Best Mate pulled in the crowds at Newbury on Saturday when hundreds of racegoers packed around the paddock to see the triple Cheltenham Gold Cup winner parade before racing.

The superstar chaser, from Henrietta Knight's West Lockinge stables, near Wantage, was given a warm reception by his army of fans as he was led round by stable groom Jackie Jenner.

Newbury officials estimated that Best Mate's appearance added up to 1,000 extra racegoers to the attendance.

Speaking to the crowd, Knight said: "After this he will have a proper holiday and be let down with no more excitement for a while.

"He seems very fresh and well, and very pleased with himself. He obviously enjoys the audience.

"He thought he was going racing today, so he is very surprised by it all."

Knight rounded off the day by saddling River Trapper to score a game success in the West Berkshire Racing Club Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race.

And, along with jockey Jim Culloty, she notched another bumper winner at Huntingdon yesterday when Racing Demon lived up to his name by storming to victory.

Paul Webber, who trains at Cropredy, near Banbury, was also on the mark at Huntingdon when Musical Stage sprang a 50-1 shock in the novices' hurdle.

And there was a winner on Saturday for Mark Rimell's Leafield yard, near Witney, when the trainer partnered Pearly Bay to a 20-1 triumph in a Bangor bumper.