Dramatic win for Best Mate
The triple Gold Cup hero started his campaign for a fourth Cheltenham victory in the William Hill Chase, a race specially framed to attract the popular champion.
Both the sponsors and the track had their wishes granted as a record crowd packed into the rural track to see Best Mate scrape home by a short head from Seebald in a photo-finish.
With regular rider Jim Culloty on the sidelines through injury, it was left to substitute Timmy Murphy to do the steering.
And Murphy did all that was required as he gave Best Mate a ride that his trainer Henrietta Knight described as “a typical Timmy Murphy”.
Sir Rembrandt, runner-up in last season’s Gold Cup, set the early pace as Best Mate settled quickly into his rhythm in second place, with Seebald third and Frenchman’s Creek held up last of the four runners.
The order remained unchanged until after the ninth fence, an open ditch, at which Sir Rembrandt, who had never before run at a right-handed track, made a blunder from which he never seemed able to recover.
He jumped out to his left at every fence for the remainder of the race.
Murphy took the error as a signal to send Best Mate into the lead, but Tom Scudamore on Seebald followed closely behind.
Quickening the pace aboard the 4-7 favourite, Murphy tried to shake off his challenger from the front but a messy jump at the second-last fence allowed Seebald to get closer.
Now at full stretch, the pair jumped the final fence in unison and Best Mate was clearly if narrowly headed 100 yards from the finish.
But rallying bravely in the very last strides, Best Mate got back up to give the crowd the victory they desperately wanted by the narrowest margin.
Frenchman’s Creek, having his first start since April 2002, was 16 lengths away in third.
With this victory, Best Mate took his career statistics to 14 victories and six second places in his 20 starts and his total prizemoney earnings over the £1million mark.
“I watched the race from some bushes, so I can’t really tell you how I felt the race went. I saw their backsides going past and that was about it,” said Best Mate’s trainer Henrietta Knight as she returned to the winner’s enclosure from her hiding point.
“But we didn’t want to do too much on his first run of the season and it sounds like it was a typical Timmy Murphy ride.
“The ground was a bit dead, possibly a little bit softer than they are saying, and it is just a relief to get it behind us.”
“From what I saw he jumped very well. He is a very economical jumper who never takes a lot out of himself over his fences.
“And there’s always improvement to come from his first run of the season. He came on a lot last year before going to Ireland.”
“It was close in the end, but what a fantastic experience,” said Murphy.
“It was a muddling race as there wasn’t a lot of pace on early, but his jumping was beautiful and I can’t ask for more.
“I have to say I was surprised Sir Rembrandt didn’t gallop off in the lead faster than he did. That said, he never jumped and wasn’t ever a danger.
“The ground was as good as you could hope for, but it was still a bit more dead than Best Mate would have liked. He didn’t have a hard race - my style of riding is a little more forgiving than most - and it really was a great introduction for him.”
He added: “People may say Best Mate should have won more easily, but I assure you Seebald is no slouch.
“Best Mate was giving him weight and Seebald already had a good run under his belt this season. “
“It was fantastic, but don’t ask me to compare Best Mate with Beef Or Salmon!”
Reaction among the bookmakers was mixed, with Ladbrokes pushing Best Mate out to 5-2 to land a fourth Gold Cup next March, the same price as Cashmans.
In contrast, Paddy Power remain 2-1 about the nine-year-old and William Hill and Victor Chandler offer just 7-4, the latter firm actually cutting Best Mate’s price from 2-1.
Paddy Power offer 6-4 about Best Mate winning the Lexus Chase.
Jim Culloty, who saw the race unfold with the BBC television presenters at Windsor, said: “To be honest, I thought it would be a walk in the park for him today, but I would imagine the ground is riding deader than I expected.
“It was his first run since the last Gold Cup so he’s going to improve, but he was fit enough to do himself justice.”
