Meetmebythesea wins first Paddy Power Gold Cup for McManus

Jockey Harry Cobden rode Meetmebythesea to a first Paddy Power Gold Cup victory for owner JP McManus at Cheltenham on Saturday. The 2-1 favourite was level with champion trainer Dan Skelton's Blueking D'Oroux (10-3) at the last fence before pulling away to win by two-and-a-half lengths. Torneo, a 12-1 chance, finished almost three lengths further back in third place.

Cobden, the 2023-24 champion jump jockey, celebrated by pumping his fists as he crossed the finish line. The 28-year-old, who became McManus' retained jockey in Britain and Ireland in May, told ITV Sport, "These big days don't come along very often and I'm going to enjoy every single one of them from now on." He added, "To ride a horse like this in a race like that, you just have to pinch yourself to be in this position." He also said, "It's wonderful for the boss [McManus], he puts so much into racing, I'm just the lucky man that's allowed to be part of it."

Meetmebythesea led a reduced field of ten runners after five horses, including the highly fancied July Flower, were withdrawn. The six-year-old lived up to expectations, though trainer Ben Pauling stopped short of declaring him a future Gold Cup contender at the March Festival. Pauling said, "He jumped brilliantly and travelled really well... and showed a bit of guts there to win well," and when asked about future Gold Cup prospects he replied, "I don't know what I see him as".

Pauling continued, "He needed to do that today. I think he showed a lot more than we have seen from him so far, but he's just really good. You don't know what you have got under the bonnet until you compete in races like that, but that was really cool." The win marked Meetmebythesea's second major Cheltenham success after a novice victory at the Festival in March.