Best Mate would have been 20 years old today.

crikes, tempus fugit.A great, and beloved horse.

A very sad day

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.

In a DVD about him, Alastair Down narrates:

A horse, up a gallop. But not just any horse. This one, a three-time Cheltenham Gold Cup winner, and in the process of establishing his pre-eminence, became one of those rare animals who get under our skin, and graduate to being public property. Many promise, but few deliver as Best Mate did.

Never fell at a fence or a hurdle.

I was at Cheltenham to see him win his third Gold Cup, never have I heard a roar like it before in all my days racing when he got home. Forever etched in my memory that day.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZQhrccZKNw

That was an outstanding jump at the second last, it won him the race.

my fav horse the wife bought me anoil portrait of him, when he won at 13 to 8 ish i was stood next to  barry dennis joint and steve claridge had 8 grand in pink bank bags in his hand , handed it over as though it was his last 8 grand in the world,when he came to get his winnings he was shaking and a funny grey colour, ,

Saw all 3 of his GC wins, and earlier placed in the Supreme Novices. Quite an animal.

One of my favourite horses. On a visit to Hen Knight's I got a picture taken with him leaning out of his box, and as the person went to take it he turned and went to lick my ear - have the pic as my twitter image, getting a kiss from a triple Gold Cup winner. Beautiful, a treasured pic.

Was also the last leg of a huge 2003 Cheltenham treble which won me enough to get out of renting a room in someone's house and put down a deposit on my own house so will always be grateful to him. He hosed up that year. Was in tears before he'd even got to the last.

Have a statue of him on the mantelpiece and a pic of him on the wall.

RIP fella, and happy birthday.

I was there on his third Gold cup as well Slippy. I backed Sir Rembrandt (40/1) and told all my mates to as well.

Jumping the last he was a few lengths down but staying on like a demon.... I was only 18 years old and my £20 e/w would have been worth a lot to me then but something strange happened. I felt myself cheering on Best Mate. The roar was something I've never heard at a racecourse.

I was working for Corals the day he died at Exeter. I was in a bit of a mess and my dear friend sent me home. A kind action that I've always remembered.

I was also there for his 3rd Gold Cup, the last Cheltenham that my Dad attended he died 7 weeks later. He loved Best Mate.

Good to see tributes on here for one of our favourite horses. I cried the day he died. He never gets the credit he deserved

Best Mate, One Man, Ten Plus, Monsieur Le Cure - 4 GC runners who lost their lives on the track, 2 in the GC & just off the top of my head. Sure there are many more. Brutal sport that exacts a deadly toll

I was there for all three of his GC wins and yes agree the roar when he came up the hill was just unreal

It was a special day for me. Like RTB, he was the 3rd leg of a large antepost treble (along with Moscow Flyer, Baracouda) - was my biggest win up to that point in time.

To cap the day off, I then had the next 4 winners on the trot, Kingscliff, Palarshan, La Landiere and Spirit Leader to finish the day with 6 winners.

My only loser that day was Well Chief, which came second in the opening race.

Think his price drifted out to some daft price like
10 or 12-1 someone knew he wasn't right that day.

sad day

I backed Sir Rembrandt (40/1) and told all my mates to as well.

Bad place return on the tote for a rag, it was only £4.90p

yes happy memories of a great horse i was on his 3 wins always has aplace in my heart

I was there too, but I didn't back him nor did I have 5/6 winners or get the placepot or jackpot