| As far as famous race horses go, Desert Orchid was | | | | Easily one of, if not the most popular racehorse in UK |
| perhaps the most striking to look at because of his | | | | horse racing history, is undoubtedly the great grey, |
| colour. | | | | Desert Orchid, who was affectionately known as |
| This article looks at his incredible career, in which he | | | | 'Dessie". |
| achieved a grand total of 34 victories, something that | | | | There's something about a grey horse that stands out |
| didn't seem possible when he fell during his very first | | | | amongst others. I suppose its that although not rare, |
| National Hunt race. | | | | they are not as popular as bay, chestnut etc, and so |
| This is the first part of a three-part article. | | | | stand out as a white knight in a blur of dark horses. |
| The People's Champion - Desert Orchid | | | | And Dessie was exactly that, a white knight. |