Ben Pauling’s Meetmebythesea showed his liking for Cheltenham once more and delivered owner JP McManus with his first victory in the prestigious Paddy Power Gold Cup.
Sent off the heavily backed 2-1 favourite on his first run since winning as a novice at the Festival in March, he put in some tremendous leaps on the way round for Harry Cobden.
Blueking d’Oroux, having his first run for Dan Skelton, looked the biggest danger after long-time leader Quebecois faded but Meetmebythesea powered away up the hill to win by two and a half lengths to give Cobden a second big victory in two days in the McManus colours.
Pauling said: “Harry wanted to ride him forward because not many are coming from behind today and he jumped brilliantly and travelled so well.
“I was a little worried turning for home that Dan’s horse was going so well but he showed a lot of guts and then won well. Jumping the last he had plenty left and he has so much pace for a big horse.
“He needed to do that today and he showed a lot more than we have seen from him so far because he found plenty for pressure. He’s just really good and you don’t know what you have got until you run in races like that – that was cool, very cool.
“I didn’t get nervous until 20 minutes before as you just want it so much when you believe in them so much and it’s great that it has all come off.
“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.
“I had so much faith in this horse and I talked him up plenty in the lead-up. It’s all well sitting on the fence but I knew he was good, just not how good. You just have to believe he is going to keep on improving and hopefully that puts him bang there for some of the better races.”
BetVictor make Meetmebythesea 12-1 from 25s to now step up to the highest level at Kempton on Boxing Day where he could be given the opportunity to replicate The Jukebox Man’s King George VI Chase heroics for Pauling last Christmas.
“I suppose we have to think about Kempton at Christmas and I think he’s going to stay every yard of three miles,” added the local handler.
“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.
“It’s one of the big ones of my career and he has a bright future. I hope he could be as good as any I’ve trained but we’ve a long way to go. He might have to improve another 10 to 15lb to be winning a big one.
“I think this might be his trip or a nice flat three (miles) for now. Kempton felt nice last year, so who knows.”
Having provided McManus with one of the major races absent from his trophy cabinet, a trip to Kempton at Christmas could represent the chance to tick off another missing from the mantlepiece.
However, festive dreams may be on hold for the Irishman, who was content to relish yet another fantastic result at Prestbury Park.
“I left it to Ben and this was his plan, you have to give him all the credit,” said McManus.
“It’s always nice to win a race at Cheltenham and I’ve tried to win this race many times but just come up short. Today thankfully it happened.
“You don’t get tired of days like this and I’ve never won the King George, Champion Chase and Arkle, so we’ve got to try get those next.
“He could be a King George horse, but this was the plan for this lad today and he’s only six. I know six-year-old’s have won it before but we’ll just have to see.”
Atomic City lays down credentials in Triumph Trial
Atomic City laid down an early marker for his division in the JCB Triumph Trial Juvenile Hurdle at Cheltenham when displaying a smart turn of foot.
Joseph O’Brien’s three-year-old was ridden with great confidence by J J Slevin at the back of the field and the 88-rated performer from the Flat jumped with aplomb bar one sticky leap at the second last.
Charles Darnay hit the front off the home bend under Harry Cobden but Slevin had him in his sights and brought his mount up against the rail before quickening clear to win by four lengths and justify 11-10 favouritism.
Coral cut him to 14-1 from 25s for the Triumph Hurdle in March with his rider suitably impressed.
Slevin said: “He’s a high-class Flat horse who was quite good in Cork the first day and the aim today was to get him to spit it (the bridle) out today.
“He would be high up in Joseph’s pecking order I would say, at least this stage, and I’d say he’s going to be a Triumph Hurdle horse, he’s a fair horse.
“I’d say he will be better with softer ground. He’s jumped and travelled well and he couldn’t have been better there.
“He’s won easy and it’s still early days. A lot of the lads won’t have gone to the well yet with their juveniles and as the year goes on we’ll find out more. But he was very impressive today.”