Knight: We will miss Best Mate so much

Henrietta Knight paid tribute to the horse that “put my stable on the map” after triple Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Best Mate tragically collapsed and died of a suspected heart attack at Exeter yesterday.

Paul Carberry was aboard the 10-year-old in the William Hill Haldon Gold Cup and while the pair travelled smoothly during the first half of the race, he started to nudge along as the leaders moved clear.

Carberry began to ease the Jim Lewis-owned gelding in the home straight, eventually pulling him up, and screens were swiftly erected around him.

“I was actually on the track where he came down and I was the first one there. I knew immediately he had died,” Knight said.

“As I saw him go down I knew I was seeing a dead horse and I just wanted it to be over as quickly as possible.”

She continued: “I am very proud of him – he looked an absolute picture today on a course he loved. He was a joy to work with and a privilege to train.

“Obviously I am very sorry for the jockey and for Mr and Mrs Lewis, who are distraught.

“It is probably harder for a lot of people watching the race than it is for Terry (Biddlecombe) and I, as we are more used to this sort of thing happening.

“He was a very, very popular horse with a tremendous following and now there is a big vacuum.

“Even this morning he was getting good luck cards in the post – but I suppose we have all got to go one day and at least he didn’t do anything terrible like fall or break a leg.

“I suppose it is a relief he will never lose his unbeaten record in the Gold Cup now. I was dreading him going to Cheltenham and being beaten one day.

“It seems strange to think a few minutes ago I was watching him walk down to the start. He looked an absolute picture and I was so proud of him.

“He put my stable on the map and achieved something in winning three Gold Cups that probably none of us will ever see again.

“We will all miss him very much.”

Best Mate had been forced to miss an attempt at a fourth consecutive Gold Cup when he burst a blood vessel in his final workout before the big race.

He had not raced in public since finishing second in Ireland last Christmas, but connections had reported all had been well in preparations for his reappearance.

The horse was partnered in 1 of his 22 races by Jim Culloty, who told BBC Radio 5 Live: “The fact he was as good as he was, as honest as he was, and as consistent as he was, was why the public came to love him and deservedly so.

“Having a name like Best Mate helped too and he certainly put me on the map.

“I gave up riding a few months ago and my one regret was that I wasn’t going to be able to ride Best Mate any more.

“I was looking forward to following his career and I thought he had a couple more good years left in him – but it wasn’t meant to be.”

The Grade Two contest went to the Philip Hobbs-trained Monkerhostin (10-1), who romped away under Richard Johnson to a comfortable four-length success over Kauto Star.