SUPERSTAR horse and huge odds-on favourite Galopin Des Champs was stunned in his bid for a third Gold Cup by unlikely challenger Inothewayurthinkin.
Willie Mullins' awesome chaser was almost taken out when Ahoy Senor fell but looked to be travelling brilliantly rounding the bend.
Yet Inothewayurthinkin, who wasn't originally in the race and had to be supplemented at a cost of £25,000, kept creeping closer and closer.
He pinged the last with Galopin Des Champs on his last legs and stormed home up the hill to secure yet another result for the bookies and win at 15-2.
Galopin Des Champs clung on for second at 8-13 while Gentlemansgame was third at 40-1.
Mullins had already won the first four races on the day and his two-time Gold Cup winner was considered the banker of the week by almost everyone.
But he endured a tough passage through and almost got wiped out when Derek Fox came down on Ahoy Senor.
Despite a few unusually slow jumps he was still on the bridle and looked to have the race at his mercy with two to jump.
Yet the petrol tank was about to go out at this stage just as Inothewayurthinkin was cruising into top gear.
The Grand National favourite absolutely flew up the hill - suggesting the Aintree race in three weeks' time is his for the taking.
Inothewayurthinkin, who is owned by billionaire racing supremo JP McManus and trained by Irish handler Gavin Cromwell, was slashed to 5-2 for the world's most famous race on Saturday, April 5.
Winning jockey Mark Walsh said: "I'm dancing inside. I can't believe it.
"They went a nice gallop and they jumped well as a whole.
"In fairness to this fella, he's done some growing up in the last year and Gavin Cromwell's a genius in the way he's trained him."
The result was another huge win for the bookies who also saw odds-on hotshots Ballyburn, Constitution Hill, Jonbon and Teahupoo turned over this week.
And spare a thought for the poor punter who splashed £50,000 on Galopin Des Champs only to see it go up in flames.
There was a sad postscript to the race as it was confirmed McManus' other runner Corbetts Cross suffered a fatal injury during the race.
A Cheltenham statement read: "In our fifth race of the day, Corbett’s Cross was immediately attended to by our veterinary professionals, but sadly sustained a fatal injury.
"Our heartfelt condolences are with his connections."
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