AS the Cheltenham Festival draws to a close one county art gallery is celebrating the life of one of the top annual meeting's famous heroes.
Pershore's Paramount Galley has a painting by contemporary artist Brian Tovey depicting triple Gold Cup winner and county racehorse Best Mate winning the William Hill Chase at Exeter in 2004.
It is set to go to auction in the next few weeks, with a donation of the proceeds going to the chosen charity of the late racehorse's owner, Jim Lewis, who lives at Callow End, near Worcester.
The shop also has a bronze statue, modelled by horse-lover Bernard Winskill and named Cheltenham.
Owner Mike Davis, who specialises in sporting and rural pieces of art, is thrilled to have the bronze, which could sell for around £6,000, that was commissioned as one of only 15 in 1978.
Mr Davis said: "It is wonderful to have two such stunning pieces of art on show here at the gallery.
"The bronze is amazing, as is the painting and we are pleased to be displaying work portraying such a local legend as Best Mate."
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