Best Mate
Encyclopedia
Best Mate was a famous English trained racehorse and three-time winner of the Cheltenham Gold Cup
. He was considered and treated as one of the most loved horses in the history of horse racing in the UK, with his sudden death while racing making front page news.
The horse was owned by Jim Lewis
and trained by Henrietta Knight.
Best Mate won the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 2002, 2003 and 2004 with jockey Jim Culloty
, matching the record of Arkle
, but was withdrawn from the 2005 race just eight days before the race itself having burst a blood vessel on the gallops. He also missed the 2001 festival due to the foot and mouth crisis where he was the hot favourite for the Arkle Challenge Trophy. He also won the 2002 King George VI Chase
and the 2003 Ericsson Chase
.
Best Mate collapsed and died of a suspected heart attack after being pulled up by jockey Paul Carberry
whilst competing in the William Hill Haldon Gold Cup
at Exeter Racecourse
on November 1, 2005. After the jockey had dismounted, the horse stumbled and went onto his knees. Best Mate's death was immediately headline news, with his last moments being enlarged and viewed on newspapers all over the country. Headlines included Who can fill the void left by Best Mate?, Best Mate leaves golden memories after giving his all for final time, Heartbreak at Exeter as Best Mate collapses and dies and Perfect horse Best Mate dies at trainer's feet.
Out of all of his races, Best Mate was never out of the first two, as well as never falling at a fence or hurdle. Out of the 22 starts that Best Mate ran in, he came first in 14 of them, and second in the other seven, the 22nd race being the one he was pulled up in shortly before his death. Of the seven races in which he finished second in, five were Group 1 races, and two were Group 2 races. There will always be inevitable comparisons with Arkle
because of their three successive Cheltenham Gold Cup
wins. However, the highest Timeform
rating for Arkle was 212 while Best Mate's highest rating was 182. Timeform themselves felt that Best Mate's rating could have been higher if he'd raced in more handicaps. It is known Best Mate was very ill when a foal at one point, and due to this his owner and trainer were always very careful not to overdo it with him. Best Mate's career was different from Arkle's in this respect, so the two cannot be compared. Clearly Hen Knight knew her star chaser better than most and campaigned him appropriately, hence the three Gold Cup wins. She did not run him in many handicaps, which shows she cared a lot about his health and wanted to save him for his gold cups. He ran in one handicap chase (2001/2002 First National Gold Cup) where he failed only just by 1/2 length to give 20 lbs to the decent Wahiba Sands. Best Mate was the first horse to win the Gold Cup more than once since L'Escargot
in 1970 and 1971. As such it was a great performance by horse, trainer and rider.
EU regulations prevented the burial of his body on the Exeter course as Lewis and many racing fans desired. Instead Best Mate was cremated and his ashes buried beside the winning post at Cheltenham Racecourse
on December 10, 2005. Lewis was in attendance even though his wife, Valerie, had died on December 8 after a 7 month battle against cancer. There is now a bronze statue in memory to Best Mate near the farm at which he was trained, in Lockinge.
As of 2008 Best Mate has one full brother still in racing, Cornish Rebel following the death of Inca Trail in 2007. Cornish Rebel, a very talented horse, is a former Grade 1 winner over hurdles and a former Scottish Grand National runner up but is quirky and does not have Best Mate's qualities.
At the Cheltenham Festival
the following year, a statue of Best Mate was revealed. He was made one of the elite 12 on the Cheltenham Hall of Fame in March 2007. He has even had a DVD produced all about him, and like Alastair Down narrates:
Cheltenham Gold Cup
The Cheltenham Gold Cup is a Grade 1 National Hunt chase in the United Kingdom which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run on the New Course at Cheltenham over a distance of about 3 miles and 2½ furlongs , and during its running there are twenty-two fences to be jumped...
. He was considered and treated as one of the most loved horses in the history of horse racing in the UK, with his sudden death while racing making front page news.
The horse was owned by Jim Lewis
Jim Lewis (racehorse owner)
Jim Lewis is a British racehorse owner, particularly noted for being the owner of thrice Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Best Mate and also Edredon Bleu. He frequently works with trainers Henrietta Knight and Venetia Williams and jockey Jim Culloty. He is a supporter of Aston Villa FC, whose famous...
and trained by Henrietta Knight.
Best Mate won the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 2002, 2003 and 2004 with jockey Jim Culloty
Jim Culloty
Jim Culloty is a racehorse trainer and retired professional National Hunt jockey who won both the Cheltenham Gold Cup and Grand National in the same season....
, matching the record of Arkle
Arkle
Arkle was a famous Irish Thoroughbred racehorse. A bay gelding by Archive out of Bright Cherry, his grandsire was the unbeaten flat racehorse and prepotent sire Nearco. Arkle was bred at Ballymacoll Stud, County Meath by Mrs. Mary Alison Baker of Malahow House, near Naul, County Dublin...
, but was withdrawn from the 2005 race just eight days before the race itself having burst a blood vessel on the gallops. He also missed the 2001 festival due to the foot and mouth crisis where he was the hot favourite for the Arkle Challenge Trophy. He also won the 2002 King George VI Chase
King George VI Chase
The King George VI Chase is a Grade 1 National Hunt chase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Kempton Park over a distance of about 3 miles , and during its running there are eighteen fences to be jumped...
and the 2003 Ericsson Chase
Lexus Chase
The Lexus Chase is a Grade 1 National Hunt chase in Ireland which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run at Leopardstown over a distance of about 3 miles , and during its running there are seventeen fences to be jumped...
