Paddy Power Gold Cup result: Meetmebythesea outgallops Blueking d'Oroux to give JP McManus and Ben Pauling a first win in the race

Meetmebythesea confirmed himself one of the most exciting chasers in Britain by landing the Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham on Saturday. The favourite landed the big rce of Saturday under Harry Cobden before outgalloping second favourite Blueking d’Oroux after the last to win by two-and-a-half lengths.

It was a first Paddy Power Gold Cup for both owner JP McManus and trainer Ben Pauling. McManus has had more Cheltenham Festival winners than any other owner, yet this race had long eluded his famous green and gold silks, with four runners-up since 2010 among his near misses.

This was a big day for Cobden too. He took up the role of McManus’s retained rider in May after a decade as Paul Nicholls’ number one, so landing one of the season’s most prestigious handicaps in those colours will have been especially sweet.

Meetmebythesea backs up his Festival success

The six-year-old won the Jack Richards Novices’ Handicap Chase at the Festival in March. He has now followed that up in style, with bookmakers reacting by cutting him for both the King George VI Chase at Kempton and the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Dan Skelton‘s Blueking d’Oroux ran a fine race in defeat on his first start for the yard. Jamie Snowden‘s Torneo was another two-and-three-quarter lengths away in third, while top weight Matata finished fourth.

It was a disappointing afternoon for the Irish contingent. Henry de Bromhead‘s Zurich was well beaten in seventh, while Paul Nolan‘s Release The Beast failed to complete. De Bromhead’s July Flower was one of five non-runners on ground that had dried out to good, good to firm in places.

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