1986 King George VI Chase Kempton Desert Orchid

The great greys first Triumph in the race

[@mizofan]

Magnificent, made it look easy, never troubled here, and yet had little attention as a possible winner beforehand. They didn't think he would stay 3 miles. David Elsworth the trainer had no doubt he would, said beforehand Dessie's regular jockey Colin Brown had picked the wrong horse in Combs Ditch, who he pulled up in a bad way, so David had to go over to him instead of being at the winner's enclosure with Dessie. Simon Sherwood was ideal for him. I highly recommend the book The Grey Horse: The True Story of Desert Orchid by his owner Richard Burridge- the chapter on this race is exhilarating and had me choked up.

[@user-uy3rc6jf1w]

Simply the best. Big heart, loved racing, loved jumping, loved the crowd. Never gave up, no matter the ground or weight.

[@paulrichards6894]

remember it well probably the first horse i ruled out

[@derekfreathy1078]

The most wonderful chaser I have ever seen in 70 years of watching,Simon Sherwood and Dessie the PERFECT partnership.What other horse could beat champion 2 milers and upwards giving them all weight.The best there has ever been

[@nadefodder2874]

Don`t forget that he also won some top class staying flat races while he was chasing, not only one of the best horses i ever saw but also one of the most versatile too.

[@chambrevirgo8562]

This was the race that I became a desert orchid fan before the race the big 3 everyone was talking about were wayward lad superb horse forgive n forget classy peformer and Coombs ditch a real battler who was often the bridesmaid round kempton door latch I was a fan of to but who was to guess for the next 5 years the stunning handsome grey would have the racing public give so much pleasure and joy rip dessie and to all these wonderful chasers

[@JSB-IZ-ME]

Theres a reason Dessie won so many chases its cos he jumped fences like a cat, not a horse. One of the greats ❤

[@paulrichards6894]

16\1.....

[@silenusut]

What a price! What a horse, and rider! This was the real beginning.

[@johnbailey4375]

Amazing. The beginning of a LEGEND.

[@harpalchauhan428]

Big mac 👏👏👏 R.I.P. never will there be another like you EVER. I got into racing in 1995 and grew up on him and C4 racing

[@JSB-IZ-ME]

Yes Big Mac and the C4 team are sorely missed to this day. GG a wonderful commentator, the Jedi Master that trained Simon Holt. The legend lives on.

[@paulrichards6894]

matt chapman trying unsuccessfully to be like big mac

[@Eleventhearlofmars]

@@paulrichards6894ahh maybe a bit unfair. Chapman has his own personality plus he could never do the tic tac moves that John had lol.

[@jakubwidlarz]

The greatest pure jumper of the last 50 years.

[@mizofan]

The most wonderful and popular horse of them all. I adore him.

[@beverleymorris167]

Nupsala must have been some horse ..beat dessie 15 length, in his prime, good going,kempton...no excuses, great horse but beatable.... something which over chases, Arkle was not...at levels, and most of the time giving stones.

[@RichardKeogh26]

He really was a spectacular jumper. Thanks for posting.

[@peterward8308]

Dessie on the bridle, little did they know they were chasing a national hunt legend.

[@colinryan315]

Dessies cv will never be equaled the best jumper of a fence i have ever seen.

[@keithf_]

Ah remember this day well. The day that Desert Orchid announced himself as a staying chaser of the highest order. A fantastic racehorse. Also nice to see that little black n white striped box in the top right hand corner at the end of the vid. Haven't seen one of them for yonks.

[@Eleventhearlofmars]

I think that was some kind of signal setter that was used like that.

[@keithf_]

​@Eleventhearlofmars Yeah, was it an alert to the broadcasting company that a commercial break was imminent ?

[@lavonmcneal939]

Hey that is one great horse I will take my hat off to him

[@TheMarionL]

Simon Sherwood was the best Jockey for Dessie ,

[@mizofan]

Won his first 9 races on Dessie (retired after the 10th) and didn't use the whip as much as Dunwoody

[@Eleventhearlofmars]

@@mizofanDessie didn’t like overuse of the whip on him, he responded better just to soft hands and letting him do his own thing up front.

[@ianmillar5978]

What a horse

[@michaeldowd5545]

DO was not even blowing at the end. It was a canter.

[@barbaradyson6951]

It's not often you come across a natural jumper. Horses are NOT NATURAL JUMPERS they have to be taught. So to find one like Desert Orchid is rare.

[@lessamuels3767]

Greatest ever

[@steveo7165]

Brilliant Eddie, THANK YOU

[@andrewnelis9791]

Excellent thank you

[@daveinnerdale6566]

"Forgive 'n' Forget, the class horse in the race"....not sure that was entirely correct!

[@michaeldowd5545]

F&F was badly ridden here. He gave up 25 lengths at Kempton before the second fence. Wouldn't have changed the result, but he was always out of his comfort zone because of this.

[@barryosborne8147]

I remember that race and Dessie but I took 12/1 and also had a £5 bet that he would finish in front Door Latch.

[@paulrichards6894]

first one i ruled out couldnt see him staying 3 miles but i was totally wrong

[@steveperkins9244]

Great to see Kempton Park as it was.

[@gazowen7310]

16-1 class act

[@jbrodie007]

Forget hindsight, that will remain the most overpriced steeplechase winner in living memory at 16/1. He was the only progressive horse in race and the only thing that threw the betting public was Brown opting for Combs Ditch, a complete rogue who had just run one amazing race against Burrough Hill Lad when just beaten

[@bregawn]

Comb's Ditch was a great horse too, like Bregawn bur not quite as good

[@burkhillcomedy]

Combs ditch won many races and was one of thr best chasers in training during the 80s lol,crazy thing to say

[@steveperkins9244]

After timing at it's absolute peak

[@davidfletcher1116]

james brodie I thought that myself on the day

[@mizofan]

The "experts" and writers in the press thought he wouldn't stay 3 miles. David Elsworth the trainer knew better, said he was going to win..

[@johnjoyce341]

Hywel Davies on Western Sunset who rode the 1985 Grand National winner on Last Suspect and of course Ben De Haan who rode Corbiere to win the 83 National

[@Stephen-hu7pf]

Had £5 win on last suspect

[@ashton235]

Pretty sure Desert Orchard was the the correct choice for your career Mr C Brown.

[@TomStevenson-hl3wn]

16-1 if only we could go back!

[@barbaradyson6951]

The prize money for jumping is crap. High time they increased it. Graham Bradley screwed his own career for bribes, he did take out a trainers licence but nobody took him up because of his cheating.

[@dlamiss]

i always thought Bradley and dermott Browne were bent

[@barbaradyson6951]

@@dlamiss don't know about browne, but bradley screwed his own career,

[@mizofan]

Yes, these horses' lives are at greater risk than on the flat. I admire them greatly, Dessie above all. It's like in athletics, the sprinters get much more glory but a runner like Gebreselassie would beat Bolt at all distances after 5-600 yards.

[@paultaylor7624]

That's a load of bull

[@chatham43]

.....great stuff...

[@louisedavison872]

Do you have the 1979 race in extended footage

[@michaeldowd5545]

This was a high quality field, but DO redefined the. Standard.

[@EddieCr]

he blew me away that day I didnt think he would stay but / 16/1 massive price and I backed and followed him from winning then onwards

[@harpalchauhan428]

Bet you he was never 16/1 again 😂😂😂😂

[@TaquitoTown]

They had no clue...lol...

[@spleeeen4it]

12/1. what a price

[@Eleventhearlofmars]

16/1 you mean.

[@manchester1972]

16/1 some value that. Lol

[@ashton235]

12-1 Deary me.

[@michaeldowd5545]

Hello World

[@robertwilliams-mv9ok]

Looks useful