Inothewayurthinkin won the Cheltenham Gold Cup as favourite Galopin Des Champs was denied a historic hat-trick.
The 15-2 winner, ridden by Mark Walsh for trainer Gavin Cromwell and owner JP McManus, charged clear up the hill to beat the gallant two-time victor by six lengths, with Gentlemansgame third.
McManus' other runner Corbetts Cross suffered a fatal injury after a late fall. Ahoy Senor also came down earlier in the race and hampered Galopin Des Champs.
Inothewayurthinkin had been added to the race as a supplementary entry six days earlier at a cost of £25,000 and it proved a shrewd investment, with nearly £280,00 going to the winning owner.
Inothewayurthinkin is now 5-2 favourite to win the Grand National on 5 April and become only the second horse after Golden Miller in 1934 to complete the double in the same season.
After 100-1 chance Poniros had won the opening Triumph Hurdle, Galopin Des Champs was bidding to give trainer Willie Mullins a remarkable fifth win on the day, but had to settle for second.
The 2023 and 2024 winner was aiming to become only the fifth horse, and the first since Best Mate 21 years earlier, to win the big race three times.
