DERRY’s Daniel Coyle enjoyed a brilliant week at the five-star American Gold Cup at Flintfields Horse Park in Traverse City, Michigan, last weekend where he won Friday’s Grand Prix qualifier and finished third in the main event.

Friday’s $142,500 Cabana Coast CSI5* qualifier win came aboard Ariel Grange’s 10-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare Ivory TCS. Sixteen combinations jumped clear over Irish course designer Alan Wade’s track, and Coyle was the fastest of six double-clears.

Israel’s Daniel Bluman and Gemma W claimed second place, while Britain’s Jessica Mendoza and I-Cap CL Z tied for third with Cork’s Shane Sweetnam and Out Of The Blue SCF, owned by Spy Coast Farm, LLC.

“Ivory was brilliant today once again,” Coyle said. “This show was a little unlucky for me last time I was here but thankfully this time I’m starting off with a win and it can’t get any better than that. She is very fast in the best of times. Today there were a few options to leave strides out and I could do that on her. The best of what she does is the turnbacks and I think that’s where I won today.”

American Gold Cup

In Sunday’s $650,000 American Gold Cup, Coyle opted to ride the 13-year-old gelding Quintin, also owned by Grange, and he was quite surprised to end up on the podium, which was topped by USA’s Karl Cook with the five-star winning machine Caracole de la Roque who was formerly ridden by Frenchman Julien Epaillard.

Alan Wade built a strong 1.60m track and just eight managed to clear it first time out. Cook set the winning time in 32.95 seconds, seeing off Israel’s Ashlee Bond and Donatello 141 (34.35) in second place. Coyle was also lightening fast in 34.47 to finish third and earn just over $53,000. Kilkenny’s Richie Moloney was the last of the clears against the clock with Coco Beach (40.91) to finish in sixth place.

“Quintin has quite a big stride and he’s generally fast but not quick over the jump or at the jump,” Coyle explained, adding: “I talked about it with Conor Swail and a couple of the guys and I thought maybe if I was clever, third place would do today. There was quite a big gap between [Karl and Ashlee] and further down. I’m delighted with where I am today, and with the horse I have today stepping up to this level.

“I never thought [Quintin] could be top three in my first time doing the Gold Cup so I’m really happy about him. I’ve had an extraordinary week this week so maybe it is lucky for me.”