The first horse to defeat Best Mate over fences, Wahiba Sands, has died aged 27. An inspired ride by Tony McCoy gave him victory over the legendary chaser in the 2001 First National Gold Cup at Ascot.
The success for trainer Martin Pipe came in the same season Best Mate won his first Cheltenham Gold Cup – and he made it a hat-trick in consecutive years.
Unlike the steeplechasing superstar, Wahiba Sands began his career on the Flat with John Dunlop. He switched to the National Hunt sphere as a five-year-old after topping the Doncaster August sale for 105,000 guineas.
In 62 races, he won 11 times under all codes, collecting £270,593 in win and place prize money. Pipe's son David, who sometimes rode him at Pond House, paid tribute to the
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