Late entry for heavenly hurdle

Sometimes you hear of a death and your first reaction is, "gosh, I'm surprised he was still alive."

Last week it was Jack Palance, and today we mourn the passing of legendary grey, Desert Orchid. Not many horses can command the front pages as well as the back, but Dessie in his heyday did just that. And besides being a top steeplechaser, he opened a mean supermarket in his retirement too.

Preserve his memory this Christmas. RIP Dessie.