Grand Manan Wins International Gold Cup


This year’s International Gold Cup, held Oct. 22 at Great Meadow in The Plains, Virginia, was won by Grand Manan, a seven-year-old bay gelding owned by Donald Reuwer Jr. and ridden by Irish jockey Darren Nagle. The sixth race of ten, the International Gold Cup is three-and-a-half miles “over Timber.” Grand Manan won by seven and a quarter lengths. The trainer was William Meister.
In second place was favorite Two’s Company, owned by Bruton Street-US and ridden by Jack Fisher. In third place was Prime Prospector, owned by Peter A. Jay and ridden by Todd Wyatt. Fourth was Cornhusker, owned by Armata Stables and ridden by Mark Beecher. Fifth was Almarmooq, owned by Irvin S. Naylor and ridden by Gerard Galligan.
This was the 79th running of the International Gold Cup. The race is the fall counterpart of the Virginia Gold Cup, which will next be held May 6, 2017.
Arthur “Nick” Arundel, son of longtime Virginia Gold Cup chairman Russell Arundel, purchased the 500-acre Great Meadow site in 1980 as a home for the Gold Cup. The family donated the newly developed field-events center in 1984. Nick Arundel died in 2011.
The International Gold Cup comprises six steeplechase races and four flat races. The Gold Cup race has a $90,000 purse and the undercard includes the $75,000 David L. “Zeke” Ferguson Memorial Hurdle Stakes, won this year by Top Striker, owned by Mrs. George M. Sensor and ridden by Paddy Young.
The cup races are highlights of the Virginia social season as well as top horse racing events. Many come to tailgate and to display their fancy headwear; there are prizes for both. This year, first place in the tailgate competition went to Point of View Farm for “The Siena Palio Race.” The terrier races are another attraction, as thrilling to some, perhaps, as the main event.

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