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Don’t know what happened to the TRF quiz, but if I may I like to see if the are any brainiacs out there!
On the 11 April 1979 a colt was born in Goadby in Leicestershire. On its birth it was called Fred but what do we call it today?
Too easy!
Random trivia, our (grey!) pony has stayed overnight at the very place – but no idea if it was Des’s old box or not…
That was Dessie?
Thought that it might be not easy to Google as I got it from A autobiography about the grey horse.
He was called Fred as he was foaled and was mistaken to be a bay horse, although on clear inspection he was grey.
I’ve got the book, The Grey Horse with the inscription ‘To Mo, with Best Wishes, Richard Burridge and Dessie. July 3, ’93; Ab Kettleby’. It has the photo of Fred as a yearling. It was a truly magical time, probably because I was blissfully unaware of how dangerous a sport chasing was; perhaps I came of age when the gap left by Dessie was replaced by One Man. How wonderful it was of the Burridges to share Des with us for all those years, and open up their doors every summer so we could gaze in wonder at our hero. However great a chaser Kauto Star became, he was never ‘ours’ the way that Des was. We all owned a part of him and, for those of us that loved him, there’s still a part of our hearts that will always belong to him.
I’ve got the book, The Grey Horse with the inscription ‘To Mo, with Best Wishes, Richard Burridge and Dessie. July 3, ’93; Ab Kettleby’. It has the photo of Fred as a yearling. It was a truly magical time, probably because I was blissfully unaware of how dangerous a sport chasing was; perhaps I came of age when the gap left by Dessie was replaced by One Man. How wonderful it was of the Burridges to share Des with us for all those years, and open up their doors every summer so we could gaze in wonder at our hero. However great a chaser Kauto Star became, he was never ‘ours’ the way that Des was. We all owned a part of him and, for those of us that loved him, there’s still a part of our hearts that will always belong to him.
That explains the ease in which you got it. With Google or something similar its far too easy to look up answers for quizzes. So I thought I’d try something I thought not on internet.
Still its a great read and thoroughly recommended.
You know what, I’ve never read it properly. When I first bought it I didn’t get round to reading it, and then as the years went by I found myself feeling too sad to read it. Dipping into it the other night had me crying my eyes out! I have so many memories of the old horse right up until the last time I saw him in the pre parade ring at Cheltenham looking so old and woolly. That time when he had colic and I thought he was going to die, and the day of tears when he did leave us. I even went to his ‘funeral’ at Kempton. I had a friend who used to introduce me to people as ‘my friend Mo who, and you won’t believe this, is actually in the Desert Orchid Fan Club’.
Moe,i too have fond memories of
Dessie
,he had a great influence on my betting strategy at the time as he was the first horse i had a £6 win bet on back in January 84,when he beat Johnny Francome on the highly regarded ‘Ihaventalight’.I had seen him several times before and always felt he was a horse who tried his heart out,prior to his Sandown victory above he had won at Kempton only a week or so earlier making his customary catch me if you can tactics,i vividly remember being very nervous prior to the race i had my whole £6 on as it was a big bet for me then but after a couple of flights i thought they wont catch him,he duly obliged at the short odds of 5/6 but i was hooked and followed him religiously from then on.His First King George will always be the highlight of his career for me at the incredible price of 16/1.
I love to read how people were hooked on the NH racing. My first grey to follow was Silver Fame. Martin Molony rode him to win the Gold Cup when I was a young lad.Martin is still alive today living happily in Co.Limerick.I have a wonderful picture of Wee Anthony with his arm around Martin when he visited him last year.Two of the great NH jockeys.
I missed Dessie’s first couple of King Georges, but kept seeing this grey hore on the telly at Christmas. I always watched The National and possibly the Derby, but Des brought me back to racing
. I knew he had a fan club but, pre internet days it was difficult to find things out…I eventually found the address and went to Ab Kettleby every summer after that for several years. I found a photo in a drawer in the kitchen yesterday of me and a friend holding the Cheltenham Gold Cup; they used to have it on show and we all just passed it round. Security did become tighter later on, however. There was a wonderful naivity about the whole thing.
I also belonged to the Desert Orchid Fanclub and used to go to Ab Kettleby and listen to Dessies Jazz Band in the garden. We all used to queue up to stroke Dessie and Midge used to run a raffle where I was over the moon to win a plait of hair from Dessies mane.
I still have a little contact with Midge (only by Christmas Cards) and sadly she is not in the best of health at the moment and also her partner John is fightening ill health too.
The last time we saw Dessie was after he had gone to David Elsworths new yard at Newmarket, he was at the National Stud holding his last open day 6 weeks before he died. Jim his faithful groom, Janice Coyle and Colin Brown were also there.
We never realised we would never see him again and I had tickled that lovely pink nose for the last time.
Dessie was the most wonderful horse and as you say the Burridges shared him with all of us, there will never be another like him, he is sadly missed, but his memory lives on.Things turn out best for those who make the best of how things turn out...When you do get in touch, could you say a big thank you from me for all the work she put into the fan club? It was such a special time of my life..I felt as if I was living out some sort of a dream, because I really felt part of what was happening. I just want her to know how grateful I am for that.
When you do get in touch, could you say a big thank you from me for all the work she put into the fan club? It was such a special time of my life..I felt as if I was living out some sort of a dream, because I really felt part of what was happening. I just want her to know how grateful I am for that.
I certainly will and you felt exactly as I did.
The first time I saw Dessie I felt so honoured and humble to be in his presence, my daughter was very ill at the time and I gained great strength from him. I have so many pictures, paintings and Royal Doulton ornaments of him and also the Dessie newsletters that Midge used to send us updating us on what he was up to
Also was an avid follower of the great One Man that you mentioned, he was another favourite grey, so sad that we lost him before he could fulfill his potential. I think that there is a photo of Dessie with him, I know there is one of Dessie and Milton the showjumper and also one with Lester Piggot on board. My daughter was lucky enough to sit on Dessie’s back at one of the open days for a photo. That picture taken by his horsebox is a treasured possession I couldn’t believe it when Richard Burridge lifted her up onto him, it was a real tonic and Midge still asks after her even today.
Keep in touch always happy to talk about ‘himself’ and wasn’t it great how they used to get all those cups out on the table at Ab Kettleby and let us all touch them, and all the videos running up in the barn of his great wins and Midge’s dogs getting under everyones feet..lol
Great days…If you do have Midge’s address I’m sure she would love to hear from you herself and if you don’t I could always give it to you but not sure how we exchanged email addresses on here as new to the site. Jacqui xThings turn out best for those who make the best of how things turn out...For me Dessie’s best moment was not winning the gold cup, for he seemed better right handed, though it was a proud moment. Or winning the King George many times (4 I think, but if I’m wrong on the numbers then I’m sorry.)
No his best moment was after the King George which he won then the next race was a 2 mile race against Panto Prince. The best 2 mile chase of his time, and Dessie who just won a 3 mile race had the speed to beat Panto Prince over this much shorter trip.
Here’s another horse to name:
Who ran in the Champion Hurdle and Gold Cup in the same meeting?
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