The 2002 Cheltenham Gold Cup, sponsored
by the Tote, featured 18 runners – the biggest field since Silver
Buck beat 21 rivals in 1982 – and was the first to be run for two
years, after an outbreak of foot-and-mouth required the abandonment
of the Cheltenham Festival in 2001.
The defending champion, Looks Like
Trouble, ridden by Richard Johnson, was sent off 9/2 favourite, ahead
of Bacchanal, ridden by Mick Fitzgerald, at 6/1 and Best Mate, ridden
by Jim Culloty, at 7/1 in an open betting heat.
Looks Like Trouble and 1999 winner, See
More Business showed their rivals the way until the third last fence,
at which point See More Business took a definite advantage. Paul
Nicholls’ 12-year-old was challenged by Commanche Court, ridden by
Ruby Walsh, on the home turn, but Best Mate – who’d travelled
well into the race coming down the hill – took over, narrowly, on
the run to the last fence and ran on well up the hill to win by 1¾
lengths. Commanche Court could make no impression close home, but
finished second, with the veteran See More Business a gallant third,
a further 8 lengths away.
Best Mate was attempting 3 miles 2½
furlongs for the first time, but winning trainer Henrietta Knight
said afterwards, “I always knew that he’d stay. My only doubt was
that it was a year too soon, that we were asking too much too early,
but he’s answered every question today.”
Winning jockey Jim Culloty was equally
delighted, saying of Best Mate, “He’s got the engine. I was
always cruising. I got squeezed a little bit as Joe’s [See More
Business, ridden by Joe Tizzard] came across me, but I wasn’t
panicking because I didn’t want to get there too soon anyway.