London: Inothewayurthinkin stunned the crowd by winning the Cheltenham Gold Cup, denying favourite Galopin Des Champs a historic third consecutive victory.
The 15-2 shot, ridden by Mark Walsh and trained by Gavin Cromwell for owner JP McManus, surged up the hill to beat the defending champion by six lengths, with Gentleman's Game finishing third.
Inothewayurthinkin was a late addition to the race, supplemented just six days earlier at a cost of £25,000 – a gamble that paid off handsomely, earning nearly £280,000 for the winning owner.
The victory has now made Inothewayurthinkin the 5-2 favourite for the Grand National on April 5, where he could become the first horse since Golden Miller in 1934 to complete the Gold Cup-Grand National double in the same season.
While the win brought joy, the race was overshadowed by tragedy as McManus' other runner, Corbetts Cross, suffered a fatal injury after falling late on. Earlier in the race, Ahoy Senor also fell, hampering Galopin Des Champs’ chances of making history.
For jockey Mark Walsh, the victory was emotional. “I’m dancing inside, it’s brilliant. I can’t believe it,” he said. “Gavin is a genius to have him spot on for today.”
Trainer Cromwell, who secured his second win of the festival after Stumptown's Cross Country Chase victory, expressed his disbelief: “I never thought I’d have a horse good enough to run in the Gold Cup, let alone win it. A huge thanks to JP and Noreen for trusting me.”
However, celebrations were muted by the loss of Corbetts Cross. A statement from the Jockey Club confirmed the fatal injury, offering condolences to the connections.
The tragedy marked the second horse death at this year’s festival, following Springwell Bay’s fatal fall on Thursday. Animal welfare groups, including the RSPCA, have raised concerns over the rising fatalities, with 31 horses having died at Cheltenham since 2016.
McManus’ racing manager, Frank Berry, said: “The Gold Cup was brilliant, but losing Corbetts Cross has put a dampener on the day. He was a lovely horse and it’s heartbreaking for the team.”
