Two Irish horses, Florida Pearl and Beef Or Salmon humbled Best Mate over three miles. I've always thought Best Mate grossly over-rated.I've nothing against the horse but the hype surrounding him was ridiculous. It takes some horse to win three Gold Cups, but the last three Gold Cup winners were as good as him if not better, they just found they had each other to beat while Best Mate had meeker competition and still always had a scrap on his hands. Who remembers Arkle scrapping up that hill?
i tipped florida when i saw him win the bumper aftrer xmas but i told a mate & he told everyone...shit myself when he drifetd from 3's to 6-1....but he hosed in ...always my fav
Florida Pearl was a cracking jumper, always a joy to watch and along with Exotic Dancer probably the best horse never to win a Gold Cup. Hope he's still happily hunting in retirement.
matey was a good horse,,,but if as biddlecome and co suggested he had been in Arkle's league he would have taken florida pearl he was deffo close enough....unlucky?..naa just not good enough on the day,,,florida pearl was a class act on a flat track...anyone got any of Imperial Call?..a true class act speed, stamina, briliant jumping the lot all in one :)
Well as far as I recall this was Mccoy's first ride on Best Mate and at this stage of his career they didnt know if he got 3 miles and was ridden as such . AP has said he would have ridden the horse to get the trip . His feeling was he would have won it , but thats racing
@bilkomax Read his autobiography he talks about it in detail he was the jockey that told them he didnt have as much speed as they first thought and that he would infact stay further. Of course it was Jim Culloty who got the ride in the gold cup but it was Mccoy who predicted the future.
Florida Pearl.The best horse ever not to win a gold cup.If cheltenham hadnt been cancelled that year i may not be saying this now.He was a wonderful horse
i dont think kempton played to best mates strength. if mccoy had ridden him the way he wanted to best mate would have won this race but knight was not sure whether he would stay or not. best mate was better suited to a true test of jumping and stamina like cheltenham
best horse was definetely the one that finished second.
henrietta knight told mccoy to hold up best mate as they werent sure he would stay 3 miles. if ridden more aggrssively would have beat florida pearl no problem
i disagree. best mate was such an athletic horse, a great jumper and had plenty of guts and class. its ashame we never saw more of him but all horses are different and winning 3gold cups is no mean feat.
and if Cheltenham had not been abandoned in 2001 Best Mate would have surely won the Arkle and perhaps ran in the 2002 Champion Chase rather than the Gold Cup. It's all what its.
i still think best mate would have went for the 2002 gold cup even if he would have won the previous years arkle by 30l. although connections werent sure exactly how far he would stay, they always regarded him as a future gold cup horse and his run in this king george confirmed him a 3 mile plus horse.
but whos to say for sure what would have happened if it werent for foot and mouth in 2001. one things for sure best mate was such a great horse.
yes thats true. i remember henrietta knight saying that they thought the 2002 gold cup might come too soon for best mate. maybe his run in the king george pushed them towards the gold cup and the rest as they say is history.
Two Irish horses, Florida Pearl and Beef Or Salmon humbled Best Mate over three miles. I've always thought Best Mate grossly over-rated.I've nothing against the horse but the hype surrounding him was ridiculous. It takes some horse to win three Gold Cups, but the last three Gold Cup winners were as good as him if not better, they just found they had each other to beat while Best Mate had meeker competition and still always had a scrap on his hands. Who remembers Arkle scrapping up that hill?
alipitogen 3 months ago
" He's got a fight on his hooves !" ... Briliant !
lurchdip0 11 months ago
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2 great horses
Damotf 1 year ago
i loved that horse. his greatest day
eoghanhp 1 year ago
i tipped florida when i saw him win the bumper aftrer xmas but i told a mate & he told everyone...shit myself when he drifetd from 3's to 6-1....but he hosed in ...always my fav
irishbraq 2 years ago
Florida Pearl was a cracking jumper, always a joy to watch and along with Exotic Dancer probably the best horse never to win a Gold Cup. Hope he's still happily hunting in retirement.
TheBlackHorse92 2 years ago
R.I.P Bachanal and Best Mate
dailystar1 2 years ago 2
matey was a good horse,,,but if as biddlecome and co suggested he had been in Arkle's league he would have taken florida pearl he was deffo close enough....unlucky?..naa just not good enough on the day,,,florida pearl was a class act on a flat track...anyone got any of Imperial Call?..a true class act speed, stamina, briliant jumping the lot all in one :)
markobaggio 2 years ago
@markobaggio
Well as far as I recall this was Mccoy's first ride on Best Mate and at this stage of his career they didnt know if he got 3 miles and was ridden as such . AP has said he would have ridden the horse to get the trip . His feeling was he would have won it , but thats racing
bilkomax 1 year ago
@bilkomax Read his autobiography he talks about it in detail he was the jockey that told them he didnt have as much speed as they first thought and that he would infact stay further. Of course it was Jim Culloty who got the ride in the gold cup but it was Mccoy who predicted the future.
dazwald 1 year ago
R.I.P. Best Mate crackin horse he was 3 time Gold Cup winner!!!
celtictrix09 2 years ago
Florida Pearl.The best horse ever not to win a gold cup.If cheltenham hadnt been cancelled that year i may not be saying this now.He was a wonderful horse
rssog 2 years ago 2
RIP baccanhal & matey. both fantastic chasers
madwithit88 2 years ago
RIP Baccanhal indeed, one of my favourites. Stayers Hurdle winner and twice placed in the King George...
MEECHIO 2 years ago
richard johnson. richard dunwoody, tony mccoy, archie o leary... i love that horse
ciananal 2 years ago
how can u possibly call best m8 a plodder
dessiesdoneit 2 years ago
Unlucky Best Mate
celticfan82 3 years ago
i dont think kempton played to best mates strength. if mccoy had ridden him the way he wanted to best mate would have won this race but knight was not sure whether he would stay or not. best mate was better suited to a true test of jumping and stamina like cheltenham
azertyuiop32 3 years ago
best horse was definetely the one that finished second.
henrietta knight told mccoy to hold up best mate as they werent sure he would stay 3 miles. if ridden more aggrssively would have beat florida pearl no problem
azertyuiop32 3 years ago
You wudnt begrudge the Pearl a well-deserved win wud ya?
Peadar2000 3 years ago 5
no of course not.
azertyuiop32 3 years ago
best mate was overrated
thommobhoy 3 years ago
i disagree. best mate was such an athletic horse, a great jumper and had plenty of guts and class. its ashame we never saw more of him but all horses are different and winning 3gold cups is no mean feat.
but you are entitled to your opinion.
azertyuiop32 3 years ago
and if Cheltenham had not been abandoned in 2001 Best Mate would have surely won the Arkle and perhaps ran in the 2002 Champion Chase rather than the Gold Cup. It's all what its.
willibaldcornfed 3 years ago
'what ifs' rather
willibaldcornfed 3 years ago
i still think best mate would have went for the 2002 gold cup even if he would have won the previous years arkle by 30l. although connections werent sure exactly how far he would stay, they always regarded him as a future gold cup horse and his run in this king george confirmed him a 3 mile plus horse.
but whos to say for sure what would have happened if it werent for foot and mouth in 2001. one things for sure best mate was such a great horse.
azertyuiop32 3 years ago
True. Henrietta Knight was seriously considered the old 2m5f Cathcart in 2002.
willibaldcornfed 3 years ago
yes thats true. i remember henrietta knight saying that they thought the 2002 gold cup might come too soon for best mate. maybe his run in the king george pushed them towards the gold cup and the rest as they say is history.
azertyuiop32 3 years ago