one of jump racing's leading owners for four decades, finally got his hands on the trophy for the on Saturday as , the 2-1 favourite, held the challenge of (100-30) by two-and-a-half lengths in the feature event of Cheltenham's November meeting.
The race was one of several on the card that suffered a series of non-runners due to drying ground, which was officially good, good-to-firm by the start of the first race, but mount delivered the result that many in the crowd of more than 32k racegoers wanted to see and gave the jockey his first big-race success since signing a retainer to ride as McManus's No.1.
"This is the race that really made me tick growing up," Ben Pauling, Meetmebytheseas's trainer, said, "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."
could now step up into Grade One company as soon as the at Kempton on Boxing Day, for which he is quoted at around 12-1 by bookmakers.
Pauling won the race last year with The Jukebox Man and sees as having similar quality.
"I suppose we have to think about Kempton at Christmas and I think he's going to stay every yard of three miles," said. "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."
At Windsor, Fasol's victory in a handicap hurdle moved his trainer, alongside Martin Pipe's all-time record of 3,930 British jumps winners. He has a single runner on Sunday's Cheltenham card – in the 1.25 – as he attempts to take sole control of the record.
1. SUNNY SOUTH WEST (Michael Keneally) 4-1, 2. Hillberry Hill, 3. Daylatedollarshort. 6 ran.
Off and running in the 3.30 at Cheltenham …
Daylatedollarshort is settled three lengths off the pace.
Heading down the straight into the setting sun, no issues with jumping the hurdle in front of the stands though.
Down the back, still Seamoon Story taking them along, four lengths from first to last.
Now Hillberry Hill moves up alongside Seamoon Story, looks like the jockey on Seamoon Story has some tack issues.
Seamoon Story is still in touch but racing wide, Hillberry Hill leads them around the final turn.
Sunny South West come through to challenge, also Daylatedollarshort, and it's that's going to notch the win.
That's a double on the card for , who rode his first winner at Cheltenham less than an hour ago on !
3.30 Cheltenham, handicap hurdle, 2m 5f
More than half of the original field of 13 declared runners are out of the final race on the ITV card, including Nicholls's A King Of Magic, who would have gone to post with a leading chance.
is the market leader now for Olly Murphy's yard. He is back up in trip by a furlong-and-a-half after winning a big-field event at last time, while trained by Kim Bailey & Mat Nicholls, is next in in the betting. He's the most lightly-raced runner in the field, with just three starts to his name, and was an impressive winner of a novice event at Southwell in March. This is his handicap debut and an opening mark of 122 could be lenient.
was final runner of the day and took him to 3,930 jumps winners in Britain, tying all-time record.
He has one runner tomorrow: in the handicap chase at Cheltenham at 1.25.
1. FASOL 11-1 (Freddie Gingell) 11-1, 2. Watamu, 3. Zarakerjack. 10 ran.
Fasol it is! Congratulations to Paul Nicholls, the joint winning-most trainer in National Hunt history!
Off and running in the 3.10 at Windsor …
Kapitein Kool takes them along early, with Anniversary in close attendance.
Secret Squirrel is fifth, Zarakerjack poised in fourth going well.
Watamu also travelling nicely, but Kapitein Kool still leads and going well.
Three out, turning in, Watamu is going really well and moves forward.
Over the last, Watamu and Fasol are together, they're fighting for the line, this is going to be very close …. PHOTO! And this could be Paul Nicholls's record-equalling winner if Fasol gets the verdict.
It's off to Windsor now on ITV for the 3.10, a two-mile handicap hurdle with favourite at 11-4 and and a past winner over track and trip – next in on 4-1.
A perfectly-judged front-running ride by . He had an easy time of it on the lead at a track where it generally pays to be handy in any case, but was a half-length down over the last before summoning enough from his mount to reclaim the lead.
1. BLACK BAMBOO (M J Keneally) 12-1, 2. William Yeats, 3. Sir Galahad. 10 ran.
Black Bamboo has had an easy time of it on the lead here, still has a handy lead turning down the hill. But he dives at the third-last! Lost momentum but still on his feet and going ok.
William Yeats making ominous progress now, he's moving up alongside Black Bamboo as they turn in.
Up to the last, Black Bamboo just leads, can he hold on? Yes! What a brave performance from the front, William Yeats looked to have his measure but found more.
Black Bamboo leads now, Lucky Lyreen second with Margaret's Legacy third .. but slow at that hurdle and drops back to fifth.
Margaret's Legacy has now tacked on at the back of the field, but 20 lengths behind the leaders, Lucky Lyreen and Black Bamboo.
Those two are well clear turning into the straight for the fist time. Margaret's Legacy now fifth, in a chasing group of three.
Off and running in the 2.55 at Cheltenham – BUT THE GAMBLE WAS RELUCTANT TO STRIDE! Margaret's Legacy finally gets going but trails the second-last runner by 10 lengths early.
The springer in the market for the next race here is Warren Greatrex's , who has been backed from 16-1 to 13-2. That's a fair old plunge.
The for today's card is in. They were hoping for around 30k, and in fact, they got more than 32k: a total of 32,618 to be precise. That's the best for this card since the post-Covid bounce-back year of 2021, and the favourite's win in the big race is likely to be the main memory they take home, rather than the unusually thin fields.
2.55 Cheltenham, handicap hurdle, 2m 7f 208yd
Another of the races on today's card that has suffered from a series of non-runners, with six of the original 16 declarations now sitting it out.
That leaves Sam England's as the narrow 5-2 favourite from and on 7-2. is a 9-2 shot and it is 12-1 bar the four.
is chatting to ITV Racing after his first Paddy Power Gold Cup success.
At the last, the other horse was going very well but I did think ours might find a bit. [Harry Cobden] is at the top of his game and I think he's as good as there is. I'm very lucky to have him.
The crowd loved that one too, there was a huge roar from the stands as the favourite battled back to land the spoils.
spoke to ITV Racing's Alice Plunkett after his Paddy Power Gold Cup win on .
These big days don't come along all that often and I'm going to enjoy every one of them from now on. You just have to pinch yourself when you're in this position.
Harry Cobden is absolutely buzzing after that win, his first big-race success in the famous green-and-gold colours of JP McManus. He punched the air passing the post and is beaming from ear-to-ear on the way back to unsaddle.
1. MEETMEBYTHESEA (Harry Cobden) 2-1 fav, 2. Blueking D'Oroux, 3. Torneo. 10 ran.
Down to the last, Blueking D'Oroux leads from Meetmebythesea, will he get a good jump?
No! He's slow at the last and surrenders the advantage, Meetmebythesea was quicker and leads on the hill, he's staying on well and Blueking D'Oroux won't get there, it's a first Paddy Power Gold Cup for JP McManus!
Meetmebythesea, Quebecois and Blueking D'Oroux are 1-2-3, turning in now two to jump
Mistake by Release The Beast four out, they're turning down the hill.
Over the water, six to jump, Quebecois and Meetmebythesea lead with Blueking D'Oroux close behind.
Up the straight for the first time, Quebecois and Meetmebythesea narrow leaders, Zurich is starting to struggle already.
Out past the packed stands, Matata slow at the one away from the stands.
Meetmebythesea is prominent early, so too Quebecois and now he goes on.
Tightly bunched though, and now Zurich makes an early error and drops to the rear.