The horse racing community mourns the passing of Jim Lewis, the owner of Best Mate, who died at the age of 88 on Sunday. Henrietta Knight, Best Mate’s trainer, paid tribute to Lewis, describing him as “a colourful person who was good for the game and part of the jumping scene.” Best Mate, under Lewis’s ownership, won three Gold Cups in 2002, 2003, and 2004, a feat that had not been achieved since the legendary Arkle’s era. Edredon Bleu, another successful racehorse under Lewis’s ownership, won the 2000 Champion Chase and the 2003 King George, and was also trained by Knight.
Knight reminisced on their successes, saying, “We had some fantastic days and he had some very good horses. In my eyes, Edredon Blue was every bit as good as Best Mate, and we had a lot of fun. Jim was very superstitious and always wore the same scarf to the races.” Knight also mentioned Lewis’s love for his horses and racing and described him as a straightforward owner to deal with. She also praised Lewis’s patience and willingness to give his horses more time.
Aside from Best Mate and Edredon Bleu, Lewis owned several other successful racehorses, including Grade 1 winners Nakir and Breedsbreeze. He won a total of 11 Grade 1 races after securing his first win in 1989 with Pearl Prospect, trained by Knight. Lewis also ran SilentNight bed company before establishing his own furniture importing business.
Lewis’s passion for racing extended beyond owning racehorses. He and his friends wore Aston Villa scarves to the racecourse, and they had an anthem for Best Mate, singing the words ‘Best Mate’ to the tune of Amazing Grace.
Lewis was survived by his wife Jennifer, three children, and four grandchildren. His passing is a significant loss to the racing community, and his contributions will be remembered for years to come.
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