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Panic Attack strikes in Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham

Updated / Saturday, 15 Nov 2025 16:26
Harry Skelton drives Panic Attack clear after the last
Harry Skelton drives Panic Attack clear after the last

Panic Attack proved the latest example of Dan Skelton's excellence when targeting a big prize as she ran away from her rivals up the Cheltenham hill to win the Paddy Power Gold Cup.

Off the track for 280 days, the nine-year-old was the choice of Harry Skelton from three declared runners for the stable, with Hoe Joly Smoke staying-on for third and Riskintheground eventually a non-runner.

Rounding the bend on the slightly reconfigured track, last year’s winner Il Ridoto stayed on the inside with Vincenzo, while a host of others, including Panic Attack, looked for fresher ground out wide.

This year’s race was run in memory of Edward O’Grady, the last Irish trainer to win the race, with Tranquil Sea back in 2009, and Paul Nolan’s Conyers Hill briefly looked like playing a major role in the finish for Ireland before flattening out up the hill.

Skelton asked for a big leap from Panic Attack at the last and while she picked up there just marginally in front, the 6-1 shot eventually pulled four lengths clear of 100-30 favourite Vincenzo who stuck on for second ahead of Hoe Joly Smoke and Conyers Hill for minor honours.

"When she couldn't make the Plate last year I thought this would be the race for her and then I was umming and ahhing over whether we got a prep run into her and I’m glad we didn’t in the end," said the trainer.

"My eye was actually drawn to Hoe Joly Smoke turning in because he was getting a dream run before missing the last, but Panic Attack was absolutely brilliant.

"We had to ride her in there a bit today so it was a bit new to her, but I’m chuffed to bits and Harry gave her a great ride.

"The team have done an unbelievable job to get her ready. We didn’t have a run coming into this which left me nervous, but I knew there was a bit left in her mark.

"I’ve got her late in her career but she’s a brilliant mare.

"We’ve been second in this race a couple of times and I’ve never left a racecourse more disappointed than when Spiritofthegames got beat as his owner was one of our biggest supporters."

On future plans, he added: "She won’t come back in December and I’ve a couple of ideas.

"I think she is most likely to go to Doncaster for the mares’ chase over Christmas and then if all goes to plan come back here for the mares’ chase in the spring."

July Flower remained unbeaten over fences when putting in some spectacular leaps in landing the Paddy Power Arkle Challenge Trophy Trial Novices' Chase.

The Grade Two contest was almost a duel throughout between the eventual winner and Dan Skelton’s Be Aware, but July Flower’s proven stamina and 7lb mares’ allowance proved crucial up the hill.

With Champion Hurdle second Burdett Road unable to land a glove on the front two, it showed the pace they were going throughout and both horses look like taking much higher rank over fences than they did over hurdles.

July Flower’s trainer Henry de Bromhead won the race in 2019 with another mare, Put The Kettle On, and she went on to win the Arkle itself in March.

With July Flower having already won over two miles and three furlongs, it remains to be seen which route connections take, but she did not look short of speed, taking up the running from Be Aware approaching the last.

Darragh O’Keeffe kept her up to her work for a one-and-a-half-length win as the 6-5 favourite.

Harry Derham's prolific One Horse Town bagged his fourth win of the season when making all the running in the JCB Triumph Trial Juvenile Hurdle.

Following wide-margin victories at Hexham, Stratford and Kempton, he was expected to find things tougher in Grade Two company.

Paul O’Brien was allowed to do his own thing in front in the testing conditions and his superior jumping helped him to maintain his advantage.

One by one his rivals dropped away but Harry Skelton had been stealthily making ground from the rear on favourite Precious Man, and he was still on the bridle approaching the final flight.

While it was arguably One Horse Town’s worst leap of the race, it was still significantly better than the one produced by Precious Man who lost all momentum and in the ground could not get going again, eventually being beaten three and three-quarter lengths by the 100-30 winner.

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