One of the saddest days in racing History Tuesday 1st November 2005, at Exeter, best Mate sadly died of a suspected heart attack doing what he does best and that was racing. Best Mate, champion race horse Best mate in Horse racing art prints. Showing Bets Mate winning the Cheltenham Gold cup . These horse racing art prints by leading equestrian artists, Graham Isom, Stephen Smith and Jacqueline Stanhope are available from Sportsgallery.co.uk a division of Cranston fine arts. including Out on their Own signed by Trainer Henrietta Knight and Jockey Jim Culloty.
Best Mate Born 28th January 1995. owned by Jim Lewis won the Cheltenham Gold Cup three consecutive times March 2002, 2003, 2004. equaling Arkle's record some 38 years ago. and with all the other major trophies Best Mate was certainly one of the all time greatest race horses that has ever lived.
Few People are aware of the Biddlecombe families activities in the meat trade. The family ran Nether Stowey Meat company from the Cattle market in Bridgewater Somerset.
How well I remember Terry as a jump jockey at the race courses of Newton Abbot and
Devon
and
Exeter
back in the early sixties racing against the likes of Fred Winter, Josh Gifford, Dave Dick, Bobby Beasley and poor old Johnny Lehane.
Three times the champion jump jockey, he was idolised in his riding prime but struggled with alcoholism after retirement. His horse Best Mate equalled the record of Arkle being a triple winner of the Cheltenham Gold Cup a record I never thought I would see again.
Renowned for his colourful language and lack of airs and graces, his relationship with the well-to-do Knight might seem unlikely, but the partnership has blossomed.
Despite his well-weathered exterior, Biddlecombe is a bit of a softie at heart and the tears often flow after a big win.
Terry’s lovely wife Henrietta is a former biology teacher whose background is in three-day eventing. Henrietta is very well connected - her brother-in-law is Lord Vestey, chairman of Cheltenham Racecourse, and her mum was a good friend of the Queen Mother.
She admits to having had a crush on Terry Biddlecombe long before they met, and the unlikely couple set up home together in 1994, marrying the following year.
William Hayes Buenos Aires 13 March 2010
Best Mate
Trainer Henrietta Knight and husband Terry Biddlecombe
Terry Biddlecombe riding history - 1960, 1962-69, 1971-72. Rode 909 winners between 1957 & 1974 (he retired on Cheltenham Gold Cup day) and was champion jockey three times between 1964 & 69 (sharing one title with Bob Davies). Won Cheltenham Gold Cup in 1967 on Woodland Venture but missed the National winning ride on Gay Trip in 1970 through injury. On retirement had a brief stint as a TV pundit and spent time farming in Australia.
Source: newsroom - meattradenewsdaily.co.uk
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