JP McManus secured his first-ever victory in the Paddy Power Gold Cup on Saturday after Meetmebythesea triumphed at Cheltenham’s November meeting. The 2-1 favourite held off Blueking D’Oroux by two-and-a-half lengths in front of a crowd exceeding 32,000 racegoers, delivering a notable success for jockey Harry Cobden in his new role as McManus’s primary rider.
Trainer’s Reaction and Future Plans
Trainer Ben Pauling expressed deep satisfaction with the victory at a meeting he has attended since his youth. “This is the race that really made me tick growing up, and I’ve been coming to this meeting since I was 14. This has always been a big race for me and to have the favourite was a dream, so to win it is even better,” Pauling said.
Pauling noted his strong belief in the horse’s potential and indicated that Meetmebythesea could advance to Grade One competition. Potential targets include the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day, with bookmakers currently offering odds of around 12-1.
Comparing the winner to his previous success with The Jukebox Man last year, Pauling added, “I suppose we have to think about Kempton at Christmas and I think he’s going to stay every yard of three miles. To keep a horse like this improving is cool and we need these types of horses to keep us going the right way. It’s not easy when you’re in the top 10 and you need to find horses of this calibre. He looks to be one of them.”
Paul Nicholls Nears Record
Meanwhile, trainer Paul Nicholls moved closer to a major milestone on Saturday. Fasol’s victory in a handicap hurdle at Windsor brought Nicholls level with Martin Pipe’s all-time record of 3,930 British jumps winners.
Nicholls prepares a single runner on Sunday’s Cheltenham card, Pourquoi Pas Papa in the 1.25 race, as he seeks to claim the record outright.
