Dan Skelton Can Grab First Paddy Power Gold Cup Win, But Not With His Main Hope

This Saturday’s Paddy Power Gold Cup is the big race at the three-day Cheltenham November Meeting – but it’s a race that’s so-far eluded top trainer Dan Skelton. 

However, Skelton is expected to have a three pronged attack on the 2025 race and armed with a big age stat one of his bigger-priced runners looks one of the value Paddy Power Gold Cup tips.

Here’s why.

Dan Skelton To Run Three In 2025 Paddy Power Gold Cup In Search Of First Win

The Dan Skelton yard fired in four winners at the Cheltenham November Meeting last year and will fancy their chances of a similar return this weekend.

He’s already sent out two on Friday and looks to have many more big chances on Saturday. Especially in the LIVE ITV Racing contests.

But they’d probably taken no other winners at the meeting – as long as they can grab a first Paddy Power Gold Cup.

The Saturday Cheltenham feature is currently NOT on the Skelton CV, but he’s hit the post several times – including two seconds since 2020.

These were Protektorat, who only just failed to shoulder 11st 12lbs in 2021, and Spiritofthegames in 2020.

While last year in 2024, Skelton had the fourth Madara.

You can see his record in the race since 2020 below – so this year, can Dan Skelton finally break his duck?

Dan Skelton Paddy Power Gold Cup Record Since 2020

Dan Skelton To Run Three In 2025 Paddy Power Gold Cup In Search Of First Win

This year, however, could see Skelton go into Paddy Power Gold Cup battle with THREE horses – the most he’s ever had in the race.

Jockey bookings will point towards Panic Attack as their main hope, with brother Harry Skelton booked to ride.

This nine year-old gets in with just 10st 6lbs too and is a past Cheltenham hurdles winner.

But she’s a fragile mare and despite her low weight I’m not sure she’s value with these niggles.

They will also run Riskintheground, who beat the useful Blueking d’Oroux last time at Newton Abbot and with that horse winning last weekend at Wincanton, the form has been franked.

But with 21 career wins over fences, this eight year-old is very exposed now and having been raised 3lbs for that last win is also on a career-high mark.

Tristan Durrell does help in the saddle though to take off 3lbs from this eight year-old.

Hoe Joly Smoke Looks A ‘Hot’ Each-Way Option 

So that leaves the final Dan Skelton Paddy Power Gold Cup runner – HOE JOLY SMOKE.

Yes, on jockey bookings, with Kielan Woods in the plate, this looks like their third string.

However, this could play into our hands with this eight year-old going a bit more under the radar – and therefore a better price.

He was also a fine third last time out at the October Meeting here – travelling well for much of the race and only getting run out of things in the closing stages over 3m 1f.

A smart performance from Irish raider Three Card Brag in the @WillHillRacing Best Odds Guaranteed Handicap Chase for @gelliott_racing pic.twitter.com/Wi1BhckT5g

— CheltenhamRacecourse (@CheltenhamRaces) October 25, 2025

So the drop back to 2m 4f here looks a plus, but on softer ground with plenty of rain forecast – we also know he’s got stamina (has won over 3m).

The seven year-old Hoe Joly Smoke also has a decent Paddy Power Gold Cup age stat on his side.

He should be fine with cut underfoot too. Our Paddy Power Gold Cup runners soft ground feature shows he’s two-from-two when tackling soft conditions.

Paddy Power Gold Cup Age Stat That Points To 6 and 7 Year-Olds

A massive 25 of the last 26 Paddy Power Gold Cup winners were aged between six and nine.

Okay, this pretty much ticks the box for most of the runners – but does mean we can rule out the ten year-old Es Perfecto.

With the last winner aged in double-figures coming in 1975.

The only nine year-old in the race will be another Skelton runner – Panic Attack – but since 2003, we’ve only seen three winners aged nine.

We can drill deeper into this age stat though – as 15 of the last 23 Paddy Power Gold Cup winners were aged six or seven.

These include the last three winners and over this 23 year period give these two ages a healthy 65% return.

As well as Hoe Joly Smoke aged seven, here are the other 2025 Paddy Power runners aged six or seven.

You can back HOE JOLY SMOKE each-way at 14/1 

Paddy Power Gold Cup 2025 Race Details

📅Date: Saturday 15th November 2025
⌚Time: 2:20pm
🏇Racecourse: Cheltenham
💰Winner: £91,120
📺 TV: ITV / Racing TV

Paddy Power Gold Cup Runners, Betting Odds and Trainers

Note: Paddy Power Gold Cup betting odds are subject to change