The Paddy Power Gold Cup has historically been one of the toughest and most competitive early-season handicaps on the National Hunt calendar. It’s slightly lost its tendency to throw up a ‘proper’ Graded horse for the season, instead generally going to a classy handicapper, and more often than not a course specialist.
In years gone by, it produced horses who would go on to contest the Gold Cup proper in March. Imperial Commander is the prime example, having won the 2008 renewal before going on to win the Ryanair that season and the Gold Cup the following year. Exotic Dancer won the race in 2006 and would only lose twice thereafter that season, both times to Kauto Star, who won the Gold Cup.
Long Run was third in the 2010 renewal before going on to win the Gold Cup. The feat hasn’t been attempted for some time, but could Meetmebythesea break the mould?
The Jack Richards Novices’ Handicap Chase was met with some scorn when it replaced the Turners Novices’ Chase in 2025. But since its inception, albeit still in its infancy, there’s no denying it has improved field sizes and conjured up some smart horses. We mustn’t forget that A Plus Tard won the old novices’ handicap chase in 2019 and would become a Gold Cup winner three years later.
Caldwell Potter won the race in 2025, went on to Grade 1 glory next time out and is now being prepped as a Gold Cup horse. Meetmebythesea was a classy winner of the race last season and stormed up the hill in brilliant fashion.
The form has already worked out well, as the second and third were first and second in the Grade 1 at Aintree, the fourth won the Galway Plate and the fifth was in the process of running a big race in the Irish Grand National.
There is also the interesting point that Harry Cobden rides here, as opposed to riding Majborough in the Fortria Chase. Obviously there is a £50,000 difference in prize money, but with Mighty Park also making his chase debut on the same card, it perhaps speaks volumes about connections’ belief in Meetmebythesea.
Should he win this first time up off a 247-day break, he’s likely to be rated just shy of 160, depending on the manner of the success. The next logical step would be the King George. Ben Pauling’s The Jukebox Man was only rated 156 when winning the King George, beating the eventual Gold Cup first and second. If he runs well in the King George, all of a sudden he’s very much in the melting pot for March.
Gold Cup picture
As things stand, the Gold Cup picture might not be as cut and dried as you’d expect. It’s hard to dispute that if Gaelic Warrior reproduces what he did in his last two starts last season, he’s essentially bombproof. But it’s a ‘big’ if.
For one thing, only nine horses have won back-to-back Gold Cups. Prior to Galopin Des Champs and Al Boum Photo, Best Mate was the last, winning in 2002 and 2003, and of course he followed that up in 2004. It’s a rare feat, and it takes an incredibly tough horse with a hardy constitution to do so, as that hill has broken many a star.
Gaelic Warrior may only be eight, but he had his first race as a three-year-old in April 2021, meaning he would likely have been in training since the winter of 2020 as a two-year-old. This will be his sixth season in training already, with 23 runs behind him.
Al Boum Photo also began racing as a three-year-old, but that was in September, and his second Gold Cup was only his 16th start, with just the one prep run before each of his wins.
There is the suspicion that Gaelic Warrior could have gone to the well one too many times to replicate his Gold Cup performance.
Jango Baie could perhaps move past him in that respect, but we’ve seen recently with the likes of Bravemansgame how hard it can be to get over such a stamina-sapping performance, and Nicky Henderson has already said it could be a race against time to get him there.
Outside of that pair, it looks wide open. Focusing purely on JP McManus’ potential runners, there’s Fact To File, who is prominent in the betting. You’d have to say he’s a certainty for a Ryanair, and given he’s nine going on ten, they may have left it too late to go down the Gold Cup route.
Kaid D’Authie is similarly placed in the market following his Grade 1 novice success, but I’m not all that sure his sire’s progeny are the hardiest.
Inothewayurthinkin was somewhat back to form in last year’s Gold Cup, but it still looks as if that 2025 win has left its mark.
Majborough has to sort his jumping out, and it looks as if they’re pursuing the two-mile route, whereas the likes of Iroko, Jagwar and Johnnywho will be campaigned with the Grand National in mind.
Through a process of elimination, Meetmebythesea could be JP’s number one selection come March.
Willie Mullins has Final Demand and Kitzbuhel to throw into the mix, but the Gold Cup picture as a whole looks far more open than at first glance, and Meetmebythesea could burst into the equation on Saturday afternoon.