# Paddy Power Gold Cup 2026 Preview: Entries, Weights and Trends _The 41 Paddy Power Gold Cup entries for Cheltenham on Saturday 14 November 2026: the weights, recent form, the trends and each-way maths for a big field._ *Source: [https://stablebet.co.uk/racing-news/paddy-power-gold-cup-2026-preview/](https://stablebet.co.uk/racing-news/paddy-power-gold-cup-2026-preview/) · last updated 2026-11-07* The Paddy Power Gold Cup, Saturday's feature at Cheltenham's November Meeting, drew 41 entries on Tuesday 27 October. It is a Premier Handicap chase over 2m 4½f on the Old Course, and it is the 2:20pm on 14 November. Three horses share top weight of 12st, and the Cheltenham Festival winners Meetmebythesea, Madara and Johnnywho are all in the field. This page is this year's field. The race's history, the off times for all three days and the results are on our [Cheltenham November Meeting guide](/racing-news/cheltenham-november-meeting/), and our approach to the meeting's big handicaps is in the [November Meeting tips](/racing-news/cheltenham-november-meeting-tips/). Sunday's feature has its own page: the [Greatwood Hurdle 2026 preview](/racing-news/greatwood-hurdle-2026-preview/). Every horse named here is an entry, not a confirmed runner. The field is cut at the five-day confirmations on Monday 9 November and settled at the declarations on Thursday 12 November, and we will update this page at each stage. The final field and every runner's StableBet Rating go up on our [Cheltenham racecards](/racecards/cheltenham/) the day before. Tap the star beside any horse, trainer or jockey to follow them in your [Horse Tracker](/horse-tracker/). ## The 41 entries and their weights The race drew 41 entries, and the Racing Post card gives a maximum field of 20, so at least half of them will not run. The card gives this year's exact trip as 2m4f44y. Dan Skelton has seven entries, Paul Nicholls and Nigel and Willy Twiston-Davies three each, and four are trained in Ireland: two each for Henry de Bromhead and Paul Nolan. Gidleigh Park, Matata and Jagwar share top weight of 12st on an official rating of 155. Scorsese is bottom on 9st 7lb, a rating of 120. In a handicap a pound of rating is a pound of weight, so the 35lb between them is the whole spread of ability the handicapper has to even out. | Horse | Age | Weight | Rating | Trainer | |---|---|---|---|---| | Gidleigh Park | 8 | 12-0 | 155 | Harry Fry | | Matata | 8 | 12-0 | 155 | Nigel & Willy Twiston-Davies | | Jagwar | 7 | 12-0 | 155 | Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero | | Master Chewy | 9 | 11-11 | 152 | Nigel & Willy Twiston-Davies | | Madara | 7 | 11-11 | 152 | Dan Skelton | | Twinjets | 9 | 11-10 | 151 | Paul Nicholls | | Meetmebythesea | 6 | 11-10 | 151 | Ben Pauling | | Johnnywho | 9 | 11-9 | 150 | Jonjo & A J O'Neill | | Regent's Stroll | 7 | 11-8 | 149 | Paul Nicholls | | Blueking d'Oroux | 7 | 11-7 | 148 | Dan Skelton | | Riskintheground | 9 | 11-5 | 146 | Dan Skelton | | Matterhorn | 8 | 11-2 | 143 | Dan Skelton | | July Flower | 7 | 11-1 | 142 | Henry de Bromhead | | Bad | 7 | 11-1 | 142 | Ben Pauling | | Mahons Glory | 10 | 11-1 | 142 | Dylan Cunha | | Teddy Blue | 8 | 11-0 | 141 | Harry Derham | | Quebecois | 7 | 11-0 | 141 | Paul Nicholls | | Vincenzo | 8 | 11-0 | 141 | Sam Thomas | | Asian Master | 9 | 10-13 | 140 | David Pipe | | Issam | 8 | 10-13 | 140 | Tom Symonds | | Ifiwerearichman | 8 | 10-12 | 139 | Paul Nolan | | O'Moore Park | 9 | 10-11 | 138 | Martin Keighley | | Guard Your Dreams | 10 | 10-11 | 138 | Nigel & Willy Twiston-Davies | | Zurich | 7 | 10-11 | 138 | Henry de Bromhead | | Juby Ball | 7 | 10-10 | 137 | Mrs C Williams | | Norn Iron | 8 | 10-10 | 137 | Harry Derham | | Bluey | 7 | 10-9 | 136 | Emma Lavelle | | Release The Beast | 7 | 10-8 | 135 | Paul Nolan | | Torneo | 6 | 10-7 | 134 | Jamie Snowden | | Dunkerque | 6 | not shown | not shown | Jennie Candlish | | Classic Maestro | 