-1-0, $2,700. Finished second in Legacy Chase at Shawan Downs, his first start since winning Morven Park optional allowance over timber last October.

Music To My Ears. 1998 ch. g., Phardante--Evas Charm, by Carlburg. Owner: Anna Stable. Trainer: Richard Valentine. 2011 record: 4-2-0-0, $27,750. Finished fourth in the Chronicle Cup. Kicked off 2011 with narrow victory in the C. P. & Edith Wills DeBose Cup at the Carolina Cup Races.

Won Wild Bird. 2002 gr. or ro. m., Wild Wonder--Rowdy Bird, by Topsider. Owner: Pin Ribbon Racing. Trainer: Regina Welsh. 2011 record: 4-2-0-0, $33,000. Came back from fall in Maryland Hunt Cup and refusal at start of Virginia Gold Cup's Steeplethon to win the Radnor Hunt Cup in Malvern, Pa., on May 21. Won Benjamin H. Murray Memorial at Maryland's Grand National meet.