All Roads Lead to Cheltenham 2026 Gold Cup: Inothewayurthinkin’s Calculated Quest
The Cheltenham Gold Cup may still be nine months away, but a clear picture is already emerging about who could win in 2026. This year’s champion, Inothewayurthinkin, has already skipped all of his racing commitments in the months since his breakthrough victory and is enjoying his summer break. His owners and trainer have been open about the reasoning: giving him the best possible chance to retain his Gold Cup crown next year.
Odds on for a Rare Double
The latest horse race odds seem to back this long-term strategy, with Inothewayurthinkin priced as the favourite at 7/2 in the Gold Cup ante-post market.
Unsurprisingly, the most recent horse racing tips are also tentatively backing Inothewayurthinkin to follow in the footsteps of Galopin Des Champs and win two Gold Cups in consecutive years.
While Inothewayurthinkin’s 7/2 odds aren’t as short as Galopin Des Champs’ unprecedented 8/13 before the 2025 Gold Cup—when he was aiming to complete a historic hat-trick—they still represent a significant improvement from his 15/2 price before this year’s marquee event in Gloucestershire.
However, you wouldn’t have seen Inothewayurthinkin in the ante-post market for the 2025 Gold Cup as the seven-year-old bay gelding was only supplemented six days before the race, meaning he wasn’t a mainstay in the early betting markets. This late addition cost his connections £25,000.
For those unfamiliar with the term, “supplemented” means paying a substantial late entry fee to include a horse in a race after the official entry deadline has passed.
This strategy is often used for horses not initially declared but who have since shown form worthy of competing at the highest level. Although costly, as was the case with Inothewayurthinkin, supplementing can pay dividends if the horse wins or places well.
For owner JP McManus, it was a call that paid off spectacularly as Inothewayurthinkin won the Gold Cup by six lengths, earning £364,000 in prize money.
Galopin Des Champs has his day spoiled ❌
— ITV Racing (@itvracing) March 14, 2025
Inothewayurthinkin is a Gold Cup winner! 🏆#ITVRacing | #CheltenhamFestival | @gavincromwell1 pic.twitter.com/PZG6L2ycjm
As mentioned earlier, trainer Gavin Cromwell believes the horse can repeat that feat in 2026 if his 2025 workload is carefully managed.
Conserving the Champion
Accordingly, Cromwell withdrew Inothewayurthinkin from the Grand National in April despite the horse entering as the 3/1 favourite. This deliberate change of plan, while cautious given his momentum, sparked speculation about a potential target at the Punchestown Festival Gold Cup.
In the end, Cromwell opted against that idea, choosing instead to send the horse to spend the next few months at JP McManus’ Martinstown Stud in Limerick—enjoying some well-deserved time on the grass after a successful year.
Pressed on his reasoning, Cromwell said: “Looking at the long-range forecast, we just thought we’d mind him and next year all roads will lead towards the Gold Cup again.”
Like any plan, even the most carefully calculated approach comes with trade-offs. Forgoing spring targets like the Grand National and Punchestown may help preserve Inothewayurthinkin’s stamina and reduce the risk of burnout, but it also means missing out on valuable race sharpness and experience that only competitive meetings can provide.
Still, his team believe this lighter campaign is the key to peaking at exactly the right time and giving their Gold Cup winner the best of going back-to-back in 2026.
If you haven't seen them yet, the silks of Inothewayurthinkin 🏆 are proudly hanging in our Hall of Fame!
— CheltenhamRacecourse (@CheltenhamRaces) May 2, 2025
Honouring his Boodles Gold Cup victory and joining a legendary lineup.
Swing by today and take a look 👀#Cheltenham #GoldCup #HallOfFame pic.twitter.com/CcKoHfUy5M
Only time will tell whether Inothewayurthinkin’s 7/2 ante-post price will go down as one of the shrewdest long-range bets in Gold Cup history.