Best Mate is different class, says Culloty
The immaculate gelding is now on target to emulate peerless Arkle by winning three Cheltenham Gold Cups in a row.
“I was never out of a canter, he jumped great and never gave me an anxious moment,” reported Culloty.
Henrietta Knight faced criticism in England for her decision to by-pass the King George at Kempton, a course which has never suited Best Mate. But she won that race anyway with Edredon Bleu and yesterday’s stylish performance by her stable star ustified the decision.
In truth, Best Mate cantered over his rivals and is simply head and shoulders above every chaser in these islands.
The mistake-prone Batman Senora and Colonel Braxton carried them along, until Colonel Braxton made the long surge heading to the eighth from home.
Best Mate was soon in the leader’s slipstream, with Culloty sitting motionless and oozing confidence. Colonel Braxton tried his heart out, but next to this Rolls Royce of a horse looked a mere plodder.
Culloty nudged Best Mate through on the inside of Colonel Braxton off the home turn and the packed stands erupted.
Best Mate was clear in a matter of strides and threw a typically mighty leap over the last to stretch nine lengths clear of Le Coudray, who was running the race of his life over fences.
Cashmans reacted by tightening Best Mate to 5-4 for the Gold Cup, from 13-8, with Ladbrokes offering 5-4 from 7-4. Grahams were even more impressed, making him evens from 6-4.
“He’s an Irish horse (started life with Tom Costello in Co Clare) and it is wonderful he has come home”, commented a clearly delighted, and relieved Ms Knight.
She admitted, as usual, to not watching the race. “I wandered round the car-parks and listened to the commentary. I didn’t go into the loo, I like fresh air.
“I never said he was as good as Arkle, but he’s some horse and is definitely the best around,” she said.
“Of course there were questions in your head after he got beaten at Huntingdon. Was he as good as ever?
Certainly, he was at home.
“I was never fearful of the ground. I had former jockey, Franny Woods, walking the track for me for the past two weeks. I trusted him. I was a little concerned when it rained on Boxing Day, but it was perfect.
Knight confirmed it will now be straight to Cheltenham.
Best Mate and Culloty came back to an extraordinary reception. Indeed, you could be forgiven for thinking it was a home-trained winner and Culloty, milked the moment for all it was worth.
Popular owner, Jim Lewis, was in full flow in the winner’s enclosure. Quipped Lewis: “A mate (no pun intended, one suspected) rang me over Christmas and said there are lucky people in this world, very lucky people and then there’s Jim Lewis.
“When Beef Or Salmon fell at Cheltenham in March, 30,000 Irish people cheered my horse home. That’s why I came here today and hope to be back next year.”
Big disappoinment of the contest was Beef Or Salmon as all his old failings came back to haunt him. He got a crack from Timmy Murphy before the sixth, got another heading to the eighth from home and, generally, his rider was never happy.
Paddy Power, who go evens Best Mate for the Gold Cup, make Beef Or Salmon a 10-1 shot.
Cashmans, however, thumped him out to 16-1 from 7’s. Ladbrokes went 12’s.
Murphy reported to the stewards that the horse had gurgled in running.
“I am very disappointed, there must be something wrong”, said Michael Hourigan.
Beef Or Salmon will now be scoped, so something may show up in the next day or two.
Finally, the Ericsson saw the bookmakers hold an all-time record amount of money for a race in this country.
No less than 950,133 landed in the satchels.
However, with Best Mate a huge order on track, the layers only had it in their keeping for a short time!
