For racing fans in the late 1980s, Dessie made sure it was always a white Christmas. The ghostly grey won the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day on four occasions with his bold-jumping, front-running style.
Trained by David Elsworth, he was one of the most popular racehorses of all time and had his own fan club. He is remembered with a race named in his honour, fittingly run at Kempton’s Christmas meeting.