Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - October 29, 2026) - Gladiator Metals Corp. (TSXV: GLAD) (OTCQX: GDTRF) (FSE: ZX7) (NSX: GM1) (ARBN: 693 952 895) ("Gladiator" or the "Company") is pleased to announce further high-grade copper drilling results from the Southern Limb of its Cowley Prospect at the Whitehorse Copper Project, Yukon.

HIGHLIGHTS: 

1. Follow-up Drilling: Has returned broad zones of copper mineralization with associated silver and molybdenum as extensions to the Southern Limb continue to return strong results, including: 

• CPG-176: 36.0 m @ 2.63% Cu, 0.09 g/t Au, 12.06 g/t Ag & 856 ppm Mo from 68.0 m, Incl.:

  • 20.0 m @ 3.61% Cu, 0.12 g/t Au, 13.68 g/t Ag & 732 ppm Mo 

• CPG-178: 52.2 m @ 1.17% Cu, 0.15 g/t Au, 6.00 g/t Ag & 454 ppm Mo from 70.8 m, Incl.:

  • 26.0 m @ 2.00% Cu, 0.25 g/t Au, 9.72 g/t Ag & 736 ppm Mo

2. Southern Limb Expansion: Results from CPG-176 and CPG-178 build on the previously reported CPG-173 intersection of 62.0 m at 1.34% Cu, supporting further drilling to define the extent and continuity of mineralization, with three separate drill fences (CPG-173, CPG-176 and CPG-178) having now confirmed broad copper mineralization across approximately 50 m strike extent, with the Southern Limb remaining open. 

3. Expanded Drilling Program: More than 16,000 m completed at Cowley in 2026 following expansion from the initial 8,000 m program, further drilling focused on resource delineation and extensions of the mineralized system.

Gladiator CEO Jason Bontempo commented:

"The Southern Limb is emerging as a significant new growth front at Cowley. CPG-176's 36.0 m @ 2.63% Cu, including 20.0 m @ 3.61% Cu, together with CPG-178 and CPG-173, has returned broad, near-surface copper mineralization with silver and molybdenum credits in a part of the system that remains materially less defined than the Northern Limb.

"Strategically, these results strengthen the case for adding tonnes and grade at Cowley as we work toward a maiden NI 43-101 resource. With improved Class 3 access, a program expanded to more than 16,000 meters and a second rig on site, we are positioned to systematically infill and extend the system.

"As we receive outstanding assays for more than 7,000 m of drilling from the 2026 program, we will continue to test continuity of the Southern Limb along strike and down dip and further define its relationship with the Northern Limb. A further 7,000 m of drilling is further planned for completion at Cowley in 2026."

SUMMARY

This release reports assay results from six drill holes totaling 1,390 m across Cowley's Southern and Northern Limbs. The Southern Limb continues to emerge as a major near-surface growth front, highlighted by CPG-176: 36.0 m @ 2.63% Cu, 12.06 g/t Ag and 856 ppm Mo from 68.0 m, including 20.0 m @ 3.61% Cu and 13.68 g/t Ag, and CPG-178: 52.2 m @ 1.17% Cu from 70.8 m, including 26.0 m @ 2.00% Cu, 0.25 g/t Au, 9.72 g/t Ag and 736 ppm Mo.

Together with previously reported CPG-173: 62.0 m @ 1.34% Cu, 8.99 g/t Ag and 512 ppm Mo from 48.6 m, including 47.3 m @ 1.48% Cu from 52.0 m, these results confirm thick copper mineralization with silver and molybdenum credits in the less drill defined Southern Limb.

The Northern Limb, CPG-158D2 returned 18.2 m @ 0.69% Cu and 383 ppm Mo from 86.5 m, including 5.8 m @ 1.49% Cu, 0.20 g/t Au and 7.51 g/t Ag.

Overall, the results support continuity across the Cowley system and the Southern Limb's potential to add near-surface tons and grade while reducing geological uncertainty.

New Southern Limb intersections:

 

New Northern Limb intersections:

 

Assays remain pending for the lower Northern Limb zone of CPG-176 that was drilled through both the Southern & Northern Limbs (Refer Figure 2).

Southern Limb Drilling

Follow-up drilling on the Southern Limb at Cowley continues to deliver broad, high-grade, near-surface copper mineralization with strong silver and molybdenum credits, rapidly building a significant new resource-growth front in an area that remains materially less defined than the Northern Limb with assays returned from two holes (CPG-176 & CPG-178) returning:

• CPG-176: 36.0 m @ 2.63% Cu, 0.09 g/t Au, 12.06 g/t Ag & 856 ppm Mo from 68.0 m, Incl.:
  • 20.0 m @ 3.61% Cu, 0.12 g/t Au, 13.68 g/t Ag & 732 ppm Mo from 84.0 m
• CPG-178: 52.2 m @ 1.17% Cu, 0.15 g/t Au, 6.00 g/t Ag & 454 ppm Mo from 70.8 m, Incl.:
  • 26.0 m @ 2.00% Cu, 0.25 g/t Au, 9.72 g/t Ag & 736 ppm Mo from 97.0 m

CPG-176 and CPG-178 were drilled to follow up the first Southern Limb hole, CPG-173 (previously released), and to test the continuity of thick, high-grade copper-silver-molybdenum mineralization along the Southern Limb. Assays remain pending for the lower zone of CPG-176.

