Best Mate (28 January 1995 – 1 November 2005) was an Irish-bred, English-trained racehorse and three-time winner of the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

[1] His dam, Katday, had raced on the flat and been bought by breeder Jacques Van't Hart for 1,250 Irish guineas.

[3] Best Mate made a winning debut under Rules in a Cheltenham bumper in November 1999, and three weeks later won a novice hurdle race at Sandown Park.

[1] Best Mate was favourite to win the Arkle Challenge Trophy at Cheltenham in 2001, but the festival was cancelled due to the foot and mouth outbreak.

[1] He ran in one handicap chase (2001/2002 First National Gold Cup), where he failed by 1/2 length to give 20 lbs to Wahiba Sands.

[2] 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 1 November 2005.

Culloty, who had ridden Best Mate in 18 of his 22 starts, paid tribute to him: "The fact he was as good as he was, as honest as he was, and as consistent as he was, was why the public came to love him and deservedly so".

This one, a three-time Cheltenham Gold Cup winner, and in the process of establishing his pre-eminence, became one of those rare animals who get under our skin, and graduate to being public property.