Cheltenham Gold Cup 2002

After a 12-month hiatus due to a full-blown epidemic of foot-and-mouth disease in the United Kingdom, the Cheltenham Gold Cup returned in 2002. Indeed, while no-one realised it at the time, the 2002 renewal heralded the start of a new era of domination by Best Mate, who would eventually become just the fourth horse in the history of the Gold Cup – after Golden Miller, Cottage Rake and Arkle – to win the race three times or more.

The 2002 Cheltenham Gold Cup featured 18 runners, the largest field since 1982, including the two most recent winners, Looks Like Trouble and See More Business. The fomer was sent off 9/2 favourite, but, having made much of the running, weakened from three out to finish tailed-off last of the 13 finishers. The latter, on the other hand, belied odds of 40/1 to finish a creditable third, beaten 9¾ lengths by the winner, after being outpaced on the run-in.

Trained by Henrietta Knight and ridden by Jim Culloty, Best Mate had been narrowly beaten by Florida Pearl in the King George VI Chase at Kempton on his first attempt over three miles and was stepping up another two-and-a-half furlongs at Cheltenham. Nevertheless, the seven-year-old was noted travelling very strongly on the heels of the leaders approaching the final open ditch and, having quickened ahead at the final fence, ran on well to beat the former Irish grand National winner Commanche Court, trained by Ted Walsh and ridden by his son, Ruby, by 1¾ lengths.

A delighted Henrietta Knight said afterwards, “I’ve always said he was the perfect racehorse, so I knew he’d stay three miles plus. Jim [Culloty] gave him a super ride, always in the right place. “