Channel 402 Best Mate Time of our Lives - SKY

seems like yesterday.

Was at Chelt for his 3rd win, it was an amazing day and have never experienced an atmosphere like it.

Yeah, somehow seemed more joyful then though, perhaps because there was no consistent rival to him and so there was none of this sometimes vitriolic debate that surrounds Kauto/Denman.

same here i just hope kauto and denman get out in one piece

It was a sad day when Dessie died, but he had had a wonderful retirement and it was his time. When Matey went it was truly gut wrenching, it's horrible when we lose any horse on the track, but Matey seemed almost immortal, I spent the day in shock. What a horse, I watched his 3rd GC from the winners enclosure on the big screen, so sure was I that he would do it and I needed to be in pole position when they brought him in. It was just the greatest day.

I was there for all 3 wins and the time will never be bettered in racing for me ... that was my finest hour in racing as well as Best Mate's giving me my biggest win ever. Had so much confidence in the horse could have the house on him when it mattered something I couldnt say for Kauto (jumping) and Denman.

No way would Best Mate not be favourite for the Gold Cup this year after his first win you couldnt get 5s him nowhere near. And yes I rate Florida Pearl King George winner higher than Imperial Commander also 5s.

Easy over the Gold Cup with Denman setting a very strong pace up front. Matey travelling off his lead jumping beautifully, Kauto not able to travel within himself as normal lacks fluency on this undulating track and when the need for stamina kicks in Ruby starts rowing. Over the last it is the great unknown whether Best Mate would go past the formidable Denman ridden to his strengths. I think he would on good ground Matey was never fully tested in a Gold Cup. On dead or soft ground Denman would prevail. The perfect race to bring out the best in these 2 all-time great stayers.

Easy over the King George trip with Kauto and Best Mate cruising the whole way, Denman mistakes and struggling with this speed track drops back, 2 out Kauto displays more speed than Matey as these 2 KG winners dual it out. but Kauto shows the better speed and goes three or four lengths clear.

Kauto v Denman v Best Mate

=

Kauto and Denman dominating the finish with Best Mate hopelessly outpaced 10 lengths back in third.

Was just trying to wind up eric_morris tbh [:p]. But I do think Kauto and Denman are different gear to Best Mate.

If only we could bet on it we would see who would be laughing then

It isnt rocket science to see Best Mate was exceptional at Cheltenham and elsewhere but he got the 3m 2f extremely well off a strong pace, Kauto doesnt and we know he is the best jumper most of us have seen while Kauto is an unbalanced horse who we know hits a fence every other race and struggles to handle Cheltenhams undulations blundering or falling on several occasions there.

At up to 3 miles my money would be on Kauto at other tracks but in a Gold Cup I would have my biggest ever bet on Matey against Kauto and Dessie and would collect. The stronger the pace in the race the better. I have collected on all 3 in a Gold Cup to 4 or 5 figures so have hhad to consider them in detail for this race successfully before. The disappointing thing is I wouldnt get a price Matey because in reality gobsh1tes like TD Gunner know all of this and wouldnt be so brave to offer a good price Matey if it happened.

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Can we add this to the aftertimers thread Eric

ha ha totally relaxed here, it is normally the angry ones who try to imply someone else is angry if they have no answer

Now who is wound up?

That isnt anger that is an observation.

Best Mate didnt like dead ground you would know that if you knew anything about him ... re the Sir Rembrandt, Harbour pilot race.

Turpin Green on good ground would have been beaten way further than 5 lengths by Best Mate, shame i cant get my money on these forecasts

We will disagree on that other than Denman would have loved the ground in Best Mates 3rd Gold Cup, Matey hated it and was probably on the decline by then anyway he had won 3 Gold Cups and was getting on, as we will see with Kauto soon and maybe have already seen with Denman. Surprised you didnt know he hated dead ground. Nothing I have seen would have beaten Best Mate in his 2nd Gold Cup when they new in the race for the first time that he got the trip and he was ridden accordingly unlike the previous year when he was purposefully held onto and delivered very late for pace to make sure he got home.

LOL Kirkybabes

They took the hard option and took on a peak form Beef Or Salmon on his home turf and totally demolished them.

Thats ok if you think that Beef was in PEAK form that day and was a inferior horse to Le Coundray(what was his rating btw??)

Ha ha he got an amazing round of applause in Ireland after that demolition job as they saw a great horse that day unlike a bitter punter like you who'd done his gonads on him trying to get him beat so often.

Well i suppose he beat a 170 horses about 8l, stick to the bluster Kirky, and as usual , ignore the Content