Best Mate wowed his adoring public with a heroic display to win the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup for the third consecutive year to emulate the legendary Arkle.

Forced to fight tooth and nail for his place in the history books, he gave his all under Jim Culloty to hold the determined challenges of Sir Rembrandt and Harbour Pilot.

After the defeats of the other popular reigning champions Rooster Booster, Moscow Flyer and Baracouda earlier at the Festival, Best Mate's success restored punters' faith.

And it prompted a stampede as racegoers flocked to the winner's enclosure to welcome home their champion.

It was nothing less than the nine-year-old - already a best-priced 9-4 with Coral to secure a fourth win next year - deserved.

Thierry Doumen on First Gold set out to sort the men from the boys in the early stages as he cut out a gallop which seemed to go faster as the race went on.

The likes of Truckers Tavern, Irish Hussar and novice Therealbandit were unable to get into contention, the last-named's chance being hindered by some messy jumping.

As First Gold started to tire, the pack closed in around the home turn with Best Mate, who had not touched a twig, going strongly on the inside rail.

But just when Culloty needed running room there was none, Paul Carberry on Harbour Pilot hemming Best Mate in behind First Gold around the bend and costing the winner important momentum as he momentarily lost his footing.

Culloty, however, remained cool.

With a flick of the reins, he switched Best Mate around the outside of Harbour Pilot and finding exactly the stride he needed, went into the lead in mid-air over the second-last fence.

Still the race was not over as Harbour Pilot and Carberry refused to go down without a fight and tried to regain the advantage.

Realising that now was not the time for heroics, Culloty chose to change tactics, kept it short and simple over the last, and asked his mount for everything on the run-in.

Now it was the turn of Sir Rembrandt to make his challenge as he gained ground all the way to the line under Andrew Thornton.

But this was not a dream that was about to be shattered and the winning post came half a length in time for the 8-11 favourite.

The celebrations, led by Best Mate's charming owner Jim Lewis, started straight away.

Sir Rembrandt (33-1), running the race of his life, finished a further length and a quarter ahead of 20-1 chance Harbour Pilot, who was third for the second year running.

Beef Or Salmon ran a fine race to finish on the heels of the front three without ever getting in a blow, with First Gold far from disgraced in fifth.

For Best Mate's supporters, nothing short of victory would possibly have been good enough.

And his trainer Henrietta Knight was the first to admit that the weight of expectation had been felt squarely on her shoulders.

"It is an immense relief," she said. "Just listen to the crowd - this is a horse who has been taken over by the country and I couldn't bear the thought of letting everybody down.

"I just feel so drained by it all. The pressure was unbelievable, and now it's over.

"He is such a tough horse, so competitive, and Jim gave him such a tremendous ride. He was a really cool customer out there."

Rain throughout the day had only served to raise Knight's fears, she admitted.

"I went out to walk the course after the Triumph because it had looked softer than I had been expecting," she said.

"Terry (Biddlecombe) and I agreed that there was a strip on the inside - about two horse-widths - that was quicker because it was fresh ground, and we knew that was where we had to go.

"But it hardly helped to calm my nerves.

"I have got two files at home filled with 'good luck' cards for today's race and another lot came this morning - we have probably had about 7-800 of them.

"I got at least 500 letters after he won last year and I tried to reply to them all, but it is becoming a real task now. You could fill a marquee with all of the shamrocks, four-leaf clovers and lucky heather I get. It's the children's pictures that I like the most."

Culloty had tried to put any pressure he felt to the back of his mind.

"People kept telling me about how we were going to make history, but 'history is history', I kept thinking to myself," said the jockey.

"The ground was softer than ideal but it went perfectly most of the way.

"It looked like I was going well before two out but I knew I was only all right, and that I was never going to sprout wings.

"I wanted a run around the bend, but Paul held me in, which he was entitled to do.

"I would have done the same in his situation because they all knew that I was going to be the one to beat. You can't go out there a be a perfect gentleman and say 'After you, sir'. There was no quarter given, but I knew that would be the case.

"When I got a run he picked up brilliantly and jumped into the lead. Then coming to the last I just wanted him to pop it. As we all know, it's better to do that than go for a big one when it isn't there and turn over.

"He wasn't stopping on the run-in, no more than you would expect after three miles in soft ground.

"We knew he had all the class and the ability, but what he showed today was that he has got sheer guts - he's got the bottle as well."

If there was any bad news for Best Mate's fan club it came when Knight confirmed that the gelding is now unlikely to be seen again until next season.

When Jim Lewis dared to suggest a trip to Punchestown as a possibility, Knight immediately countered: "He has had a hard race today, Jim!

"Everyone keeps telling me I ought to run him more often, but horses only have limited mileage and you can't go to the well too often.

"Why should we run him in handicaps? What have we got to prove? Arkle was a great horse and Best Mate is a very good horse - he's the best there is. He's won three Gold Cups and he'll be back next year to try and make it four.

"Look at the other horses in the race today - how many times have they raced this season? Most of them are the same as us. If you have a horse like Best Mate, you don't race him more than you have to.

"I'm not saying that is why Rooster Booster and Baracouda got beaten. But they both had to carry big weights in big handicaps before they came to Cheltenham and I bet you they were both still feeling it.

"Today is the day to get him right, the race that really matters. And that's what we have done."

Lewis, who first decided to send a horse to Knight after reading an article about her in The Tatler, paid tribute to the trainer and husband Terry Biddlecombe. "What a team we have got here," he beamed.

He revealed that his lucky overcoat only arrived at the track with 20 minutes to spare after he accidentally wore the wrong one to the races.

"We've got a brilliant jockey with so much experience and tactical knowledge, and a biologist who understands everything about her horses and knows how to get the best out of them," he added.

"I was ready to lose today and it will happen one day, but Jim got out of jail and our dream lives on for a bit longer."