AS yesterday's events illustrated so dramatically, no horse can live forever. But, as the forthcoming decades will undoubtedly prove, the best can still achieve immortality.

It is now 39 years since Arkle won the last of his three Cheltenham Gold Cups, but the greatness of his achievements remains unchallenged.

In 39 years time, the same will be said of Best Mate. By becoming the first horse to equal Arkle's record, the three-time Gold Cup winner has earned his place amongst the horseracing greats.

His name has become etched on a roll call that earns reverential praise.

While the steeplechasing world tends to be insular and self-contained, every now and then a horse appears to transcend the confines of the sport.

Like Arkle, Red Rum and Desert Orchid before him, Best Mate was one of those horses.

As his trainer, Henrietta Knight, so knowingly observed, by the end of his career, he belonged to the nation.

That is why more than 60,000 spectators roared him to victory as he held off the challenge of a determined Sir Rembrandt to record his third Gold Cup triumph in March 2004.

It is why Knight and her partner, Terry Biddlecombe, received more than 500 letters of congratulation - addressed to Best Mate, not to his trainer - after he triumphed in the same race 12 months before.

And it is why, yesterday, the scenes from a provincial racecourse at Exeter caused hearts to flutter in houses up and down the land.

Best Mate was a winner but, as with all true champions, he was more than that as well.

His record is enough to underline his class. As well as his three Gold Cups, he claimed an Independent Novices' Chase at Cheltenham, a King George VI Chase at Kempton, a Leopardstown Chase in Ireland and a Mersey Novices' Hurdle at Aintree.

Before yesterday, he had never finished outside the top three and was gearing up for an attempt to win steeple-chasing's blue riband for an unprecedented fourth time.

Just as importantly, though, he knew how to win in style. Arkle's greatness was confirmed when he blew away the hotly-fancied Mill House on Cheltenham's famous straight in 1964.

Similarly, Best Mate's legendary status was assured once he turned the Gold Cup into a procession in 2003.

Heavily backed throughout the preceding 12 months, Best Mate set off at a blistering pace before galloping his opponents into submission. By the time he passed the winning post, he was ten lengths clear and ready to start again. Immediately, the accolades started to flow.

"Best Mate is the best horse I have seen for a long, long time," said former Grand National winning trainer Denys Smith from his Bishop Auckland base. "He's out there on his own - just like Arkle."

"I rode against Arkle," added Biddlecombe. "And he was fantastic. I know I am biased, but Best Mate is definitely the better horse."

Twelve months later, and he was showing he had bottle as well as brilliance.

Boxed in approaching the Gold Cup's second last fence, jockey Jim Culloty was forced to switch Best Mate to the outside of the pack in an attempt to reel in the front-running Harbour Pilot.

By doing exactly that, and holding off the challenge of a fast-finishing Sir Rembrandt, the battling bay showed he had the guts demanded of a great.

Just as Desert Orchid's finest moment came from battling against adversity, so a stamina-sapping Cheltenham finish proved the defining moment of Best Mate's career.

"I was thrilled to have been privileged enough to have seen that race," said Jim Dreaper, the son of Arkle's trainer, Tom. "It was a historic day for racing."

"He's a great horse," added Irish trainer, Ted Walsh. "We had to wait a long time for a horse to win a third Gold Cup and we will have to wait a long time to see one do it again."

Whether or not he was a match for Arkle will never be proved. His supporters claim he raced in a more competitive era where the best horses were specifically schooled to take him on. They argue that he would have won a fourth Gold Cup last year had a burst blood vessel not ruled him out of the race.

Arkle's supporters point to his successes in some of the most gruelling handicaps in the land as evidence of his superior skill. Best Mate side-stepped the handicap route, with Knight choosing to keep him under wraps save for three of four racecourse outings a year.

But, as Exeter's racegoers paid their final respects yesterday, it was clear that racing was mourning one of its leading lights.

The vibrancy of his presence has been lost forever - the brilliance of his memory will continue to burn bright.