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Cheltenham Gold Cup win for Best Mate

Best Mate, a horse who almost perished as a foal in the snow, joined the list of greats after a masterful victory in the Gold Cup.

Trainer Henrietta Knight described him:

“He floats over the ground and is the ultimate dream horse. He has always said: ‘Look at me, I can do it.”

Best mate fulfilled his early promise on the biggest stage under the masterful ride from Jim Culloty, the accountants son from Co Killaney, who clocked up the biggest win of his career.

Culloty forged an intuitive partnership with Best Mate and had him galloping sweetly on the inside of Commanche Court hurtling into the final fence.

They always had too many guns for the courageous Irish challenger, holding him by 1 3/4 lengths at the line.

After the race, Henrietta said: ” At the races I didn’t cry, but since I’ve come home and read some of the faxes and cards, that has brought tears to my eyes.

“It was so touching to read what people said about the horses and us. I couldn’t believe we’d got so many friends who would want to bother to write to us. It also showed us what an amazing following Best Mate’s got. He has definitely captured the imagination of the public.”

Visit the site everyday from now until 25 December for some more memorable sporting moments of 2002

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