Ben Pauling’s Meetmebythesea secured JP McManus his first victory in the Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham, delivering a commanding performance under jockey Harry Cobden. The horse was dispatched as the heavily favored 2-1 choice in what marked his first outing since winning as a novice at the Festival in March. Meetmebythesea demonstrated exceptional jumping throughout the race and produced a strong finish up the hill to triumph by two and a half lengths, with Blueking d’Oroux, running in his first race for trainer Dan Skelton, presenting the primary challenge before fading in the final stages.
Pauling expressed satisfaction with the victory, noting that Cobden’s decision to ride the horse forward proved effective given the day’s racing conditions. The trainer highlighted Meetmebythesea’s performance under pressure and his substantial pace for a horse of his size, describing the win as particularly meaningful given the race’s historical significance to him. Pauling acknowledged the challenge of maintaining improvement at the top level and indicated potential for further development, suggesting the horse may need to gain additional ground to win major races.
Looking ahead, connections are considering a step up to Grade One company at Kempton on Boxing Day for the King George VI Chase, where Pauling previously achieved victory with The Jukebox Man. The trainer expressed confidence in the horse’s staying ability over three miles and noted the potential for the Kempton course layout to suit the horse’s profile.
McManus reflected on finally securing the Paddy Power Gold Cup after multiple previous attempts, while acknowledging other significant races remain absent from his record, including the King George, Champion Chase, and Arkle. The owner remained open to future plans while expressing contentment with the Cheltenham victory, noting that Meetmebythesea remains only six years old with considerable development potential ahead.
Elsewhere on the card, Atomic City impressed in the JCB Triumph Trial Juvenile Hurdle, winning by four lengths at 11-10 odds under jockey J J Slevin for trainer Joseph O’Brien. The three-year-old, rated 88 from his Flat career, demonstrated promising jumping and earned consideration for the Triumph Hurdle later in the season, with Coral adjusting odds to 14-1.
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