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Its a great shame that Muff Diver and Hellcatmudwrestler didnt become great chasers isnt it? :biggrin:
Desperate news, horse looked magnificent (as he usually did) before the race. Knight went up greatly in my opinion yesterday, wonderful interview in what must be a nightmare for her. She states the horse did her proud, well its fair to say today the horse would have been very proud of how his master acted. A lady.
Being based here in France where jumping has limited popularity I have been out of touch with NH for some time. But everything I’ve read on this thread, on the RP site and on mainstream news sites reveals so much about the affection in which Best Mate was held. Apart from some of the grand old stayers on the flat (Persian Punch the obvious example), it’s difficult to see so much emotion being poured out for a horse confined to flat racing. May be this can be put down to the fact that the best over shorter and middle distances tend to get retired before we can begin to associate with them emotionally.
And how tragic and ironic that Best Mate goes like this only a few days after a somewhat heated thread on "Horse Fatalities" was started on this Forum.
As hinted earlier in the thread it’s good to see that punters DO care about horses and their welfare.
SJ – I heard the Moyles show whilst driving to Cambridge today.
To myself as a racing fan he sounded truly out of order, but as you said in perspective, he clearly didn’t have any interest in horse racing and from that perspective you could understand, to an extent, his point.
But that 13,000 people had texted in to put him straight so quickly, on what is perceived as a ‘trendy’ 18-24 audience radio show, really does go to show how well regarded this horse was by many different types of people, and that not only shows what a great racehorse he is but also that this sport truly can capture the imagination of virtually anyone.
I’d like to see the Sun Alliance Chase renamed The Best Mate Memorial Challenge Cup.
It’s one of the bigger races at the Festival yet unlike the Gold Cup, Arkle etc. isn’t named after a particular horse or person. It’s over Matey’s preferred distance and round the track on which he achieved his greatest hours.
Martin
EU law and Fallen Stock Act says you can’t bury a horse in the ground. Best Mate will have to be cremated.
This could be a difficult question to answer
"Best Mate" is two words and many great races are named after single named horses
we cannot have " The Best Handicap Chase" or "The Best Novices Hurdle" and the same must apply to "The Mate’s Handicap Chase" or any other similiarly named title……..after all, is not Mate’s a "cover me up, I’m going in" product sold in packets of three
:biggrin:
I thought Jenny Pitman mentioned on 5-Live she had buried one of her horses at Cheltenham and advised Hen that this was the right thing to do. While I cannot remember the name of the horse at this time I am sure she said it was up at the top of the hill looking back onto the stands.
Maybe it was Corbiere or Garrison Savannah at Aintree?
Horses can be buried, but only in licensed cemeteries.
The newly imposed laws regarding the disposal of animals forbids burial due to the possible contamination of water. There are circumstances which could allow someone to bury a ‘pet’ horse on their own land, but each case is dealt with individually by the governing local authority.
I would guess that the burial of Red Rum etc. came before laws such as these existed.
(Edited by LetsGetRacing at 8:49 pm on Nov. 2, 2005)
<br>The Haldon Gold Cup is obviously an option but it seems like Cheltenham are really keen to do this and the Pillar was the first that came into my mind, the only problem being that "Pillar" are the sponsors rather than the race title and I don’t think the "Pillar Best Mate Chase" sounds quite right.
I like your idea Irish Stamp regarding the Sun Alliance and personally I think the Grade 2 Independent Novices Chase at The Open meeting which he won in 2000 also could be an option although with it being so close to this year’s renewal, that may have to wait until next season.
<br>The fact that he is getting cremated against connections wishes just because of some old pen-pusher in a suit is an absolute joke.
Red Rum passed away in the mid 90’s I think, so that would have come before the foot & mouth outbreak but as you say LGR each case is dealt with individually so there must be some room for leniency yet the pathetic people involvd obviously aren’t budging this time.:o
I seem to remember the Government acting a bit differently in 2001 when you had the shocking scene of carcasses piled up and mass graves were being dug for dead livestock.
I would really have had a big bet whatever was running if there was a "MuffDiver chase." Sounds like the end of night scrumdown on the dancefloor!
And as for Best Mate not being great enough to have a race named after him? – without getting into any debate about what he beat, how fast he beat them etc etc, the lad won 3 Gold Cups which is a pretty mean feat no matter how he got there. Never beaten in a Gold Cup. A King George (should have been two), denied the Arkle at the festival due to f&m and a second in the Supreme Novices, which given a better ride, he may have won as well.
Without wanting to sound like Jimbo, there’s no many horses that can do all that. This horse was great. He should be remembered as such.
Or maybe you are saying that he should have more than one race named after him? Maybe the whole festival?
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