McCoy thrilled to see McManus win the Gold Cup again

Sir Anthony McCoy knows the feeling of returning victorious after the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup and cut a delighted figure as he soaked in another magical moment for his former boss JP McManus at the Cheltenham Festival.

McCoy won the blue riband for McManus and Jonjo O’Neill aboard Synchronised in 2012, and 13 years on he took a moment’s pause from his role as a TV pundit to cheer in a second Gold Cup hero for the Festival’s leading owner, as Inothewayurthinkin denied the history-chasing Galopin Des Champs in a thrilling renewal of the premier staying event.

It will be a victory made all the sweeter by the fact Gavin Cromwell’s seven-year-old – also now the red-hot favourite for the Randox Grand National – was bred by McManus’ wife Noreen and reared to perfection at Martinstown to reach what McCoy describes as “the pinnacle” of jumps racing.

McCoy said: “It’s brilliant for JP to win another Gold Cup and to have bred him at home and have him as a foal right up to the Cheltenham Gold Cup, nothing will make him happier.

“This is the pinnacle and you can win Grand Nationals, they are great, but this is the Gold Cup and the best horse wins the Gold Cup and his wife bred him and I would say he will be very happy.”

It was a victory that capped a brilliant Cheltenham Festival for Inothewayurthinkin’s jockey Mark Walsh, and McCoy added: “This is the race everyone wants to win and for Mark to go out and win a Cheltenham Gold Cup is brilliant.

“He’s had a lot of success in those famous colours, but now he’s won the biggest race around.”

Barry Geraghty never won a Gold Cup in his time as retained rider for McManus, but is no stranger to success in the green and gold hoops at this meeting and hailed the training performance of Inothewayurthinkin’s handler – and also the decision to supplement the gelding into the contest at a cost of £25,000.

He said: “It’s unbelievable and what a call to supplement him, what a performance, that was mind-blowing.

“Galopin Des Champs ran a brilliant race and there were no hiding places and Inothewayurthinkin just picked up and winged the last, that jump was magic.

“It’s a brilliant result for the McManus family and JP and Mark Walsh especially, and what about Gavin Cromwell too – what a training performance. It will be some fun if he makes it to Aintree.”

Charlie Swan is another with plenty of history with the McManus family and was the fortunate man who had the privilege of steering Istabraq around the undulations of the Cotswolds.

He was another in the clamour for a prime spot to welcome back the Gold Cup hero and said: “It’s brilliant for JP and he deserves it – if anyone deserves, it he does.

“This horse is improving and improving and he’s a relentless galloper.

“I don’t know about Aintree, it may come too soon, but I’m sure JP will enjoy today.”