I was fortunate to have a bet on Best Mate on each of these Gold Cup races. Money aside, his last Gold Cup was one of the best races I’ve ever seen and I was at Epsom to witness Shergar win the Derby. When Best Mate got boxed in, I didn’t think he would recover as he was bumped a lot. The jockey was amazing and changed gear, then found an opening. Truly wonderful win!
For anyone who read my other comment about best mate being the forgotten chaser of the century for a horse that won three gold cups it's had a top official rating of 164 compared to kautos 180 and a top racing post rating of 178 compared to racing posts 191 for kauto. So I'm supposed to believe that kauto was between a 12-16lb better horse than best mate?? Even denman had an official rating of 176 12 lengths better than best mate, were these horses really that much better or does a rating of 164 not do best mate justice?
Hard to judge . Kauto was exceptional besty turned up for the big races Henrietta knew he had to be raced lightly and denman at his peak beat kauto. However all that said I don't see either of those beating best mate in that second win at Cheltenham and that could also be backed up by best mate in that second run posted a faster time than both of kauto and denman wins, besty posed a 6.39.10 and kauto fastest was 6.40.46 , denman won in 6..47.48 . So in truth no denman wasn't in the class , kauto star was certainly closer to best mate but as good as he was he never came close to 3 in a row . Best mate was a special horse if it weren't for foot and mouth and him passing away we could be talking about a 5 time in a row gold cup winner and quite probably a 4 time winner that would be beating the greatest in arkle. The fact he won a king George considering how lightly he was raced was exceptional as well. Henrietta knew this horse inside out and trained him to perfection the same way henry cecil handled Frankel .
@@wayevs even if he had gone on to win 4 or 5 I still think he wouldn't have got the respect he deserved, we were lucky to have kauto and Denman at the same time so we didn't have to have that debate, we could actually watch them race, I think that was unique to have those two and a few good others around for those 4 or 5 years, but since those two no one's really dominated, they tried to make it long run when he won king George and gold cup but the truth is that we were spoiled during the kauto denman era, and comparing any before and after seems unfair, although to say that they were well over a stone better than best mate I can't have that, yeah best mate seemed to be turned out for the gold cup and maybe denman rating comes from the ridic handicaps he hacked up in off top weight and kautos king George wins, but head to head I can't see them running him into the ground by 15 odd lengths and like you say topspeed was much closer
Henrietta knight was a genius and so was terry,and how crazy that Best Mate died at Exeter race course,the course he made his debut on,you couldn’t make it up
Maybe the cleverest jumper i`ve ever seen, he wastes no energy getting over the fences. You hear jumping like a stag a lot in racing but that was never best mate, he was like a machine over fences, never stood off for a giant leap even when the jockey asked him too, he took his time and adjusted his feet so he would only need to use enough energy to get over, rubbing the top of the fence every time. Every jump trainers dream horse.
"This beautiful horse...." Yep, pretty much sums up it up ❤
I was fortunate to have a bet on Best Mate on each of these Gold Cup races. Money aside, his last Gold Cup was one of the best races I’ve ever seen and I was at Epsom to witness Shergar win the Derby.
When Best Mate got boxed in, I didn’t think he would recover as he was bumped a lot. The jockey was amazing and changed gear, then found an opening. Truly wonderful win!
Best Mate, the most beautiful chaser to watch over fences, so calm and sure footed, Really admire Henrietta Knight's training methods.
The Roar of that Cheltenham crowd really is something.
Goosepimples everytime . Loved that horse . Rip besty
A field of absolute jumping legends wow!!!!!
Best Mate just glided over fences. No wasting energy. Lovely calm horse. Never seemed to get bothered in a race and well handled by Culloty.
Can he hang on he's clinging on... Goosebumps everytime ❤️❤️ roll on Tuesday 👌👌🍻
Best jumper of a fence I've ever seen
Jump at second last the best I've seen
My favourite horse 3 gold cups
one of the best ever great great horse
Still my favourite horse till this day, still no horse has done what he has done, im just gutted for him that he did not get a chance for his forth!
Just brilliant
Three gold cups no horse can beat that
YES they did a horse called GOLDEN MILLER he won the CGC 5 times plus he also won the grand national in the same year,
My best mate Galopin can
Emotional stuff
Goosebumps
For anyone who read my other comment about best mate being the forgotten chaser of the century for a horse that won three gold cups it's had a top official rating of 164 compared to kautos 180 and a top racing post rating of 178 compared to racing posts 191 for kauto. So I'm supposed to believe that kauto was between a 12-16lb better horse than best mate??
Even denman had an official rating of 176 12 lengths better than best mate, were these horses really that much better or does a rating of 164 not do best mate justice?
Hard to judge . Kauto was exceptional besty turned up for the big races Henrietta knew he had to be raced lightly and denman at his peak beat kauto. However all that said I don't see either of those beating best mate in that second win at Cheltenham and that could also be backed up by best mate in that second run posted a faster time than both of kauto and denman wins, besty posed a 6.39.10 and kauto fastest was 6.40.46 , denman won in 6..47.48 . So in truth no denman wasn't in the class , kauto star was certainly closer to best mate but as good as he was he never came close to 3 in a row . Best mate was a special horse if it weren't for foot and mouth and him passing away we could be talking about a 5 time in a row gold cup winner and quite probably a 4 time winner that would be beating the greatest in arkle. The fact he won a king George considering how lightly he was raced was exceptional as well. Henrietta knew this horse inside out and trained him to perfection the same way henry cecil handled Frankel .
@@wayevs even if he had gone on to win 4 or 5 I still think he wouldn't have got the respect he deserved, we were lucky to have kauto and Denman at the same time so we didn't have to have that debate, we could actually watch them race, I think that was unique to have those two and a few good others around for those 4 or 5 years, but since those two no one's really dominated, they tried to make it long run when he won king George and gold cup but the truth is that we were spoiled during the kauto denman era, and comparing any before and after seems unfair, although to say that they were well over a stone better than best mate I can't have that, yeah best mate seemed to be turned out for the gold cup and maybe denman rating comes from the ridic handicaps he hacked up in off top weight and kautos king George wins, but head to head I can't see them running him into the ground by 15 odd lengths and like you say topspeed was much closer
♥♥EXCELLENT♥ZABARDAST♥♥
Henrietta knight was a genius and so was terry,and how crazy that Best Mate died at Exeter race course,the course he made his debut on,you couldn’t make it up
The best ever
Great memories
Maybe the cleverest jumper i`ve ever seen, he wastes no energy getting over the fences.
You hear jumping like a stag a lot in racing but that was never best mate, he was like a machine over fences, never stood off for a giant leap even when the jockey asked him too, he took his time and adjusted his feet so he would only need to use enough energy to get over, rubbing the top of the fence every time. Every jump trainers dream horse.
The best simply
Best mate was the best horse there was
GOLDEN MILLER 5 GOLD CUPS PLUS A GRAND NATIONAL IN THE SAME YEAR
Barbara dyson.we are talking about BEST MATE
3.53 look at his turn of foot
What happened to this race in 2004 if that had run best mate would have won very easy for fourth years running.
A very good horse but a great one? I don’t think so. 3 gold cup wins but only beat handicappers. He was merely the best of a very average generation
He was the best
Christ