.
Best Mate collapsed and died of a suspected heart attack after being pulled up by jockey Paul Carberry
Paul Carberry
Paul Carberry is an Irish National Hunt jockey.- Background :He was born on 9 February 1974. He hails from a racing family. He is the son of jockey Tommy Carberry, who was a famous National Hunt jockey in the 1960s and 1970s. His uncle is Arthur Moore, one of Ireland's leading National Hunt trainers...
whilst competing in the William Hill Haldon Gold Cup
Haldon Gold Cup
The Haldon Gold Cup is a Grade 2 National Hunt chase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Exeter over a distance of about 2 miles and 1½ furlongs , and during its running there are twelve fences to be jumped...
at Exeter Racecourse
Exeter Racecourse
Exeter Racecourse is a thoroughbred horse racing venue located near the city of Exeter, Devon, England. Locally it is known as Haldon racecourse because of its location on top of the Haldon Hills...
on November 1, 2005. After the jockey had dismounted, the horse stumbled and went onto his knees. Best Mate's death was immediately headline news, with his last moments being enlarged and viewed on newspapers all over the country. Headlines included Who can fill the void left by Best Mate?, Best Mate leaves golden memories after giving his all for final time, Heartbreak at Exeter as Best Mate collapses and dies and Perfect horse Best Mate dies at trainer's feet.
Out of all of his races, Best Mate was never out of the first two, as well as never falling at a fence or hurdle. Out of the 22 starts that Best Mate ran in, he came first in 14 of them, and second in the other seven, the 22nd race being the one he was pulled up in shortly before his death. Of the seven races in which he finished second in, five were Group 1 races, and two were Group 2 races. There will always be inevitable comparisons with Arkle
Arkle
Arkle was a famous Irish Thoroughbred racehorse. A bay gelding by Archive out of Bright Cherry, his grandsire was the unbeaten flat racehorse and prepotent sire Nearco. Arkle was bred at Ballymacoll Stud, County Meath by Mrs. Mary Alison Baker of Malahow House, near Naul, County Dublin...
because of their three successive Cheltenham Gold Cup
Cheltenham Gold Cup
The Cheltenham Gold Cup is a Grade 1 National Hunt chase in the United Kingdom which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run on the New Course at Cheltenham over a distance of about 3 miles and 2½ furlongs , and during its running there are twenty-two fences to be jumped...
wins. However, the highest Timeform
Timeform
Timeform Publications is a publishing company in Halifax, West Yorkshire, England founded in 1948 to provide information to fans, bettors, and others involved in the horse racing industry...
rating for Arkle was 212 while Best Mate's highest rating was 182. Timeform themselves felt that Best Mate's rating could have been higher if he'd raced in more handicaps. It is known Best Mate was very ill when a foal at one point, and due to this his owner and trainer were always very careful not to overdo it with him. Best Mate's career was different from Arkle's in this respect, so the two cannot be compared. Clearly Hen Knight knew her star chaser better than most and campaigned him appropriately, hence the three Gold Cup wins. She did not run him in many handicaps, which shows she cared a lot about his health and wanted to save him for his gold cups. He ran in one handicap chase (2001/2002 First National Gold Cup) where he failed only just by 1/2 length to give 20 lbs to the decent Wahiba Sands. Best Mate was the first horse to win the Gold Cup more than once since L'Escargot
L'Escargot (horse)
L'Escargot was a racehorse notable as being the horse who halted the winning run of Red Rum at the Aintree Grand National in 1975. L’Escargot was owned by Raymond R. Guest, and ridden by champion Irish jockey Tommy Carberry. He was trained by Dan Moore, and beat Red Rum by 15 lengths.He won as a...
in 1970 and 1971. As such it was a great performance by horse, trainer and rider.
EU regulations prevented the burial of his body on the Exeter course as Lewis and many racing fans desired. Instead Best Mate was cremated and his ashes buried beside the winning post at Cheltenham Racecourse
Cheltenham Racecourse
Cheltenham Racecourse is a racecourse for horse racing events, located at Prestbury Park, in the suburban village of Prestbury on the outskirts of the English town of Cheltenham, Gloucestershire...
on December 10, 2005. Lewis was in attendance even though his wife, Valerie, had died on December 8 after a 7 month battle against cancer. There is now a bronze statue in memory to Best Mate near the farm at which he was trained, in Lockinge.
As of 2008 Best Mate has one full brother still in racing, Cornish Rebel following the death of Inca Trail in 2007. Cornish Rebel, a very talented horse, is a former Grade 1 winner over hurdles and a former Scottish Grand National runner up but is quirky and does not have Best Mate's qualities.
At the Cheltenham Festival
Cheltenham Festival
The Cheltenham Festival is one of the most prestigious meetings in the National Hunt racing calendar in the United Kingdom, and has race prize money second only to the Grand National...
the following year, a statue of Best Mate was revealed. He was made one of the elite 12 on the Cheltenham Hall of Fame in March 2007. He has even had a DVD produced all about him, and like Alastair Down narrates: