British horse racing mourns the death of Desert Orchid

[Blackleaf]

ng mourns death of Desert Orchid

13th November 2006

The mighty Desert Orchid won the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 1989. The horse, loved throughout Britain, died today aged 27.




Desert Orchid, the ever-popular Cheltenham Gold Cup winner of 1989, died peacefully this morning at the age of 27.

The dashing grey achieved iconic status within the National Hunt arena and was much-loved by racing enthusiasts for his iron will and extreme adaptability.

He won 34 races in total, including seven at his beloved Kempton, where four victories in the King George VI Steeple Chase underlined his immense talent.

His former trainer David Elsworth revealed: "Desert Orchid died peacefully in his stable at 6.05 this morning.

"There was no stress, he departed from this world with dignity and no fuss. He did his dying in the same individual way that he did his living. It was time to go."

Elsworth continued: "Dessie had not been well for the past week and was losing his co-ordination and Richard Burridge visited only yesterday along with Janice Coyle.

"Our thanks goes to David Bartram from Greenwood Ellis for his kind help in making his last days comfortable.

"He was 27 years old and we had been involved with this wonderful horse for quarter of a century both in his racing days and retirement.

"Everybody will miss him and our sympathy goes to his adoring public and fan club that never ceased to take opportunities to see him at his public appearances."

Indeed, Desert Orchid's popularity showed no signs of dimming following his retirement in 1991.

Having gained his last success in the Agfa Diamond Chase at Sandown in February of that year, Desert Orchid bowed out in front of a packed Kempton grandstand on Boxing Day.

Attempting to win his fifth King George, the Richard Burridge-owned gelding took a crashing fall three fences from home.

His swansong may have been unceremonious, but Desert Orchid's past performances at the track meant connections were left in no doubt as to where his final resting place should be.

Elsworth added: "Desert Orchid will be laid to rest at Kempton Park near his statue where many of his most memorable triumphs took place.

"He will be sadly missed by the staff here at Egerton and will forever be remembered for the great moments he gave his racing public."



dailymail.co.uk

 

[Blackleaf]

D
essie, the great grey, rides off into the sunset


By Neil Tweedie







Just occasionally along comes a racehorse who makes his jockey appear like mere freight, an animal far more famous – to the non-racing fraternity at least – than the man riding on his back.

Arkle was like that, and Red Rum. And Dessie – Desert Orchid, the superlative steeplechaser – who died yesterday at the age of 27.

A nation of animal lovers: Desert Orchid jumps a fence during a race at Sandown Park in 1989, on his way to winning the Cheltenham Gold Cup. Weeping over the death of a racehorse is probably going too far, even for the anthropomorphic British. There was, however, genuine sadness at the news that a great character had passed away.




The winner of the 1989 Cheltenham Gold Cup, one of the most dramatic steeplechases seen, and four King George VI chases at Kempton Park (more than any other horse), he died in his stable at Newmarket after a short illness.

David Elsworth, who trained Dessie throughout his career, said: "There was no stress. He departed from this world with dignity and no fuss. He did his dying in the same individual way that he did his living. It was time to go."

In true celebrity style, Dessie had his own fan club, and was popular at events long after his retirement in 1991, raising substantial sums for charity.

Distinguished from the rest of the field by his light grey coat, he looked like something from an Arabian Night.

His popularity resided not so much in his brilliance as in his gritty determination, seen to such effect at Cheltenham when he ploughed up the rain-soaked hill after three and a quarter pounding miles, splashed with mud, to steal the race from Yahoo.

There were 58,000 people there and the roar was deafening. In emotional impact it rivalled Red Rum's third Grand National and Bob Champion's Aintree win on Aldaniti.

After winning by a length and a half, his rider, Simon Sherwood, said: "I've never known a horse so brave. He hated every step of the way in the ground and dug as deep as he could possibly go."

Dessie received thousands of Christmas cards and presents. When in retirement he had an operation for colic, before which he was given a 20 per cent chance of survival, a get-well card from Australia was addressed to "Desert Orchid in his warm stable in England". It got there.

His first race, in a hurdle at Kempton in 1983, was almost his last. He fell heavily at the last, but managed to pick himself up.

He went on to win 34 races and clock up £650,000 in winnings. His final public appearance was on October 1 at an open day at the National Stud in Newmarket.

Midge Burridge, one of his owners, said: "He was always getting himself into scrapes – he was a menace as a young horse, jumping out of fields.

"He was always a lively character and terribly determined – that came out in his racing.
He never accepted defeat." Of his fan club, Miss Burridge said: "They all adored him. It is going to be terribly sad for them. Some of them are quite elderly people and I think they thought he was immortal."

Dessie's ashes will be scattered at Kempton, where he enjoyed much success. The course owners have already named a race after him, which will be run for the first time on December 27.

John McCririck, the racing pundit, said: "Some people identified with him as not the best but nevertheless a street fighter. He was a flamboyant grey and front runner and people loved that.

"Desert Orchid had that immense courage and the indomitable will to win."

One of Britain’s best loved racehorses, Desert Orchid, has died aged 27.

Dessie, as the steeplechaser was affectionately known, passed away peacefully at his stables in Newmarket following a short illness
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Desert Orchid winning the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 1989 - The famous grey gelding will be buried at Kempton Park race course, scene of many of his greatest triumphs.

David Elsworth, his former trainer, said in a statement: "There was no stress, he departed from this world with dignity and no fuss. He did his dying in the same individual way that he did his living. It was time to go."
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Born in the UK in 1979, Dessie raced competitively for eight years from 1983 till 1991...
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... winning a Cheltenham Gold Cup in 1989, ridden by Simon Sherwood....
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... and taking the King George VI Steeple Chase four times.

Although he retired in 1991, he returned to Kempton Park in 2003, ridden by Richard Dunwoody, to give a new generation of racing fans a chance to glimpse the majestic animal
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In total the distinctive grey won 34 of his 70 outings, amassing £654,066 in prize money
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Here the Queen Mother congratulates Dessie and his owner James Burridge on the horse's 1989 Cheltenham Gold Cup triumph
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Dessie - brave, determined and elegant - became one of the few horses to transcend the sport and earn fame among those who have never been to a racecourse.

John McCrick, the racing pundit said: "He wasn’t the best horse to win the King George but he had tremendous courage and will to win. He was not the best, but none the less a street fighter.”
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During his retirement Dessie raised thousands of pounds for charity, as any event he attended was sure to attract thousands of racing fans

telegraph.co.uk

 

[Kreskin]

Blackleaf, I was 12 years old when Secretariat took the North American horseracing scene by storm. Holding race and track records to this day. I followed all the races. I must admit that when he died I was truly saddened. It's difficult not to hold these great horses close to heart.

 

[Daz_Hockey]

Just to be controversial here BUT.........



He was no Red Rum