Galopin Des Champs was denied a slice of Cheltenham Gold Cup history by a horse who wasn’t originally entered for the race.
Willie Mullins’s star chaser, victorious in 2023 and 2024, was odds-on to join three other horses in the record books to have won the prize three years in a row. But he fell short of that goal when he was decisively beaten by Inothewayurthinkin, owned by billionaire JP McManus.
Inothewayurthinkin, trained by Gavin Cromwell, had not won since April last year and twice finished behind Galopin Des Champs at Leopardstown this season, in fifth and fourth. His main goal was supposed to be the Grand National at Aintree next month.
But McManus agreed to shell out £25,000 to supplement his horse into the Gold Cup on Monday and the gamble paid off.
Galopin Des Champs, sent off at odds of 8-13, had to dodge around Monty’s Star when he had to swerve the fall of Ahoy Senor at the 14th fence. But he emerged at the front with two fences to jump like a horse destined to emulate Cottage Rake, Arkle and Best Mate.
However he was being stalked the whole time by Inothewayurthinkin, under Mark Walsh, and when he launched his challenge over the last there was nothing Paul Townend on the favourite could do about it.
Inothewayurthinkin stretched away to triumph by six lengths from Galopin Des Champs with Gentlemansgame third.
Walsh said: “I’m dancing inside. I can’t believe it. He jumped well on the whole, he just missed the ditch last time. Paul was on my outside and early on he just missed a few fences and I just thought Paul wasn’t that happy. I was happy to see that.
“This fella has grown up in the last year. Gavin Cromwell is a genius for the way he’s trained him.”
The McManus family celebrations were tempered by the news that the owner’s other runner Corbetts Cross was fatally injured when coming down at the second last fence.
Cromwell, who started out in the sport as a farrier, said: “I’m speechless. I’ve had great faith in this horse. A huge thank you to JP and Noreen to let us supplement him.
“He is really a Spring horse. He’s been getting closer all the time and was only beaten seven lengths by Galopin Des Champs last time when he hit the line really well after making a mistake. We’d felt he’d come forward plenty since then. Thankfully we got to supplement him and here we are.
“It’s unbelievable. We’ve had a brilliant year. We’ve had a winner already this week and five seconds and three thirds. I’d swap them all for this.”
Townend admitted he was never happy on Galopin Des Champs and said: “I was never really confident on him. Maybe the ground was a bit quicker than it has been other years but that’s making excuses. We were beaten on the day by a better younger one.
“He tried his heart out. He owes no one anything and is here in one piece.”
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