Inothewayurthinkin (15-2) fully justified the decision to supplement him for the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup when coming home the six and a half length winner of chasing’s Blue Riband this afternoon.

Defending champion and two-time winner Galopin Des Champs (8-13 Favourite) was second with Gentlemansgame (40-1) another 12 lengths away in third.0

Some Facts & Figures….

Inothewayurthinkin is the first supplementary entry to win the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup. He was added to the field on Saturday 8th March at a cost of £25,000

It is a second win in the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup for owner J P McManus after Synchronised (2012). He is the most successful owner ever at The Festival with 84 winners. His wife Noreen bred Inothewayurthinkin.

It is a first Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup success for both trainer Gavin Cromwell and jockey Mark Walsh.

Inothewayurthinkin is the 20th seven-year-old to succeed and the 31st horse trained in Ireland to win the contest.

Initial Quotes

Mark Walsh, the winning rider, said: “I’m dancing inside! Brilliant, I can’t believe it. They went a nice gallop. He jumped well on the whole, he just missed the ditch going down the back the last time.

He added: “In fairness to this fella, he’s done some growing up in the last year. He won here last year, but Gavin Cromwell is a genius. The way he trained him, he had him spot on for today. Brilliant.

“He’s a homebred as well, which makes it extra special. Delighted.”

Winning trainer Gavin Cromwell said: “I don’t know what to say as it is absolutely massive. I never thought I would have a horse good enough to run in a Gold Cup, let alone win.

“A huge thank you to JP and Noreen as to have horses like this is unbelievable. I think it was a little bit of them waiting for me to suggest it (supplementing him) and I was waiting for them, but neither took much convincing.

“It is unbelievable and it will probably take a while to sink in. I’m absolutely thrilled. I didn’t think we were travelling particularly well as just on that ground he looked to be flat out.

“He jumped well on the whole, although he made one mistake at the ditch down the back. I knew they went good and hard and that was going to play to our strengths as he stays really well. What can I say? He turned in and jumped the last and galloped out to the line. It was fantastic. He is just an improving horse.

“He improved through the season last season. He has improved all season this season. He started off over two and a half miles, but the further he has gone the better he has been.

“I don’t know (is the answer to the Grand National). We will get him home from this and I will have a chat with Frank (Berry) and JP (McManus) and we will see. Potentially it wouldn’t be out of the question.”

Paul Townend, rider of runner-up Galopin Des Champs, said: “I was never really confident on him. Maybe the ground was a bit quicker than it has been over the years. I’m not making excuses - we were beaten on the day by a better, younger one.

“Everything was a bit laboured on him, but he’s tried his heart out. He doesn’t owe us anything and he’s in one piece. He just wasn’t happy, I think; everything was a bit of an effort. He still gave it a crack, didn’t he? We’re second in the Gold Cup, anyway. I was happiest the couple of jumps back up the hill the last time round, but I was hoping rather than being confident that he was going to come alive for me there, to be honest.

“He’s run a blinder.”

Willie Mullins, trainer of Galopin Des Champs, added: ““I just thought he was never happy until they got to the fourth last. "During the race he was too far out of his ground and he wasn’t jumping well enough to be in the race. He was uncomfortable. Maybe drying ground might not have helped.

“I thought we missed all that (when Ahoy Senor) fell and I thought that might wake him up as he was just idle.

“When he jumped off he was only in seventh. He was jumping too big and he wasn’t jumping well enough. I was hoping something would get beside him and make him jump. To me he wasn’t racing.

“The only time he got competitive was when they came around the fourth last at the top of the hill, and it looked alright.

“I just think he used too much of his powder jumping too big, but a good horse won it.”

Gavin Cromwell – 8 Festival wins
Mark Walsh – 14 Festival wins