Information AboutBest Mate |
| CATEGORIES ABOUT BEST MATE | |
| 1995 racehorse births | |
| 2005 racehorse deaths | |
| thoroughbred racehorses | |
| racehorses trained in great britain | |
| racehorses bred in ireland | |
| national hunt racehorses | |
| best mate | |
|
The horse was owned by Jim Lewis and trained by Henrietta Knight and three times champion jump jockey Terry Biddlecombe . 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won the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 2002 , 2003 and 2004 with jockey Jim Culloty , matching the record of Arkle , but was withdrawn from the 2005 race eight days before the race itself having burst a blood vessel on the gallops.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, so it is not inconcievable that he could have won five gold cups. 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 on November 1, 2005. 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. {Link without Title} EXTERNAL LINK |
|
|