They roared him to the post and roared him up the hill.
The Cheltenham
crowd knew they were witnessing history and revelled in the moment.
Best
Mate is a triple Gold Cup winner.
He now sits alongside the likes of Arkle
and Golden Miller in the record books and people's hearts.
But this wasn't
a jaw dropping display of supremacy, we found something new out about our
hero.
Best Mate is brave.
He had to be, especially after Paul Carberry and
Harbour Pilot decided not to allow him the luxury of a free run to the
second last.
The Irishman was right to deny Culloty his preferred route
but crucially his rival pilot didn't panic.
He switched his partner, who
picked up, and jumping the penultimate fence the dream was alive
again.
But this was different. He wasn't on the bridle, he wasn't clear
and Harbour Pilot had not thrown in the towel.
Culloty had to get serious,
he raised the whip before the last, at which point Henrietta Knight feared
the worst.
She needn't have. Best Mate gathered himself together for a
final, lung-bursting, thrust to the line.
Sir Rembrandt's late charge was
too not enough, history was made.
Again the formbook will tell us this is
not a special performance, but for once let the heart rule the head and
savour the moment.
Racing needed a hero and Best Mate delivered.
To even
get a horse to the Gold Cup for three successive seasons is some
achievement, to win them incredible. Team Knight, an endearing bunch, take a
bow.
So must Culloty. His worst fears nearly came true turning for home
but he found the safest way out.
Even the Best Mate song seemed reasonably
tolerable as the rain poured down at Prestbury Park and the parties
began.
Best Mate isn't a new Arkle, but he is the best of his generation.
A fourth Gold Cup? Why not.
He has plenty of miles left on the clock but
this race did again show he doesn't have as much in hand of his
contemporaries as some believe.
Earlier on the card we saw another great
champion hand over his crown.
Iris' Gift almost beat the French star as a
novice 12 months ago.
He did this time.
Barry Gerraghty was magnificent on
the winner but even at the last it seemed Baracouda could reel him in.
He
tried, but visibly his heart was broken 150 yards from the post.
A new,
young champion began his reign.
Next year the Stayers' Hurdle will be the
feature race on the Thursday and racecourse executives should already be
crossing their fingers that the two main protagonists are back to lock horns
again.
For two successive years they have raised the roof.
So as the
racegoers dodge the showers, Best Mate begins his trip back to Wantage, job
done and history made.
Sport is about superstars, creating the feelgood
factor.
It is with pride that we can say we witnessed the 2004 Cheltenham
Gold Cup and the culmination of a tremendous journey.
Thanks Mate.
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