Sports · Paddy Power Gold CupCheltenham gold cup winner: Meetmebythesea delivers McManus's first Paddy Power Gold CupAired November 15, 2026 at 11:41 AM UTCWatchTranscript0:07Meetma by the Seaha powered up Cheltenham's Hill to deliver JP McManus his first0:10Patty Power Gold Cup.0:12The six-year old won by two and a half lengths, earning ninety one pounds, one0:16hundred and twenty and a first victory for trainer Ben Pauling too.0:19Now Pauling has to decide whether he's ready for the three Mile King George at0:23Christmas.0:23Meetme by the Sea won a class one premier handicap over two miles, four furlongs and0:28forty, four yards.0:29The November fourteenth contest took him over sixteen fences on Cheltenham's old0:33course before the uphill finish that decided the race.0:36Only ten of the fifteen declared horses ran.0:38Four were withdrawn because of the ground, and another on a veterinary certificate.0:42July Flower was among the absentees.0:44The going was listed as good, with good, two firm patches also noted.0:47Meetme by the Sea and Blue King Doros were level at the final fence.0:51Harry Cobden's mount then found more up the hill, stretching two and a half lengths0:55clear to reward the backing that had made him the two minus one favorite.0:58Hubiquois had led for much of the race before fading.1:01Cobden had kept Meatma by the Seaha prominent, rather than leaving him ground to1:04recover late.1:05Bowling said Cobden wanted to ride forward.1:07Because horses coming from behind weren't getting into contention that day.1:10Blue King Doroks, the ten minus three second favorite, was making his first start1:14for Dan Skelton.1:15Torneo finished third at twelve minus one, another two and three quarter lengths1:19behind.1:19Jamie Snowden trained Torneo with Gavin Sheehan riding.1:23Top Waite Matada finished fourth.1:25Dunkirk took sixth on his first class one appearance, while Henry de Brahm head1:29Zurich was well beaten in seventh.1:30Paul Nolan's release, The Beast failed to complete.1:32Pauling had worried about how strongly Blue King Doroks traveled turning for home,1:36but thought his own horse still had plenty left at the last.1:39The ninety-one pounds one hundred and twenty-first prize headed awards extending1:43down to sixth, where Dunkirk earned two pounds one hundred and forty-four.1:46Meet Mabithesia completed the course in four minutes.1:49Fifty two point three six seconds, eight point six four seconds faster than1:53standard.1:53The November Paddy Power Gold Cup has been run since one thousand nine hundred and1:57sixty.1:58In two thousand and twenty-six, it also carries the registered name the William2:01Holman.2:02Commemorating the trainer who won three Grand Nationals, Keltenham stages its longer2:06Gold Cup championship separately at the festival in March.2:09J.P.2:09McManus had already owned more Cheltenham Festival winners than anyone else, yet2:13this November prize kept escaping him, with four runners up since two thousand and2:17ten.2:18He credited Ben Pauling with choosing the target and Harry Cobden with delivering2:21it.2:22MacMena said, I left it to Ben, and this was his plan.2:25You have to give him all the credit.2:26For Pauling, the ambition reached back to childhood.2:29He'd attended this meeting since he was fourteen, and said this race helped draw him2:33into the sport.2:34Despite his public confidence, nerves arrived about twenty minutes before the start.2:38Subscribe to this channel as we follow whether Meetma Bidhisea takes the next step2:42at Kempton.2:43Meetme Bedasea had won the Jack Richards novice's handicap chase at the festival in2:47March.2:47This was his first outing since then.2:49He returned from that break to win a major open handicap, progressing beyond novice2:53company.2:54Pauling praised his jumping and the pace he showed for such a big horse.2:57Most encouraging was the response when Cobden asked for more.3:00The trainer said the race revealed more than they'd seen before because Meetma3:03Bithasea kept finding under pressure.3:06Cobden pumped his fists as he crossed the line.3:08This was his biggest success so far as McManus's retained rider, and his second3:12major victory in those colors in two days.3:15He said he intended to enjoy every big occasion.3:17The twenty-eight-year-old had been Britain's champion jump jockey in two thousand3:21and twenty-three, twenty-four.3:22He took up the McManus role in Britain and Ireland in May.3:25After a decade as Paul Nichols's number one, Cobden said riding a horse like this in3:29such a race made him pinch himself.3:31Kempton offers a different test over three miles at the highest level.3:34The King George Thess chase takes place on December twenty-sixth.3:38Pauling won the previous Christmas's running with the Jukebox man and believes3:41Meetme Badasea will stay the distance.3:43MacManus has never won the King George Champion Chase or Arkle, and named them as3:48remaining ambitions.3:49But he also stressed that Meetme Bay the Sea is only six, and that this carefully3:53chosen November race had been the immediate objective.3:55Bet Victor cut Meetme by the Sea's King George odds from twenty-five minus one to4:00twelve minus one after the victory.4:02Those were the bookmakers' post-race prices.4:04Pauling is considering Kempton, but hasn't committed the horse to running there.4:08Bookmakers also shortened his price for the Cheltenham Gold Cup.4:11Pauling stopped short of describing him as a future contender for that longer4:14festival championship.4:15He thinks the current trip, or three miles on a flat track, may be the right range4:19for now.4:20Pauling reckons Meetme by Dasa may need another ten to fifteen pounds of improvement4:24to win a major championship race.4:26That's his assessment of the performance still required.4:29His enthusiasm about a possible Christmas challenge comes with that specific hurdle4:33still to clear.Story timelineHeyDex
