BEST MATE (IRE)   10-y-o (28 Jan 1995) b g

Current Owner: Jim Lewis

Un Desperado(FR) (10.9f) - Katday(FR) (Miller's Mate(12.7f))

Current Trainer: Miss H C Knight

Breeder: Jacques Van't Hart

DATE

RACE CONDITIONS

WGT

RACE OUTCOME

JOCKEY

OR

TS

RPR

01Nov05

Exe

18GS

A

G2HcCh,37K

11-10

PU/11

78L, Monkerhostin[12/1] 10-5

P Carberry

164

—

—

28Dec04

Leo

24Sft/Hy

G1Ch,68K

11-12

2/6

7L, Beef Or Salmon[9/10F] 11-12

J Culloty

—

86

166

19Nov04

Exe

24Gd

B

Ch,37K

11-10

1/4

shd, Seebald[4/7F] 11-6

T J Murphy

175

127

164

18Mar04

Chl

27Gd

A

G1Ch,203K

11-10

1/10

½L, Sir Rembrandt[8/11F] 11-10

J Culloty

175

165

174

28Dec03

Leo

24Y/Sft

G1Ch,63K

11-12

1/8

9L, Le Coudray[8/11F] 11-12

J Culloty

—

153

172

22Nov03

Hun

21GS

A

G2Ch,29K

11-10

2/6

8L, Jair Du Cochet[8/13F] 11-5

J Culloty

175

2

162

13Mar03

Chl

27Gd

A

G1Ch,203K

12-0

1/15

10L, Truckers Tavern[13/8F] 12-0

J Culloty

170

168

178

26Dec02

Kem

24Sft

A

G1Ch,87K

11-10

1/10

1½L, Marlborough[11/8F] 11-10

A P McCoy

170

166

173

23Nov02

Hun

21GS

A

G2Ch,32K

11-10

1/5

8L, Douze Douze[8/15F] 11-0

J Culloty

170

158

171

14Mar02

Chl

27Gd

A

G1Ch,174K

12-0

1/18

1¾L, Commanche Court[7/1] 12-0

J Culloty

169

113

176

26Dec01

Kem

24Gd

A

G1Ch,87K

11-10

2/8

¾L, Florida Pearl[5/2] 11-10

A P McCoy

169

151

172

24Nov01

Asc

20Gd

A

G2HcCh,30K

11-10

2/4

½L, Wahiba Sands[8/13F] 10-4

J Culloty

169

139

172

06Nov01

Exe

18GF

A

G2HcCh,21K

10-12

1/4

20L, Desert Mountain[8/13F] 10-13

J Culloty

157

146

172

07Apr01

Ain

20Hy

A

G1H,71K

11-7

2/8

14L, Barton[3/1F] 11-7

J Culloty

—

111

155

03Feb01

San

21Hy

A

G1NvCh,24K

11-6

1/8

13L, Crocadee[5/4F] 11-6

J Culloty

—

165

167

12Nov00

Chl

16GS

A

G2NvCh,15K

11-4

1/6

18L, Fatehalkhair[8/13F] 11-0

J Culloty

—

162

156

17Oct00

Exe

18Gd

D

NvCh,3K

11-0

1/7

2½L, Bindaree[1/2F] 11-6

J Culloty

—

133

151

07Apr00

Ain

20Gd

A

G2NvH,21K

11-1

1/5

2½L, Copeland[4/11F] 11-6

J Culloty

154

91

146

14Mar00

Chl

17Gd

A

G1NvH,46K

11-8

2/15

¾L, Sausalito Bay[6/1] 11-8

J Culloty

143

126

146

08Jan00

San

17Sft

A

G1H,16K

11-7

2/6

2½L, Monsignor[4/1] 11-7

J Culloty

—

150

150

03Dec99

San

17GS

D

NvH,3K

11-0

1/8

10L, Rosco[5/4F] 11-0

J Culloty

—

115

137

14Nov99

Chl

17Gd

B

4-6yNHF,7K

11-0

1/10

¾L, Hard To Start[10/1] 10-11

J Culloty

—

98

133

Details of horses trained outside GB and Ireland or born prior to 1986 may be incomplete.

