Awarded a Timeform Annual Rating of 136, El Gran Senor may have fallen just short of the 140 required to be considered one of the greatest horses of the Timeform era, but was, nonetheless, rated the best of his generation at two and three years, in 1983 and 1984. His name, which translates from Spanish as ‘The Great Lord’, was taken from the nickname of Horatio Luro, the Argentine-born trainer of his sire, Northern Dancer.

In a racing career curtailed by injury, sustained after powering to victory over Rainbow Quest in the Irish Derby at the Curragh, El Gran Senor won seven of his eight races. Indeed, he went agonisingly close to winning all eight, narrowly missing out, by just a short head, to the rallying Secreto in the Derby at the Epsom.

Owned by Robert Sangster and trained by Vincent O’Brien at Ballydoyle, Co. Tipperary, El Gran Senor enjoyed a brilliant, unbeaten juvenile campaign with four wins, including the Group One Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket. As a three-year-old, he reappeared in the Listed Gladness Stakes, over 7 furlongs, at the Curragh, in which he easily defeated stable companion Sadler’s Wells, en route to the 2,000 Guineas.

In a vintage renewal of the first Classic of the season, despite facing such luminaries as Chief Singer, Lear Fan and Rainbow Quest – all subsequent Group One winners – El Gran Senor was sent off 15/8 favourite. He justified his market position in style, winning with plenty in hand; so much, in fact, that despite slight reservations about his stamina over a mile-and-a-half, he was sent off at odds of 8/11 to maintain his unbeaten record in the Derby.

At Epsom, everything appeared to be going to plan when El Gran Senor cruised alongside the pacemaking At Talaq at the two-furlong marker, with jockey Pat Eddery looking around for dangers. He was challenged throughout the final furlong by Secreto, who had been ridden along on the outside of the field from Tattenham Corner and, having appeared to have taken the measure of his only possible danger, was caught in the shadow of the post and beaten by the narrowest margin possible.

El Gran Senor ‘just’ securing victory in the 1984 Epsom Derby

Astonishingly rated nearly two stone inferior to Arkle, the highest-rated steeplechaser of the Timeform era – which, as far as National Hunt racing is concerned, began in the early Sixties – Desert Orchid became the most popular, and recognisable, horse in training in the Eighties. Notwithstanding his early success over the smaller obstacles – he ran, albeit without distinction, in the Champion Hurdle famously won by Dawn Run in 1984 – Desert Orchid was best known for his exploits over fences. Indeed, his often breathtaking jumping ability, combined with his tenacity and versatility, in terms of distance and going, made him a public favourite.

Owned by Richard Burridge and trained by David Elsworth at Whitsbury Manor in Fordingbridge, Wiltshire, Desert Orchid rose to nationwide prominence when winning the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day, 1986. Forsaken by his regular partner, Colin Brown, in favour of better-fancied stable companion Combs Ditch and with doubts about his stamina for the three-mile distance, he was sent off at odds of 16/1. However, under Simon Sherwood, he put quality opposition, including Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Forgive ‘N’ Forget, to the sword, winning by 15 lengths. Desert Orchid was always better – a stone better, according to Sherwood – going right-handed, so his victory in the 1989 Cheltenham Gold Cup, not only going left-handed, but on unfavoured heavy going, was all the more remarkable.

Desert Orchid ran his last race in the King George VI Chase at Kempton – a race that he had already won four times, in 1986, 1988, 1989 and 1989 – on Boxing Day, 1991. As a twelve-year-old, he had to be ridden along to hold his position after the final open ditch, dropped to last turning into the straight and finally parted company with jockey Richard Dunwoody three fences from home. Nevertheless, in his eight-year career, he won 34 of his 70 races and just over £650,000 in total prize money.

The story of the one and only Desert Orchid.