A great week for the Cheltenham Festival’s leading all-time owner got even better as he claimed the blue riband of chasing on Friday.

Well placed throughout the race, Inothewayurthinkin is a first Gold Cup for trainer Gavin Cromwell, and is another Grade 1 this week for rider Mark Walsh.

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

Bred by Noreen McManus, the winner is a second victory for the Limerick owner in the Gold Cup, and his 84th Festival winner.

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

Mark Walsh, narrowly pipped for the leading rider at this year’s Cheltenham Festival by Paul Townend, said of the victory:

“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.

“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 home-bred as well, which makes it extra special. Delighted.”

A shocked Gavin Cromwell admitted:

 “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.

“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.”

The defending champion and two-time winner Galopin Des Champs (8/13 favourite) was second for Paul Townend and Willie Mullins.

The Mouse Morris-trained Gentlemansgame (40/1) was another 12 lengths away in third for Darragh O’Keffee and owners Robcour.

A sad postscript to the race was that Corbetts Cross, trained by Emmet Mullins for J.P. McManus, who fell at the last fence in the Boodles Gold Cup sadly lost his life.

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Runner-up in the race last year to Limerick Lace, both of them owned by J.P. McManus, the Doctor Dino eight-year-old was a comprehensive eight and a half length winner this time.

Gavin Cromwell’s Brides Hill (9/2) and Keith Donoghue were second, while Gordon Elliott’s Shecouldbeanything (12/1) was another five and a half lengths further back in third in an Irish-trained trifecta.

Today’s better ground was of assistance to the winning mare, according to her owner, J.P. McManus:

“She’s a much better mare on good ground. Mark said she loved it out there and loved the surface, whereas last year she found it tough. She’s been at it a while now, so her jumping should be good!”

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The Willie Mullins-trained gelding, who had finished behind dual Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Galopin Des Champs in his last two races, produced a magnificent performance in winning by nine lengths from Heart Wood (18/1) and Darragh O’Keeffe.

“The manner of the way in which he won was a bit of a surprise, but I felt coming here he’d win it,” Willie Mullins admitted post-race. 

Last season’s Brown Advisory winner was an 81st Cheltenham Festival success for J.P. McManus, and a 12th for the winning rider, Mark Walsh.

“I do agree that he might have been the horse to give Galopin Des Champs a battle tomorrow in the Gold Cup and he was in it, but felt it was better to bide our options,” Mullins explained.

The Closutton master continued:

“He’ll probably be a Gold Cup horse next year. He’ll be a year older and we felt that at this stage a hard race in the Gold Cup, if the ground turned up soft… It’s not like that, but that was the way I was thinking all season. JP [McManus] didn’t want him to have a very hard race in the Gold Cup this year – sometimes that can ruin a horse’s career. So next year – I’m not going to say any more about two-year plans after Lossiemouth, but another year might be right. I think that’s what we’re looking at.”

Fact To File finished the 2 miles five furlongs race out so well, Mark Walsh informed:

“I was struggling to pull him up! Even coming up by the junction of the track here, he heard all the crowd on my left shouting, and he started pricking his ears and ducking away from them, so there’s loads left.”

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It will be another busy day, and likely successful, for the Cheltenham Festival’s leading owner J.P. McManus.

The Limerick man will have strong chances with Fact To File in the Ryanair Chase (3.20pm) and The Wallpark and Mystical Power [that he owns in partnership with Rich Ricci and John Magnier] in the Stayers’ Hurdle (4.00pm) – the two main races of Thursday’s meeting.

The former will face a healthy challenge from Il Est Francais, who won impressively at Kempton on St Stephen’s Day 2024, as well as former Ryanair Chase winners Envoi Alllen for Rachael Blackmore and Henry de Bromhead, and Protektorat representing the Harry and Dan Skelton team.

The J.P. McManus team this afternoon will be backed up by Jeriko Du Reponet in the Pertemps at 2.40pm; Jagwar in the Plate at 4.40pm and Johnnywho in the final race of the day, the Kim Muir Chase at 5.20pm.