QUOTES

19 Nov 2004

Exeter (24G,RPR164)

He was very, very fit for this time of the year, but he always improves. Timmy said he didn’t want to ask him for extravagant leaps on his first run of the season. I favour Ireland as I’m still not a fan of Best Mate at Kempton - Henrietta Knight

18 Mar 2004

Cheltenham (27G,RPR174)

We said beforehand that the only safe way was down the inside, because down the middle was cut up last year and there was no grass on it. We had to take the gamble,and at times I wasn't getting the best of runs. Everybody was saying it was a steering job, but it was a Gold Cup and there is no quarter given. - Jim Culloty; I really was ready to lose because the dream has to come to an end one day. It was tight in the end, but it's not the greatest ground for him. But what we saw today is that he is an amazing jumper. - Jim Lewis

13 Mar 2003

Cheltenham (27G,RPR178)

Best Mate's not just one in a million, he's one in several million. He's a horse in a lifetime. Such an athlete with such a wonderful, effortless action. He's good for racing too. They were tough on these type of horses in the old days but I'm afraid you won't get much variety from us. He won't run again until next season. He'll start off at Exeter or Huntingdon, then go to Kempton, then here. I'm afraid you won't get much variety. This what we want. - Henrietta Knight.

14 Mar 2002

Cheltenham (27G,RPR176)

He has the right attitude. He does everything with ease. Even in his point-to-points he just floated when he was up to his knees in mud. My only doubt was that it might come a year too soon because it is only his second year chasing. I was worried we could be asking too much too soon, but he's answered every question to date - Henrietta Knight; Coming up the inside wasn't how I planned it, but there were horses everywhere to the outside so I had to switch to the inner. I always knew I had enough horse under me to catch the leaders. You couldn't say he would get the trip until he tried it, but he proved us right - Jim Culloty.

26 Dec 2001

Kempton (24G,RPR172)

I haven't seen it yet (video), but it is very clear from what happened that he stays three miles. There can be no shadow of a doubt about that now, and Tony said that if he had known beforehand that he could stay as well as he did, he would have made more use of him. That knocks the Cathcart on the head - Henrietta Knight.

07 Apr 2001

Aintree (20V,RPR155)

"He just stayed on at one pace, but it was a good performance and he's a very tough. He may go to Sandown or otherwise have a holiday, btu I think he's done enough for the season. He will step up in trip next season."- Henrietta Knight; "Best Mate is a tough cookie. It's very testing out there, and Jim Culloty said the horse was going up to his knees in some places."- Jim Lewis

03 Feb 2001

Sandown (21V,RPR167)

He has a long way to go before he's anything like Arkle, but even he had to start somewhere. The amazing thing about this horse is that he seems to go on any ground and over any distance - he won a point over three miles and he's a future Gold Cup horse - Henrietta Knight

12 Nov 2000

Cheltenham (16D,RPR156)

"He was just getting complacent and dropped his hind legs in the ditch, but Jim (Culloty) gave him time to recover and get balanced again starting down the hill." - Terry Biddlecombe, Henrietta Knight's husband; "This horse really does think he's Arkle although that's a bit unfair on Arkle. He has a lovely temperament and such an air about him. If all goes well and he gets the luck, I think he can go right to the top-he's a true athelete. He will have one more run before the Arkle, but I'm not sure at this stage whether we will give him a break now or not, as he's so well at the moment. But I suspect we'll do the same as Edredon Bleu, in that we'll give him a rest and bring him back for a run six weeks before the Festival. he goes on any ground and any distance. It's the Arkle this year and the Gold Cup next year." - Henrietta Knight

17 Oct 2000

Exeter (18G,RPR151)

Just look at him. He thinks he's Arkle, even if he isn't yet. He's a super horse, there's no other word for it. He's got class and he knows it, but he's sensible too. Jim (Culloty) said he was brilliant and they couldn't go quick enough for him in the early stages. It's no good asking where he'll go next, but I think he could go any pace over any distance. He's got plenty of speed, but he's already won over two and a half miles. He's very special. Probably the best we've had so far. - Henrietta Knight

07 Apr 2000

Aintree (20G,RPR146)

Trainer Henrietta Knight, confirming that Best Mate's hurdling days are now over, said: "He will be going straight out in a field next and will go novice chasing next season. He is one of the best jumpers of fences we have ever had at home, so it could be he was not at his best jumping hurdles."

14 Mar 2000

Cheltenham (17G,RPR146)

He could be a very exciting horse for the future. He's got a fantastic temperament - nothing fazes him - Henrietta Knight

08 Jan 2000

Sandown (17S,RPR150)

He's run a cracking race-he's only five and this was just his third race. I do think he's a very good horse, and he might just prefer slightly better ground. - Henrietta Knight

03 Dec 1999

Sandown (17D,RPR137)

I think he's probably very good. He's only a four-year-old and he might be something a bit special. - Henrietta Knight

14 Nov 1999

Cheltenham (17G,RPR133)

He's a bit special. Terry and I adored him when we saw him win a point-to-point in Ireland, and we were determined to have him - Henrietta Knight.