Meetmebythesea is 4/1 favourite with the sponsors after 44 horses were entered for the Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham on November 14.
Ben Pauling's charge, owned by JP McManus, enjoyed a stellar 2025/2026 campaign, winning three of his four races including the Jack Richards Novices' Handicap Chase at the Festival.
The owner has two other interesting contenders in Jagwar (Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero) and Johnnywho, winner of the last season's Ultima.
Dan Skelton has the strongest numerical hand with six entries including Madara, who landed the Sun Racing Plate in March and Blueking D'Oroux, who joined the champion trainer alongside other Johnny de la Hey horses in the summer. He could have his first start for the yard at Carlisle on Sunday.
Nicholls himself has three entries including Regents Stroll, third behind the favourite in the Jack Richards.
Henry de Bromhead and Paul Nolan are the sole Irish trainers with two entries apiece, July Flower and Zurich for the former while Nolan has put Ifiwerearichman and Release The Beast in the race.
Paddy Power representative Paul Binfield said: “Meetmebythesea is already proven over the course and distance, having landed the Jack Richards at The Festival back in March, and he is our clear 4/1 market leader to give locally based trainer Ben Pauling his first Paddy Power Gold Cup success.
“The all-conquering Dan Skelton team, successful with Panic Attack in 2025, has seven entries to choose from including 6/1 second favourite Blueking D’Oroux, who could make his seasonal reappearance at Carlisle this weekend and Madara (8/1), who is another with winning course form having been successful in the Plate Handicap Chase at last season’s Festival.”
Latest Paddy Power Gold Cup betting:
Sponsors' prices: 4 Meetmebythesea; 6 Blueking D’Oroux; 8 Madara; 10 Regent’s Stroll, Vincenzo; 12 Here Comes Georgie, Jagwar, Quebecois; 16 Zurich; 20 Gidleigh Park, July Flower, Kykorock, Master Chewy, Matata, Torneo, Twinjets; 25 Johnnywho, Juby Ball, Noble Park, Norn Iron, O’Moore Park; 33 Guard Your Dreams, Passing Diamond, Release The Beast, Rodney, Southoftheborder, Teddy Blue; 40 Bad, Bluey, Issam, Kingston Narcissus, Matterhorn; 50 Classic Maestro, Ifiwerearichman, Just Over Land, Mahons Glory, Moon d’Orange, Riskintheground; 66 Asian Master, Scorsese; 100 Dunkerque
Each Way: 1/4 Odds, 4 Places
Paddy Power Gold Cup full list of entries
14:20 The Paddy Power Gold Cup, Saturday 14th November
Asian Master (IRE) 9 Nick Shutts & DEP David Pipe
Bad (FR) 7 Mr D. P. Howden Ben Pauling
Blueking d'Oroux (FR) 7 Mrs Johnny de la Hey Dan Skelton
Bluey (IRE) 7 J R Lavelle & David Cottam Emma Lavelle
Classic Maestro (IRE) 8 Classic Maestro Partnership Jennie Candlish
Dunkerque (DEN) 6 Mr Shaun Henley Jennie Candlish
Gidleigh Park (GB) 8 The Eyre Family Harry Fry
Guard Your Dreams (GB) 10 Graham and Alison Jelley Nigel & Willy Twiston-Davies
Here Comes Georgie (GB) 8 Mr Bill Hawkins Dan Skelton
Ifiwerearichman (IRE) 8 Cheeky Pups Syndicate Paul Nolan
Issam (FR) 8 Lady Gibbings Tom Symonds
Jagwar (FR) 7 Mr John P. McManus Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero
Johnnywho (IRE) 9 Mr John P. McManus Jonjo & A.J. O'Neill
Juby Ball (FR) 7 Mr & Mrs William Rucker Mrs C. Williams
July Flower (FR) 7 Mr Duncan Angove Henry de Bromhead
Just Over Land (FR) 7 Walters Plant Hire & Spiers & Hartwell Sam Thomas
Kingston Narcissus (FR) 7 S T Racing - Sunglasses Syndicate Dan Skelton
Kykorock (FR) 6 Mrs Rachel Wilson Dan Skelton
Madara (FR) 7 Bryan Drew and Friends Dan Skelton
Mahons Glory (IRE) 10 C Nightingale & Hold My Beer Partnership Dylan Cunha
Master Chewy (IRE) 9 Anne-Marie & Jamie Shepperd Nigel & Willy Twiston-Davies
Matata (IRE) 8 Mr Simon Munir & Mr Isaac Souede Nigel & Willy Twiston-Davies
Matterhorn (FR) 8 Mrs Johnny de la Hey Dan Skelton
Meetmebythesea (IRE) 6 Mr John P. McManus Ben Pauling
Moon D'Orange (FR) 8 Ian Stuart Griffiths and Gary Evans Christian Williams
Noble Park (IRE) 7 Mr M. Buckley & Mr A. Speelman Nicky Henderson
Norn Iron (IRE) 8 Dr. Paul Kelly Harry Derham
O'Moore Park (IRE) 9 Clink, Fishwick, Maughan & Salters Martin Keighley
Passing Diamond (IRE) 6 Mr M. M. Allen Ben Haslam
Quebecois (FR) 7 McNeill,Stevens,McKenzie,Flowers&Walsh Paul Nicholls
Regent's Stroll (IRE) 7 Ferguson, Mason, Hales, Hogarth & Vogt Paul Nicholls
Release The Beast (IRE) 7 Coffey & Buckley Families Paul Nolan
Riskintheground (IRE) 9 3 Sons Dan Skelton
Rodney (IRE) 7 Morris Morgan Racing Kerry Lee
Scorsese (IRE) 8 Paul McKeon Neil Mulholland
Southoftheborder (IRE) 8 West Coast Haulage Limited Henrietta C Knight
Teddy Blue (GER) 8 Hale Sargent Evans Clifton Harry Derham
Torneo (FR) 6 Torneo Syndicate Jamie Snowden
Twinjets (IRE) 9 Mr C. W. Rodgers Paul Nicholls
Vincenzo (FR) 8 Walters Plant Hire Ltd Sam Thomas
Zurich (FR) 7 Pimlico Racing Ireland Henry de Bromhead
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