CPG-173, CPG-176 and CPG-178 were drilled from separate collars on similar north-northeast orientations. CPG-176 is collared approximately 25 m east of CPG-173, and CPG-178 approximately 43 m southeast of CPG-176. All three holes intersected a single broad copper-bearing interval at a similar downhole position (starting between 48.6 m and 70.8 m and ending between 104.0 m and 123.0 m). This is consistent with a mineralized skarn horizon extending laterally across an approximately 50 m east-west section that remains open. Assays are pending for the lower zone of CPG-176, which is interpreted as the Northern Limb.

Figure 1: Plan map of Cowley over LiDAR hillshade. Drillholes reported in this release are highlighted in yellow, and Northern Limb holes with assays pending are shown with white collars. The section line indicates the location of Figure 2. Historical Hudbay intersections are shown in blue; refer to Gladiator news releases dated April 3, April 27 and May 15, 2022.

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Figure 2: Section 9,970E through Cowley, viewed west, showing Gladiator drilling. New drill results reported in this release are highlighted in red. Refer to Figure 1 for the section location.

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Figure 3: Section 10,000E through Cowley, viewed west, showing Gladiator drilling. New drill results reported in this release are highlighted in red Refer to Figure 1 for the section location.

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Northern Limb Drilling
Results from drilling on the Northern Limb continue to return copper-molybdenum mineralization within the core of the Cowley system. Assays from 4 holes (CPG-158D2, CPG-158D3, CPG-163 & CPG-164) for 779 metres are contained in this release.

CPG-158D2 intersected 18.2 m @ 0.69% Cu, 0.08 g/t Au, 3.29 g/t Ag & 383 ppm Mo from 86.5 m, including 5.8 m @ 1.49% Cu, 0.20 g/t Au, 7.51 g/t Ag & 667 ppm Mo from 90.7 m, while CPG-163 returned 6.0 m @ 0.28% Cu from 17.0 m. CPG-158D3 and CPG-164 returned no significant assays.

COWLEY RESOURCE DELINEATION DRILLING

Cowley drilling commenced on 20 April and has expanded from an initial 8,000-meter program to more than 16,000 meters completed following extensions of the mineralized zone and stronger-than-expected results across the northeastern Northern Limb. The expanded grid is designed to accelerate resource definition, test extensions and unlock Cowley's near-surface, high-grade potential.

The initial priority is to:

• Complete step-out, sectional and infill drilling in areas where high-grade mineralization may be incorporated into future resource models; and

• Assess near-surface high-grade mineralization for inclusion in future resource models on both the Southern and Northern limbs of the deposit. This work is intended to maximize shallow resource potential in areas where drilling directly above mineralization has not previously been possible, including zones that outcrop at surface or lie beneath shallow cover of approximately less than 10 meters.

• Since the resumption of drilling, Gladiator has completed 89 holes for 16,125 meters at Cowley, with assay results for holes CPG-158D2, CPG-158D3, CPG-163, CPG-164, CPG-176 and CPG-178 contained in this release.

EXPLORATION STRATEGY - 2026-27

These results form part of Gladiator's fully funded and fully permitted 2026 drill program, which remains focused on accelerating resource definition at Cowley and rapidly expanding the high-grade Cub East discovery.

With a planned fully funded exploration budget of greater than CAD $40 million and > 100,000 meters of drilling planned for 2026 & 2027, Gladiator is poised to complete a very exciting and positive year focused on the drill bit.

Plans are also underway to extend the geophysical "road map" across the broader belt and build on the successful 2025 geophysical targeting workflow of gravity surveying followed by induced polarization. Gladiator has doubled its geophysical budget following the new discovery at Cub East in 2025, where recent drilling, utilizing this geophysical targeting has returned (refer to Company news release dated May 21 & June 04, 2026):

• BCG-020: 40m @ 2.01% Cu, 0.72 g/t Au & 19.43g/t Ag from 176m
  • Incl. 24m @ 3.03% Cu, 1.08 g/t Au & 28.91 g/t Ag from 190m
• BCG-023: 35.9m @ 2.68% Cu, 1.35 g/t Au & 19.55g/t Ag from 172.1m
  • Incl. 22m @ 4.24% Cu, 2.16 g/t Au, & 31.04g/t Ag from 172.1m

Combined with the generation of the Great Southern Target south of Cowley (Figure 4), this ensures that Gladiator maintains a pipeline of high-quality resource opportunities into the future.

Figure 4: Plan map of Black Cub to Cowley over ground gravity, showing completed IP Lines.

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