By Peter Moore at Newbury Saturday 29th November 2025
In the presence of Their Royal Highnesses, The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, history was made at Newbury on Saturday afternoon when Panic Attack became the first mare to do the double of the Gold Cup and Paddy Power Gold Cup, and became the first horse to accomplish this since Celestial Gold.
Victory came just a fortnight on from her Paddy Power Gold Cup win, making her the first mare to double up in Britain’s two richest handicap chases before Christmas.
Replacement rider Tristan Durrell accompanied a roar with a power-packed punch as he crossed the line after the pair surged clear in the straight to defeat Three Card Brag and The Changing Man.
Just two weeks after her success at Cheltenham, a 4lb penalty proved no disadvantage after a great jump at the last sealed the deal before being driven out by Durrell to go on and win by six and a half lengths from the Irish raider.
Durrell said: “To be honest, I felt a lot of pressure walking out because of what happened at Newcastle with The New Lion, which was awful to see. I just wanted to go out and make it a better day.
“Dan and the team give me lots of opportunities, so it’s nice to repay them. Harry inspires me a lot and to step into his shoes and get the job done on a big like this is very special. It meant an awful lot to me. This is a massive race and I always used to watch it as a kid.
“I never looked behind, I just kept driving to the line. I was going so well turning in, so I just had to keep going forward. I didn’t even know how far I’d won by. I’ll celebrate this with plenty of beer I expect, I’m not riding on Sunday.”
A Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle bid is on the cards once again for Jamie Snowden after La Conquiere, who he believes is faster than his 2023 Cheltenham Festival heroine You Wear It Well, scored impressively at Newbury.
The six-year-old pulled clear of Charisma Cat in the Listed mares novice hurdle under Gavin Sheehan to score by three and a half lengths and make it win number 52 this season for Snowden.
This was just her third start for the Lambourn yard, having finished second in the Grade 2 mares’ bumper at Aintree in April before scoring on her hurdles debut at Uttoxeter last month.
Snowden said: “We’ve long thought she’s got plenty of talent and she’s a very, very good horse. She’s got bags of speed and bags of scope.
“Gavin said she felt unreal; he was comfortable all the way. We’ll work back from Cheltenham now. We had You Wear It Well, but she’s a different model and she’s got far more speed. I think she’s very good and two miles is her trip.
“I don’t think she needs that much racing, that’s only her fourth race and I think she’s getting better.”
Booster Bob could be heading straight to the Cheltenham Festival, according to trainer Olly Murphy, after landing the Coral Sir Peter O’Sullevan Memorial Handicap Chase.
The seven-year-old proved he is best kept fresh when powering clear of Leader In The Park to win by four and a half lengths under Sean Bowen.
“I might go crazy and not bring him back until March,” Murphy said. “He’s just very good fresh and we could have a go at an Ultima or something. It’s not a definite plan as his owners like to run their horses, but it’s an option.
“I was delighted with his win there. I said to my assistant before the race that I was so sweet on this lad so he’ll probably get stuffed. But boy did he jump and he always looked like he had matters under control.”
Harry Cobden rode his first winner for the Philip Hobbs and Johnson White stable when French Ship stormed clear in the 2m4½f handicap hurdle under Cobden who was scoring on just his fourth ride for the Minehead yard.
Klimt Madrik held off the challenge of Kalkbrenner by a head to prevail in the 2m 5f novice hurdle for Toby Lawes , with Kevin Brogan in the plate.
Later, Cobden doubled up for his governor Paul Nicholls by taking the 2m handicap hurdle ( Gerry Feilden) aboard Tutti Quanti.