BEST Mate, Oxfordshire's superstar racehorse, has been signed up to help raise £100,000 for charity next year.

The triple Cheltenham Gold Cup winner, from Henrietta Knight's West Lockinge stables, near Wantage, will be taking part in a series of public fundraising activities in 2005.

It comes after bookmakers William Hill and Jim Lewis, Best Mate's owner, entered into an exclusive licensing agreement.

Racing fans will be able to take part in competitions to win a visit to a special work morning at Knight's stables in March when Best Mate finalises his preparations for a crack at a fourth Gold Cup.

And in the spring, the nine-year-old gelding is set to visit a number of leading William Hill betting shops up and down the country - just as Red Rum did in the late 1970s.

Knight said: "I think it's a lovely idea. Best Mate is a very special racehorse to train and Terry (Biddlecombe - Knight's husband) and I are blessed with the pleasure of being around him every day.

"But, I think the opportunity to involve him more closely with some of the racing public will provide them with some very special moments too."

Biddlecombe added: "If he was human he would be an Olympian. In fact, if he keeps going he'll win as many Gold Cups as Steve Redgrave won gold medals.

"He's an absolute superstar - and he knows it!"

Charities, for which Best Mate will be raising money, are the St Richards Hospice (Worcester), the Racing Welfare Charity and The Gentlemen's Night Out Charity, which raises millions for children of short life-span.