8 | 10-4 | 131 | Jennie Candlish | | Rodney | 7 | 10-4 | 131 | Kerry Lee | | Southoftheborder | 8 | 10-4 | 131 | Henrietta Knight | | Here Comes Georgie | 8 | 10-3 | 130 | Dan Skelton | | Kingston Narcissus | 7 | 10-3 | 130 | Dan Skelton | | Noble Park | 7 | 10-3 | 130 | Nicky Henderson | | Passing Diamond | 6 | 10-1 | 128 | Ben Haslam | | Kykorock | 6 | 9-11 | 124 | Dan Skelton | | Moon d'Orange | 8 | 9-10 | 123 | Christian Williams | | Just Over Land | 7 | 9-8 | 121 | Sam Thomas | | Scorsese | 8 | 9-7 | 120 | Neil Mulholland | Weights and ratings as shown on the Racing Post entry card on 7 November; the 41 names also match Sporting Life's entry list. Dunkerque's weight and rating did not show on the card when we read it, so we have left them blank rather than guess. ### The long handicap The race's minimum weight is 10st 2lb. Five horses are weighted below it: Passing Diamond, Kykorock, Moon d'Orange, Just Over Land and Scorsese. If any of them runs, it carries 10st 2lb, more than its rating says it should. That is "running from out of the handicap", and the weights each horse actually carries are fixed at Thursday's declarations. ## The main contenders and their form Form figures below come from the Racing Post card and read right to left, so the last figure is the most recent run. A dash marks the break between seasons. ### Meetmebythesea (Ben Pauling) Meetmebythesea won the Jack Richards Novices' Limited Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham Festival on 12 March, ridden by Ben Jones, according to The Jockey Club and At The Races. He is six, rated 151 and set to carry 11st 10lb. His figures are /1161 and he has not run since, so this would be his first start of the season for Ben Pauling. ### Madara (Dan Skelton) Madara won the Plate at the Festival on 10 March as the 3/1 favourite, ridden by Harry Skelton, over two and a half miles (The Jockey Club's report). He has had one run this season, third of ten in a handicap hurdle at Carlisle on 1 November at 5/1, and is set to carry 11st 11lb off 152, a pound more than Meetmebythesea. ### Johnnywho (Jonjo & A J O'Neill) Johnnywho won the Ultima Handicap Chase at the Festival on 10 March at 18/1 for Jonjo and A J O'Neill, ridden by Richie McLernon (The Jockey Club). He is rated 150, set to carry 11st 9lb, and has not run since March. ### The top weights Jagwar, Matata and Gidleigh Park are all on 12st. Harry Fry has said Gidleigh Park is more likely to run in a non-handicap race than here, with the Shloer Chase at Cheltenham under consideration, in a PA report carried by The Comet. Matata was in the Old Roan Chase at Aintree on 25 October, which was abandoned with the rest of that day's card, so he has not run yet this season. ### Paul Nicholls's three Paul Nicholls trained three of the twelve winners from 2014 to 2025. Regent's Stroll (149, 11st 8lb) has figures of 31232 from last season and has not run since. Quebecois (141, 11st) was second of four at Newton Abbot on 17 October, beaten at 5/4. Twinjets (151) pulled up in the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby on 31 October. ### Recent winners lower down Our results files show five of the field winning since 1 October. Kykorock (9st 11lb) won a 2m handicap chase at Worcester on 12 October at 3/1, and Passing Diamond won at Hexham on 10 October before finishing second of five in a novices' chase here on 23 October. Torneo (134, 10st 7lb) won a 2m3f handicap chase at Ffos Las on 14 October at 4/1 for Jamie Snowden. O'Moore Park (138) won a novices' limited handicap chase over 2m4f on this course on 24 October at 25/1 for Martin Keighley. Here Comes Georgie (130) won a 3m1f handicap chase at the same meeting at 3/1, then finished seventh of 12 at Aintree on 6 November. Blueking d'Oroux, the second of Skelton's entries at the top of the weights (148, 11st 7lb), has figures of 21522 from last season and has not run since. The model's