Gold Cup glory for Inothewayurthinkin after 100/1 shot Poniros wins at 2025 races



Gold Cup glory for Inothewayurthinkin after 100/1 shot Poniros wins at 2025 races

One of the most anticipated dates on the racing calendar took place on Friday with Gold Cup day at Cheltenham 2025where odds-on favourite Galopin Des Champs was aiming to become the fourth horse to win the race three times.

Despite freezing temperatures overnight, the going remained good-to-soft before the JCB Triumph Hurdle started a sequence of seven races.

After the first two days of the festival were held on the Old Course, the action on Thursday and Friday took place on the New Course.

Catch up with the Cheltenham results from the final day of the festival, including how each race finished, starting odds and reaction.

13:20: JCB Triumph Hurdle

Day four started in remarkable style as 100/1 debutant Poniros, ridden by Jonjo O’Neill Jnr, beat the 11/4 Lulamba at the last, with 5/4 favourite East India Dock third.

The four-year-old, trained by Willie Mullins and owned by Tony Bloom – the owner of Premier League club Brighton & Hove Albion – achieved the longest-ever odds win in a Triumph Hurdle.

“He sliced through the field like a handicapper, even though he was a maiden,” Mullins told Racing TV. “We bought him, we schooled him and then I threw him out in the field.”

O’Neill Jnr said he had been scheduled to race at Doncaster on Friday. “That’s the first time he’s ever seen a hurdle in public,” he added. “I felt I could nick a little bit and they weren’t get away from me.”

14:00: William Hill County Handicap Hurdle

Our Champ and Spirit Daunou led with three hurdles to go but Kargese sped away from the third-last to give Mullins his eighth win of the festival.

Kargese had been the 3/1 favourite for jocket Paul Townend, with 25/1 Ndaawi second followed by 5/1 Absurde and 16/1 Ethical Diamond.

“She was keen today, alright,” said Townend. “She has the heart of a lion. I was in front a lot sooner than I wanted but it might have helped me that, when she got there, she gave herself a breath of air.

“That meant she could repel what was coming at the last.”

14:40: Mrs Paddy Power Mares’ Chase

2024 chase winner Limerick Lace beat Dinoblue by less than a length, but the latter started as favourite among a betting top five of entirely Irish-trained contenders.

Second-favourite Allegorie De Vassy led with four to go but fell at the last as Dinoblue justified the prices to give Mullins another triumph.

“I think I had the beating of (Allegorie) anyway,” said jockey Mark Walsh, calling his horse “brilliant” and “a great little mare”.

“If (Mullins) can get a few more like her, he’ll be doing well.”

Brides Hill, who had started at 9/2, came second, followed by the 12/1 Shecouldbeanything, with 50-1 shot Mayhem Mya in fourth.

15:20: Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle

Henry de Bromhead’s The Big Westerner, saddled by Darragh O’Keeffe, started as the 9/2 favourite for the novices’ hurdle, followed by Jet Blue at 13/2.

Townend and Mullins prevailed again, though, with the 6/1 Jasmin de Vaux jumping better to beat The Big Westerner into second.

Derryhassen Paddy, who had been 10/1, came third, with the 33/1 Yellow Car in fourth.

16:00: Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup

Mullins’ Field gallop was the 8/15 favourite for the highlight race of the day, with the 10-year-old aiming to become the first runner over nine to win the Gold Cup in 15 years and Inothewayurthinkin second-favourite at 13/2.

Galopin’s shot at greatness took place from the middle of the field until a late surge that was not enough to deny Walsh’s Inothewayurthinkin.

“Gavin Cromwell’s a genius to train him this way,” said Walsh, adding that he was “dancing inside”. “He’s a homebred, too, which makes it extra special.”

Gentlemansgame belied his starting 40/1 odds to take third, with the 8/1 Monty’s star finishing fourth.

16:40: St. James’s Place Festival Hunters’ Chase

Second-placed in 2024, Its On The Line started the amateur version of the Gold Cup as second-favourite behind Angels Dawn.

8/1 third-favourite Shearer led with four to go, but a race that had produced two 66/1 winners in the previous five years ended with the 33/1 Wonderwall celebrating.

Its On The Line, who had been 4/1, came third ahead of the 13/2 Willitgoahead. “Unbelievable,” said jockey Rob James after edging to victory.

“The line came in time, thank god. It’s the one, as an amateur, you’d always want to win. (Trainer) Sam (Curling) and the team have done a wonderful job… just top-class, absolutely brilliant.”

17:30: Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle

JP McManus’s Kopeck De Mee started as the warm favourite in the final race of Cheltenham 2025followed by Nicky Henderson’s East India Express.

The third-favourite was the winner, though, with Wodhooh coming strong late on to give Gordon Elliott a long-awaited victory.

“She nearly jumped too well on a couple,” said jockey Danny Gilligan. “She was probably doing a bit too much, the whole way.

“It’s his first run in 10 or 11 months and to put up a display like that is very good. She just can’t stop winning.”

The 28/1 Act Of Authority came second, with Raglan Road third after starting 25/1 and the 8/1 Taponthego fourth.





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