Culloty leads Biddlecombe tributes

Former jockey Jim Culloty, who partnered Best Mate to three triumphs in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, led the tributes to Terry Biddlecombe, who died on Sunday at the age of 72.

Champion jockey in 1965 and 1966 and joint-champion with Bob Davies in 1969, Biddlecombe married former trainer Henrietta Knight in 1995 and the pair, affectionately known as the 'odd couple', enjoyed enormous success with the likes of Edredon Bleu, Lord Noelie and Impek.

But they will forever be remembered for their association with the legendary Best Mate, who claimed the Gold Cup between 2002-04.

Culloty, now a successful trainer, was champion amateur in his first season with Knight and Biddlecombe and spent 10 years as their stable jockey.

He said: "I would rather celebrate his life than mourn his death. The pace at which Terry lived his life, unfortunately he was never going to go on forever. I met him about a month ago and we had dinner together. Physically he wasn't great, but mentally he was in great form, as usual.

"I knew him for 20-odd years and I could write a book about all the things that happened - he was apparently relatively quiet when I knew him. He was a great fellow and a great character. He was larger than life and lived it to the full."

Tony McCoy also struck up a good relationship with Knight and Biddlecombe, partnering Best Mate to victory in the 2002 King George VI Chase at Kempton and Edredon Bleu to a thrilling triumph in the Queen Mother Champion Chase two years earlier.

The 18-times champion jockey told At The Races: "I spoke to Hen on Wednesday and I was going to go and see him on Thursday or Friday, but she said he had a bit of a chest infection and I should leave it for a few days. She rang me this morning and said he had sadly passed away very peacefully, which I suppose is a good thing, if there is a good thing.

"He was a great man and had a great life. If he was still here he'd have told you that himself. He came to my party for my 4,000th winner and Henrietta said that was the last time he was out. I was lucky I had a lot of success with himself and Hen. I've been very friendly with him since and it's sad, but he lived a great life, that's for sure."

As the owner of Best Mate, Edredon Bleu and the talented Impek, Jim Lewis enjoyed a long-term friendship with Biddlecombe and Knight.

He said: "It is awful news and I want to pass on my love and sympathies to Henrietta, both from myself and Jennifer (wife). Terry was a major part of the success I had as an owner with Best Mate, Edredon Bleu and Impek. His input was vital to the victories we secured.

"People called them the 'odd couple', but, in actual fact, there was nothing odd about them at all. They were simply madly in love with each other. It was an honour and a privilege to be with Terry for some of his greatest triumphs out of the saddle."