Grand National favourite scratched from Aintree showpiece despite Cheltenham Festival win | Racing | Sport
Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Inothewayurthinkin has been scratched from running in the Randox Grand National. The seven-year-old was backed into favouritism after his impressive victory last week, but connections have decided to skip the Aintree showpiece race.
Inothewayurthinkin powered clear up the Cheltenham hill on Friday to prevent Galopin Des Champs from winning a sensational three Gold Cups, landing the spoils at odds of 15/2.
The manner in which the gelding travelled powerfully through the race and six lengths clear prompted bookmakers to cut Gavin Cromwell’s stable star into a 3/1 favourite for the Grand National.
However, Inothewayurthinkin was scratched from the field today (Tuesday), with Cromwell explaining that he has decided, along with owner JP McManus, that such a tough task so soon after the Gold Cup may be too great of an ask at this stage in his career.
Cromwell told the Racing Post: “We’ve decided to take Inothewayurthinkin out of the Grand National. He’s only seven and we’ve worked so hard on his jumping this season that we feel it just might be a backward step to run him at Aintree. We’re absolutely delighted to win a Gold Cup and it might be asking a bit much of him to try to win a Grand National as well at the age of seven.
“He came out of the Gold Cup in great shape and he has the option of running in the Punchestown Gold Cup at the end of April. We’ll see how he is over the next few weeks before making a decision on that, but he won’t be running in the Grand National anyway.
“We feel it’s the best thing to do by the horse. As I said, we’re delighted to win a Gold Cup. It’s a day we’ll never forget.”
Heading to Punchestown may present the chance for Inothewayurthinkin to confirm his superiority over Galopin Des Champs, depending on how the latter came out of the race.
McManus will still be well-represented in the Grand National, with last year’s I Am Maximus and Iroko both shortening following the latest scratchings. Meetingofthewaters may now also have the opportunity to run as well, with several other runners being withdrawn – including Galvin, Limerick Lace and Envoi Allen.
