Blazer handed Mate's box

Red Blazer, one of Henrietta Knight’s favourite horses, will fill the box left empty by Best Mate at her West Lockinge stables.

Winner of the Cheltenham Gold Cup between 2002-2004, Best Mate collapsed and died of a suspected heart attack after being pulled up on his reappearance in the William Hill Haldon Gold Cup at Exeter on Tuesday.

His stable will now be occupied by 14-year-old Red Blazer, who Knight saddled to nine successes from 27 starts and who was retired after coming home last in a chase at Kempton in February 2003.

“Hen has decided to put old Red Blazer – her favourite horse – in his stable and she has been amazing about it all,” Knight’s husband and assistant trainer Terry Biddlecombe told At The Races.

“Henrietta was very reserved after the race and it all come over very well, especially for the public.

“It was a great loss for Jim Lewis, who didn’t take it very well which is understandable, but I made it my pact that I wouldn’t get upset or anything like that.

“I have got to be strong for Hen – somebody has to.”

Reflecting on Tuesday’s tragic events, Biddlecombe said: “Things like that happened to me as a jockey and unforeseen things do happen.

“He looked so well, I don’t think he had ever looked so well, and he just collapsed and that was it.

“He had been in the yard for years and you go past his box every morning and you miss him, as he used to nay and bang the door.”

Channel 4 will pay tribute to Best Mate with Saturday’s edition of The Morning Line showing a celebration of his achievements.

“Everyone on the Channel 4 team wants to give Best Mate the tribute he so rightly deserves,” said Denise Large, director of Channel 4 Racing.

“He was a magnificent horse, whose successes, including his historical three Cheltenham Gold Cup wins, were captured by Channel 4 cameras.

“We have built up an incredible archive on Best Mate – every year prior to the Festival, Channel 4 would send a crew to film his preparation for the Gold Cup.

“In 2004, we decided to take our outside broadcast cameras to Henrietta Knight’s yard and devote a whole Morning Line to Best Mate. He is part of racing history and we were pleased to be part of that.

“He was a wonderful horse and our thoughts go out to Jim and Valerie Lewis, Henrietta and Terry, and Jackie Jenner plus everyone surrounding him.”

French racing will also honour Best Mate by renaming Sunday’s Tierce Handicap at Auteuil’s new winter jumps festival as the Prix Best Mate.