Best Mate – The Legend

£49.50

Best Mate won the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 2002, 2003 and 2004 with jockey Jim Culloty, matching the record of Arkle, but was withdrawn from the 2005 race just eight days before the race itself having burst a blood vessel on the gallops. He also missed the 2001 festival due to the foot and mouth crisis where he was the hot favourite for the Arkle Challenge Trophy. He also won the 2002 King George VI Chase and the 2003 Ericsson Chase.

Best Mate collapsed and died of a suspected heart attack after being pulled up by jockey Paul Carberry whilst competing in the William Hill Haldon Gold Cup at Exeter Racecourse on November 1, 2005. After the jockey had dismounted, the horse stumbled and went onto his knees. Best Mate’s death was immediately headline news, with his last moments being enlarged and viewed on newspapers all over the country. The horse was owned by Jim Lewis and trained by Henrietta Knight.
Published in a single limited edition of only 650 worldwide, each print is individually numbered and signed by Peter Deighan, and comes with a Certificate of Authenticity signed by the artist.

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