day-before view of the race goes up on Friday afternoon, 13 November, and will be added here beside its public [track record](/ai-race-predictor/track-record/). It is a test of the model, not a tip. ## What our results database says Our results files hold every British and Irish result since 1 June 2026. Of the 41 entries, 23 have completed or started a race in them since then, and 18 have not run at all this season. Three of those 18, Matata, Bluey and Norn Iron, were due to run at Aintree on 25 October, when the whole card was abandoned. ### Where the entries have already met - **Ffos Las, 14 October, 2m3f handicap chase (8 ran).** Torneo won at 4/1, Southoftheborder was second at 11/2, Riskintheground sixth at 25/1 and Matterhorn seventh at 12/1. - **Wetherby, 31 October, the Charlie Hall Chase (6 ran).** Riskintheground was third at 28/1 and Twinjets pulled up. - **Aintree, 6 November, 3m Premier Handicap chase (12 ran).** Master Chewy was fourth at 16/1 and Here Comes Georgie seventh at 5/2. Six of the field were in the abandoned Old Roan Chase on 25 October: Matata, Master Chewy, Riskintheground, Matterhorn, Teddy Blue and Bluey. ### Trainers in the last 14 days Jumps runs in Britain and Ireland from 24 October to 6 November, in our results files: | Trainer | Winners | Runners | |---|---|---| | Dan Skelton | 20 | 100 | | Paul Nicholls | 8 | 35 | | Ben Pauling | 3 | 34 | | Jonjo & A J O'Neill | 4 | 32 | | Paul Nolan | 6 | 32 | | Henry de Bromhead | 7 | 31 | | Nigel & Willy Twiston-Davies | 3 | 29 | | Harry Derham | 4 | 24 | | Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero | 3 | 22 | | Jamie Snowden | 8 | 20 | | Nicky Henderson | 3 | 13 | | Harry Fry | 2 | 8 | Jamie Snowden has the best strike rate of these, 8 from 20, and our race database (from October 2023) shows the same pattern in each of the last three seasons: his strike rate from 22 October to 30 November was higher than his whole-season figure every time. He runs Torneo here. The samples are small, so read them as background, not as a betting angle. The StableBet Rating, our pounds figure for each runner (the official rating less 2lb for every length the horse was beaten last time), appears beside every runner on the racecard once the field is declared. In our tests the top-rated horse on it won handicaps more often than the horse with the top official rating, and the market already prices that in. ## The model's view and the going ### When the model's view lands The race is not on a declared card yet, so our model has nothing to rate. Its timetable for Saturday's racing: - **Friday 13 November, 2:10pm:** the day-before provisional view, once the field is declared. We will add the model's top-rated runner in this race here, beside its public [track record](/ai-race-predictor/track-record/), losers included. - **Saturday 14 November, 5am:** the final ratings and fair prices for every British race on the [AI Lab's daily card](/ai-race-predictor/today/). The race-morning box for this race is on our [November Meeting guide](/racing-news/cheltenham-november-meeting/#history), and after the race it shows how that runner finished. Neither is a tip. The model is a test we publish in full, and the track record shows how it has done. ### The going Cheltenham has not published a going description for this meeting yet. We will add it here, with the date it was given, once the course does, and again after Thursday's declarations. Trainers often decide whether to run once they know the ground, so it shapes who is declared as well as the race itself. ## The trends against this year's entries Three trends from our winners record, set against this year's entries. Twelve runnings is a small sample for a 41-horse handicap, and none of these is a reason to back or oppose a horse on its own. - **Age.** Every winner from 2014 to 2025 was aged five to nine. Two of this year's entries are older, Mahons Glory and Guard Your Dreams, both 10. The other 39 fit the band. - **Favourites.