Maughreen

The unbeaten Maughreen, out of Molly’s Mate, a half-sister to dual Cheltenham Festival winner Faugheen, puts her reputation on the line in the opening Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle.

Owned by Closutton Racing Club, the six-year-old Walk In The Park mare, is trained by Willie Mullins and will have the assistance of his son, Patrick, from the saddle.

O’Brien and Shinnick bid for success

Answer To Kayf, fourth in the Martin Pipe at Cheltenham last year, will represent County Cork trainer Terence O’Brien in the Jack Richards Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase at 2.00pm.

The nine-year-old, a winner at Naas on his last appearance will bid to give Glanworth, Co Cork jockey Johnny Shinnick a first Cheltenham Festival success.

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Ridden by Harry Skelton for his brother Dan, the son of Kayf Tara was recently purchased for an undisclosed sum by McManus following an impressive win in the Grade 1 Challow Hurdle at Newbury.

Despite the very poor record of Challow Hurdle winners in the Turners’ Novice – 0 from 20 – prior to today, The New Lion looked comfortable throughout the two mile five furlongs contest.

With Gordon Elliott’s The Yellow Clay (5/2) leading into the home straight, race favourite Final Demand (6/4) from the Willie Mullins yard soon challenged on his outside, before The New Lion easily joined both before the final flight.

Though the six-year-old The New Lion had to reach for the final flight, he remained composed under Harry Skelton to win by three-quarters of a length.

The winning rider said:

“We always had belief in him. We knew there was something a bit different about him when we got him. He needed to mature, and he’s come here and done it in the one that really matters. That’s a big thing.”

The Jack Kennedy-ridden The Yellow Clay, winner at Naas in January, was runner-up for Bective Stud and Gordon Elliott, with the handler admitting:

“He ran a brilliant race and Jack (Kennedy) has given him a peach of a ride and I couldn’t be happier with him. He is a good horse.

“I thought we got a beautiful run throughout the race and I don’t think there were any excuses anywhere. There was no hard luck story.”

Final Demand was four and three-quarter lengths further back in third for Paul Townend and Willie Mullins.

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Six Irish horses are among the field of eight for the Grade 1 contest over two miles, where the Nicky Henderson-trained Jonbon, owned by J.P. McManus, will start as the race favourite.

Marine Nationale, a winner of the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle in 2023, is the strongest Irish challenger, having posted a career-best Racing Post Rating in the Dublin Chase at the Dublin Racing Festival last month.

Former winners of the Champion Chase, Energumene and Captain Guinness, contest again this year, with the former likely to have more support in the betting market.

New McManus recruit could deny Irish in opener

The opening Grade 1 Turners’ Novices’ Hurdle over two miles five furlongs will have eight Irish-trained runners in the 11-horse race. Here again, another J.P. McManus-owned English-trained horse – Dan Skelton’s The New Lion – may deny the overseas challenge.

An Irish winner is guaranteed in the 2.00 Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase, with all runners making the trip from this side of the Irish Sea. Willie Mullins accounts for four of the seven, Gordon Elliott has two, and Henry de Bromhead has one representative.

Strong Irish challenge in the Champion Bumper

The fourth and final Grade 1 of Wednesday’s action is the Weatherbys Champion Bumper at 5.20pm. The race which will close the day two card has Copacabana heading the betting market for Willie and Patrick Mullins. His stable companion, Gameofinches, the mount of Paul Townend, is next best with the bookmakers, followed by Gordon Elliott’s Kalypso’chance, who will be ridden by Jack Kennedy.

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It was a 79th Festival winner for McManus, the winning-most owner in Festival history.

Winning trainer Joseph O’Brien, for whom it was a 5th Festival victory, said of the Mark Walsh-ridden winner:

“This race is always won by ex flat horses, but I suppose that is where the improvement has come from having run on winter ground then getting a bit of spring ground today as he seemed to really thrive on it.

“He did surprise me to be honest with you as to how easy he got there as coming here I thought he was in with a chance, but we didn’t think he was that well handicapped

“Mark gave him a great ride as the pace was on, but he took a sit and let them all at it. I would say that was probably the difference today.”

