© Tod Marks
The second-richest schedule on the National Steeplechase Association’s fall calendar takes place Saturday at Great Meadow in The Plains, Virginia, with the 88th running of the International Gold Cup Races.
Notable on the $365,000 eight-race card are the $100,000 Grade 2 William H. Allison stakes, a handicap hurdle at 2 ⅛ miles, and the $50,000 International Gold Cup timber stakes at 3 ½ miles.
The Allison, which made its debut in 2024 as a $150,000 Grade 1, has drawn ten solid contenders, including the first winner, Leipers Fork Steeplechase’s Rampoldi Plan, and three other G1 winners: Riverdee Stable’s Cool Jet, the 158-pound co-highweight, captured the Commonwealth Cup at Great Meadow during the Virginia Gold Cup Races in the Spring; Madaket Stables and Paul and Molly Willis’ co-highweight Jimmy P is a two-time winner of the Jonathan Sheppard at Saratoga; and Irv Naylor’s Belfast Banter, who is on a comeback after a long hiatus following his performance in the 2023 AP Smithwick at Saratoga.
The field also consists of other stakes winners. Del Rio Racing’s Little Trilby triumphed in Michael G. Walsh’s novice race at Spa 17-1; Riverdee’s Welshman, who scored in the G2 David Semmes at Great Meadow in 2023, narrowly missed out by a neck in the recent G1 Lonesome Glory at Aqueduct; and Michael A. Smith’s Foxy Walk, who won the Good Night Shirt stakes at Foxfield in the spring and returned there earlier this month to finish second to Cool Jet in the G3 Mariann De Tejada Memorial.
While two of the potential starters are still looking to find success with their initial efforts, they have had bright moments. Gill Johnston’s Active Duty was a non-winner of two allowances at Great Meadow this spring, while Daniel Baker’s Decisive Triumph at 12 has had a long and successful career, raising more than $300,000. Ballybristol Farm’s Noble Anthem was second to Cool Jet in the Commonwealth Cup, finishing ahead of three G1 winners: Proven Innocent, Belfast Banter and Too Friendly.
In the Gold Cup, Dolly Fisher’s Keys Discount looks to maintain its perfect record from 2025, in which it won stakes in the Middleburg Hunt Cup, Virginia Gold Cup, Brown Advisory and the National Sporting Library & Museum Cup. Keys Discount, who earns more than twice as much as the next richest lumber runner and is the frontrunner in the year-end awards, will mainly encounter familiar enemies that he has defeated.
Bruton Street-US’ Track and Trace captured his first two NSA starts in the spring, and was fourth in his stakes debut in the Brown Advisory, passing a number of foes in the shorter 3 ⅛ mile distance. Riverdee Stable’s Queens Empire won the 2024 Brown Advisory and gained ground to finish nine lengths behind Keys Discount in September.
Potter Group USA, Gaskells Waste Services and Ashwell Stable’s Uco Valley have been DNFs in three of his past four starts, all on the line. He captured a non-winner of three allowances at the Iroquois Races in May, but was disqualified for veering off course. His best race this year was a close second, beaten two lengths, by Keys Discount in the Middleburg Hunt Cup in April.
Will Russell’s Animal Kingston broke his girl through wood in the spring of 2024 and has been competing in mostly allowance competitions ever since, getting closer and closer to a big break. He finished strongly in the Brown Advisory to take second, four lengths behind Keys Discount.
Similarly, Hyggelig Haven’s Druid’s Altar’s only win came over wood in the first company, and he was no threat in the Brown Advisory or the recent National Sporting Library & Museum Cup. He finished eight lengths behind 2024 timber champion Mystic Strike in last year’s International Gold Cup when it was held at nearby Glenwood Park, but it was an odd race as only three started and two finished.
Former hurdler The Hero Next Door, owned by Michael A. Smith, broke his maiden over wood at Shawan Downs by 20 lengths last month and could pose a serious threat.
The Upland Partners Shootist peaked when he finished a neck behind Blackhall in the 2024 Maryland Hunt Cup. Since then, he has finished third in an allowance event, a DNF in the My Lady’s Manor stakes, and unplaced in the Genesee Valley Hunt Cup two weeks ago. He is looking for his first score in three and a half years.
The remainder of the card consists of a $45,000 special weight obstacle; $20,000 steeple over mixed obstacles; Grant hurdle of $50,000; $40,000 handicap for horses rated 115 or less; and a pair of $30,000 optional first starter/girl claiming obstacle events.
For full entries, click https://nationalsteeplechase.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/International-Gold-Cup-Overnight.pdf
If you are unable to attend the races, you can watch via livestream on the NSA website, www.nationalsteeplechase.com.
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