** Of the ten runnings from 2016 to 2025, only one went to the favourite: Stage Star at 4/1 in 2023. The other nine winners started between 5/1 and 25/1, which is what a big handicap usually looks like. - **Trainers.** Paul Nicholls trained three of the twelve winners (Caid Du Berlais, Stage Star and Il Ridoto), more than anyone else, and has three entries this year. Dan Skelton, who won it last year with Panic Attack, has seven, the most of any yard. Panic Attack is not entered this year. The full roll of honour, with jockeys, is on our [November Meeting guide](/racing-news/cheltenham-november-meeting/#history). ## Each-way maths for a big-field handicap With 41 entries for a maximum of 20 runners, this will probably be a big field, and in a big handicap the place terms can matter as much as the price. ### The standard terms Under the usual UK each-way terms, a handicap with 16 or more runners pays four places at a quarter of the odds. With 12 to 15 runners it pays three places at a quarter. So if Thursday's declarations leave fewer than 16, one place goes. Our [each-way guide](/betting/bet-types/each-way/) sets out the full table. ### The sums on a £10 each-way bet A £5 each-way bet (£10 in total) on a 16/1 shot, at a quarter of the odds: | Finish | Standard terms (4 places) | With a fifth place paid | |---|---|---| | Wins | £85 win leg + £25 place leg = £110 back | £110 back | | 2nd, 3rd or 4th | £25 back, £15 profit | £25 back, £15 profit | | 5th | £10 lost | £25 back, £15 profit | | Unplaced | £10 lost | £10 lost | The place leg pays a quarter of 16/1, which is 4/1, so £5 returns £25. The only line that changes with an extra place is fifth, and it turns a £10 loss into a £15 profit. ### What to check - **How many places your bookmaker pays.** Some pay five or six on the big Cheltenham handicaps. The terms are set race by race, so check on the day. - **The fraction.** An extra place at a fifth of the odds is not the same deal as four places at a quarter. On the bet above, a fifth of 16/1 is 16/5, and £5 returns £21 rather than £25. - **Non-runners.** A late withdrawal can cut the field below 16 after you have bet. Bookmakers settle on the number that actually run, unless their terms say otherwise. Our Lab ran the same horses and races at different place terms in [each-way at the big handicaps](/ai-race-predictor/lab/each-way-value-at-the-big-handicaps/). Use the [each-way calculator](/betting/calculators/each-way/) to check your own stake. ## Where to watch and where to bet The Paddy Power Gold Cup is the 2:20pm at Cheltenham on Saturday 14 November, the fourth of seven races. Cheltenham's own page for the day, which it calls Super Saturday, lists gates opening at 10am, the first race at 12:35pm and the last at 4pm. We will add the TV channel once it is confirmed. Our [day out at Cheltenham](/uk-racecourses/cheltenham/cheltenham-day-out-guide/) covers getting there. ### Where to bet Three things count for more than the size of a welcome offer in a race like this: - **Extra places.** Our [Cheltenham extra places](/bookmakers/cheltenham-extra-places/) page compares which bookmakers pay extra places on Cheltenham's big handicaps and which say they do not. It is written for the Festival in March, so check each bookmaker's terms for this race on the day. - **Best odds guaranteed.** Big-field handicap prices move a lot in the last hour. A [BOG bookmaker](/bookmakers/best-bog-bookmakers/) pays the starting price if it is bigger than the price you took. - **Cheltenham offers.** Our [Cheltenham betting offers](/bookmakers/cheltenham-offers/) page compares what our partners are running for racing at the course, from the November Meeting to the Festival. ### Betting before the declarations A bet struck before Thursday is normally an ante-post bet, and if your horse is not declared you usually lose the stake. Some bookmakers offer non-runner no bet in race week, so read the terms before you bet early. With 41 entries for 20 places, plenty of today's names will not run.
