streety
01-11-2005, 03:14 PM
BEST MATE KILLED
Triple Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Best Mate has collapsed and died after his run in Tuesday's William Hill Haldon Gold Cup at Exeter.
The much-loved horse, trained by Henrietta Knight seemed to be in some distress after being pulled up by jockey Paul Carberry. But as he was being brought back to the course stables, he collapsed with a suspected heart attack and died.
Best Mate, who won the 2001, 2002 and 2003 Cheltenham Gold Cups had been ruled out of the 2004 race after suffering a burst blood vessel and the Exeter race marked his return to the track.
Under the guidance of Carberry for the first time after the retirement of Jim Culloty, he had been well-placed behind leader Ashley Brook early on.
But Carberry started to nudge the 10-year-old on as the leaders moved clear.
Knight's husband and assistant Terry Biddlecombe said: "Paul is a good jockey and he knew something was wrong. The only consolation is it was pretty instantaneous and he wouldn't have felt any pain."
It is terrible news for a horse that has won me lots of money over the years.
My thoughts are with his owner and trainer.
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/40971000/jpg/_40971350_bestmate203.jpg
RIP
Triple Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Best Mate has collapsed and died after his run in Tuesday's William Hill Haldon Gold Cup at Exeter.
The much-loved horse, trained by Henrietta Knight seemed to be in some distress after being pulled up by jockey Paul Carberry. But as he was being brought back to the course stables, he collapsed with a suspected heart attack and died.
Best Mate, who won the 2001, 2002 and 2003 Cheltenham Gold Cups had been ruled out of the 2004 race after suffering a burst blood vessel and the Exeter race marked his return to the track.
Under the guidance of Carberry for the first time after the retirement of Jim Culloty, he had been well-placed behind leader Ashley Brook early on.
But Carberry started to nudge the 10-year-old on as the leaders moved clear.
Knight's husband and assistant Terry Biddlecombe said: "Paul is a good jockey and he knew something was wrong. The only consolation is it was pretty instantaneous and he wouldn't have felt any pain."
It is terrible news for a horse that has won me lots of money over the years.
My thoughts are with his owner and trainer.
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/40971000/jpg/_40971350_bestmate203.jpg
RIP