BEST MATE'S owner Jim Lewis has vowed that his triple totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup winner would return to try to reclaim his crown next season after the gelding was ruled out of next week's race yesterday. The Henrietta Knight-trained 10-year-old was favourite to win a fourth consecutive Gold Cup in next Friday's blue riband event, but having broke a blood vessel on the gallops yesterday morning, his chance has gone. With Best Mate's absence Robert Alner's Kingscliff is now as low as 7-2 favourite with many firms, but is available at 9-2 with Coral. Lewis, though, was philosophical about the news and remained optimistic Best Mate would return to Prest-bury Park next season. He said: "It is sad news. I had a call from Henrietta (Knight). You know what happened on the gallops - he bled through the nose. "It's very sad and very disappointing for all of us. I have had people coming in here crying their eyes out. You would think it was a disaster. Well, it isn't a disaster, a tsunami is a disaster. "I'm really sorry for everybody that lost money, including myself, but we are hopeful that he will be back to normal next year. "Whoever wins the Gold Cup this year, I shall wish him all the best and remind him that he has only borrowed it." Best Mate's defection makes the race one of the most open renewals of recent years. But the new market leader Kingscliff will bid to give his trainer a second Gold Cup victory after Cool Dawn's triumph in 1998. Alner, who also has last year's runner-up Sir Rembrandt on course to run again, expressed sympathy for the Best Mate camp. He said: "I'm absolutely gutted for them. I can imagine how disappointed they are. It is such a shame - you almost feel like it is one of your own horses. "Best Mate is a true champion and now he can't come back to defend his crown. Whoever wins this year will always feel that they won because Best Mate wasn't there. | 