### Bet responsibly Decide what you can afford to spend over the three days before Friday's first race, and keep to it. A 20-runner handicap is hard to call, and over time the odds favour the bookmaker. If gambling stops being fun, free confidential support is available from [BeGambleAware](https://www.begambleaware.org/) on 0808 8020 133. 18+.
## Frequently asked questions ### When is the Paddy Power Gold Cup 2026? Saturday 14 November at Cheltenham, the 2:20pm race on the second day of the November Meeting, according to the Racing Post card and Cheltenham's own race list. ### How many horses are entered? 41 were entered on 27 October, for a maximum field of 20. The field is cut at the five-day confirmations on Monday 9 November and settled at the declarations on Thursday 12 November. We will update this page at both stages. ### Who has top weight? Gidleigh Park, Matata and Jagwar share top weight of 12st, all rated 155. Gidleigh Park's trainer, Harry Fry, has said the horse is more likely to run in a non-handicap race. ### Is Panic Attack running this year? No. Last year's winner is not among the 41 entries. Her trainer, Dan Skelton, has seven others in the race, including the Festival Plate winner Madara. ### Which Cheltenham Festival winners are entered? Three from this year's Festival: Meetmebythesea (Jack Richards Novices' Limited Handicap Chase), Madara (the Plate) and Johnnywho (the Ultima Handicap Chase). ### How many places will bookmakers pay each way? Standard terms for a handicap with 16 or more runners are four places at a quarter of the odds; with 12 to 15 runners, three places. Some bookmakers pay extra places on big Cheltenham handicaps, so check the terms on the day. ### Does the favourite usually win? Not often. Only one favourite won in the ten runnings from 2016 to 2025, Stage Star at 4/1 in 2023. ## Sources and verification Checked on 7 November 2026 against: - [Racing Post: Paddy Power Gold Cup entry card](https://www.racingpost.com/racecards/11/cheltenham/2026-11-14/930632) (entries, weights, official ratings, ages, form figures, maximum field, minimum weight, trip, off time) - [Sporting Life: the full Paddy Power Gold Cup entry list, 27 October](https://www.sportinglife.com/racing/news/paddy-power-gold-cup-latest-odds-and-full-racecard/235073) (the 41 names, ages and trainers) - [horseracing.net: Paddy Power Gold Cup runners 2026](https://www.horseracing.net/news/paddy-power-gold-cup-runners-2026) (the 41 names and trainers) - [The Jockey Club: Super Saturday, 14 November 2026](https://www.thejockeyclub.co.uk/cheltenham/events-tickets/the-november-meeting/saturday) (race times, gates) - [The Jockey Club: Madara wins the Plate, 10 March 2026](https://www.thejockeyclub.co.uk/cheltenham/media/press-releases/2026/03/madara-justifies-stable-confidence-with-success-in-sun-racing-plate-handicap-chase/) - [The Jockey Club: Johnnywho wins the Ultima, 10 March 2026](https://www.thejockeyclub.co.uk/cheltenham/media/press-releases/2026/03/johnnywho-brings-up-208-1-birthday-double-for-mcmanus/) - [At The Races: Meetmebythesea wins the Jack Richards, 12 March 2026](https://www.attheraces.com/news/2026/March/12/meetmebythesea-powers-to-festival-glory) - [The Comet (PA): Gidleigh Park likely to swerve the Paddy Power Gold Cup](https://www.thecomet.net/sport/national/26704588.gidleigh-park-likely-swerve-paddy-power-gold-cup/) Past winners and starting prices come from our research record for the race, built from Wikipedia and Sporting Life result pages. Runs since 1 June and the 14-day trainer figures come from our own results files, and the Jamie Snowden pattern from our race database, which starts in October 2023. Weights and ratings come from the Racing Post card alone and change at the declarations.