Farewell to Desert Orchid from his loyal fans

Midge Burridge, breeder and part-owner, will disband it despite an ongoing membership of 700 over a year since the popular grey died at 27.

Dessie, whose statue dominates the Kempton parade ring, was an equine superstar whose retirement after his fall in the 1991 King George made national headlines.

His four King Georges and epic Cheltenham Gold Cup win in 1989 in atrocious conditions were testament to his courage and durability. In total he won 34 races.

His aura transcended the narrow confines of racing. A gallant front-runner, he was the people's champion. British-bred, he was a horse loved by the public like no other since Red Rum and Arkle.

But in the more media conscious 1990s, his fame outshone that of his celebrated forebears. His fan club, run by Midge, had a membership of 5,000 serviced regularly with newsletters.

She said: 'Dessie has dominated the last 25 years of my life. For the past 18 years, since he won the Gold Cup, I have run the fan club which has been the greatest fun. But now he's gone it is time to call a halt and wind it up.

'My husband Jimmy died seven years ago. Life has moved on and, really, since Dessie died there is nothing more to say. The last two newsletters were full of tributes but they can't go on for ever.

'We created the fan club because Elsie (trainer David Elsworth) was going bananas with all the old ladies ringing up to come and see Dessie.

'Eventually we held open days at our place in Leicestershire at Ab Kettleby and the club took off.

Over the years we raised more than £100,000 for charities.'

Dessie hosted open days all over Britain. Cancer patients, visitors from as far away as Argentina and disabled children were among those who met their hero.

Stevie Morton, a wheelchairbound boy, said he took a piece of Dessie's mane into his GCSE exams and gained seven passes.

Dessie even had a star in the Canis Major constellation named after him.

Midge recalled: 'Our open days started in 1990 and eventually there were so many people it had to become a two-day event. We had jazz bands, shops, galleries with photos and videos of his races.

'He was guest of honour at my daughter Frances's wedding two months before he died.

'His only relation who is still racing is Gentleman Jimmy (named after my late husband) who is with Alan King. He is out of Dessie's fifth sister.

'The fans were marvellous. Many disabled people would come and stroke him and feel they would be cured.

'He was very gentle with them almost as if he knew. Yet he could be horrible to his loving grooms Janice Coyle and Gen Sentence.'

Maybe the ghost of the flying grey will inspire Kauto Star to another King George today, but if wins he will still only be halfway to matching the great Dessie.

Desert Orchid Remembered, published by the Desert Orchid Fan Club, is available for £12.95 plus £3 p&p from Letterbox Cottage, Taston, Oxon, OX7 3JL.