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With five winners for Elliott, his stable jockey Jack Kennedy rode three winners and top owners Bective Stud and Gigginstown House Stud both had two winners each.

Wingmen wins on hurdling debut

Dual bumper winner last season Wingmen (8/15 favourite) opened proceedings, taking the Kilderry Pub & Kitchen Maiden Hurdle for Noel and Valerie Moran of Bective Stud, and jockey Jack Kennedy.

The Fairyhouse bumper winner last month Blue De Vaissy (4/6 favourite) easily won the first graded race of the afternoon, the Grade 3 Bar One Racing For Auction Novice Hurdle over two miles, in the colours of Gigginstown House Stud, again in the hands of Kerry rider Jack Kennedy.

Found A Fifty claims Fortria Chase

The Grade 2 Bar One Racing Fortria Chase then fell to Elliott’s team, as Found A Fifty (11/8 favourite) gave Kennedy a treble and owners Bective Stud their double.

Down Memory Lane (7/1), third to Caldwell Potter in a Grade 1 novice hurdle at Leopardstown last Christmas, made a successful debut over the larger obstacles when winning the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Beginners Chase for the Cullentra House team, jockey Mark Walsh and owner J.P. McManus.

The five-timer was completed for Elliott in the Bar One Racing ‘Guaranteed Overnight Prices’ bumper when Harry Swan pushed the Gigginstown House Stud-owned favourite Whinney Hill (6/4 favourite) out to claim a three and a half length success.

Home By The Lee wins his second Lismullen

The Grade 2 Railway Bar Lismullen Hurdle over two and a half miles was won by Home By The Lee (7/1).

The 2022 winner of the race, and third-place finisher last year, is trained by Joseph O’Brien for Seán O’Driscoll and the nine-year-old was ridden by Danny Mullins.

Cork jockey Michael O’Sullivan gave Slane Hill (9/1) an enterprising ride in the Lisadell Equine Hospital Handicap Hurdle. Hitting the front early doors, the seven-year-old came home in splendid isolation for trainer and owner Barry Connell.

County Waterford trainer John Flavin was also among the winners with Clarens (9/1) a battling winner of the Hotel Park St. Johann in Tirol Austria Handicap Hurdle, under Alex Harvey.

Day two of the Navan Racing Festival gets underway at 11.35am on Sunday.

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Cracking performance

Relentless from Caldwell Potter who emulates his late brother Mighty Potter with glory in the G1 Future Champions Novice Hurdle@LeopardstownRC | @gelliott_racing | @jackkennedy15 pic.twitter.com/JsVvHL8LXo

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) December 27, 2023

In a field of nine runners, the Caldwell Construction Ltd.-owned son of Martaline was a six and a half length winner over Gigginstown House Stud’s Predators Gold (Patrick and Willie Mullins), while Down Memory Lane (Mr Derek O’Connor/Gordon Elliott) came home in third, 38 lengths behind the runner-up, with only five of the nine starters completing the 2 mile contest in very testing conditions.

Gordon Elliott pays tribute to Caldwell Potter and Jack Kennedy after their success at Leopardstown. pic.twitter.com/6fcS4CnfNi

— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) December 27, 2023

1-2-3 for McManus and Mullins

Owner J.P. McManus had a 1-2-3 in the Grade 1 The Paddy’s Rewards Club Chase over 2 miles 1 furlong as Dinoblue (9/4) defeated Gentleman De Mee (11/2) by seven and a half lengths, with Saint Roi (16/1) another 39 lengths back in third.

A dramatic renewal of the G1 Paddy’s Rewards Club Chase as Dinoblue leads home a JP McManus & @williemullinsnh 1-2-3 at @LeopardstownRC pic.twitter.com/xJ2eYieavB

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) December 27, 2023

In the five-runner field, the only three finishers all carried the colours of the Limerick-born J.P. McManus, all coming from from the stable of champion National Hunt trainer, Willie Mullins.

The race favourite, Captain Guinness (6/4), from the Henry de Bromhead yard, pulled up, while the other runner Dysart Dynamo – also from the Willie Mullins yard – fell.

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