Inothewayurthinkin and Galopin Des Champs - share top spot

Anglo-Irish Jumps classifications: Gold Cup one-two share top spot

By Sporting Life

Horse Racing

Wed May 28, 2025 · 2M ago

Inothewayurthinkin and Galopin Des Champs have finished joint top of the end-of-season Anglo-Irish Jumps Classifications with a rating of 176.

It means the latter leads the rankings for the third consecutive year having achieved a rating of 179 in each of the two previous seasons, in which he landed consecutive editions of the Boodles Gold Cup at Cheltenham.

His quest to become the first horse since Best Mate to win the Cheltenham showpiece three years running was denied by Inothewayurthinkin in March, who landed the contest by a margin of six lengths.

That was the Gavin Cromwell-trained seven-year-old’s fourth and final run of his campaign, having been beaten by Galopin Des Champs on his previous two starts in the Savills Chase and Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown.

The pair become the first horses to share top honours since 1999/00 – the debut year of the Classifications – when Looks Like Trouble and See More Business were unable to be separated on 174.

https://ads.skybet.com/redirect.aspx?pid=17678472&lpid=16&bid=1487

Shay Quinn, Senior National Hunt Handicapper at the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB), said: Ireland’s domination of the steeplechase Classifications continued for the 2024/25 season with all six categories topped by horses trained in Ireland. Galopin Des Champs was the highest rated horse in training for the third consecutive year, although this year he shared the honour with the impressive Gold Cup winner Inothewayurthinkin.

"Fact to File (173) was the clear winner of the middle-distance division thanks to a scintillating display in the Ryanair, while Marine Nationale (170) cemented his position as the top two-mile chaser around following wins in both the Cheltenham and Punchestown Champion chases.

"The novice section was headed by Majborough (164), who was champion in the two-mile section courtesy of a devasting performance at Punchestown. He’s an exciting novice and if he continues to jump like that, has all the attributes required to go to the very top in open company."

Mullins star tops hurdling ratings

State Man (167) went back-to-back as Champion of the hurdle rankings following his 12th career Grade Ome win in the Boodles Champion Hurdle at Punchestown, providing Willie Mullins with the top-rated horse in both disciplines once again.

Ten-year-old Bob Olinger was second in the hurdling division with a rating of 164 after beating Teahupoo (162) in the Paddy Power Stayers Hurdle at Cheltenham. That win extended his unbeaten record at the track and also provided Rachael Blackmore with a final top-level victory following her retirement earlier this month.

The leading novice hurdler was the Dan Skelton-trained The New Lion, who earned a rating of 159 after an unbeaten campaign that saw him land two Grade 1s in the Coral Challow Novices’ Hurdle at Newbury and Turners Novices’ Hurdle at the Festival, while Lulamba (153) topped the juvenile rankings following his win in the Ballymore Champion Four Year Old Hurdle at Punchestown.

Join the Sporting Life Racing Club - for FREE

Michael Harris, Handicapping Team Leader (Hurdles) at the BHA, said: "The two-mile hurdle division was one of changing fortunes throughout the season and ultimately it was State Man who takes top honours for the second year in succession. Constitution Hill was unable to show his best form towards the end of the season, but his success in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton still rated the best performance from a British hurdler at 162.

"In a strong looking novice crop, it is the unbeaten The New Lion who ranks highest on a figure of 159. His defeat of Final Demand (158) and The Yellow Clay (156) at Cheltenham looks a strong piece of form and hopes will be high that he can take the step up to open Grade 1 company next season in his stride. The leading juvenile hurdler was the Nicky Henderson-trained Lulamba, who achieved top billing courtesy of his success at Punchestown."