By Tahani Karrar and Paul Majendi

Desert Orchid, one of Britain’s most popular and famous racehorses in Britain, died in his stable on Monday at the age of 27.

The flamboyant grey steeplechaser, affectionately known as Dessie, dominated jump racing for a decade, ranking alongside triple Grand National winner Red Rum and triple Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Best Mate.

Desert Orchid, renowned for his courage and breathtaking jumping, won the 1989 Cheltenham Gold Cup and 34 races in total, including four victories in Kempton's renowned King George VI steeplechase.

"Desert Orchid died peacefully. There was no stress, he departed from this world with dignity and no fuss," his former trainer David Elsworth said in a statement. The horse will be buried at Kempton Park near the equine statue that commemorates some of his most memorable triumphs.

Desert Orchid always hated running at the left-handed Cheltenham track but he conquered his aversion to land the Blue Riband of steeplechasing there. His gutsy triumph over Yahoo up the stamina-sapping Cheltenham hill was voted the greatest race of all time by readers of The Racing Post sporting daily.

"It was the manner in which he competed that captured the heart of a racing generation," said Cheltenham's managing director Edward Gillespie.

Retired jockey Colin Brown, Desert Orchid's regular partner from 1983 to 1988, said he owed his career to the grey and likened him to a Ferrari.

"He was in a different class. He was just an outstanding horse with an outstanding character. He could be stroppy sometimes but he was a real professional," he said. "To put things in perspective, he was very ordinarily bred but it just shows what can happen sometimes. A big engine gets into a horse and they prove to be unbeatable.’’

Desert Orchid retired in 1991 and then launched a new career appearing at charity functions and race-day parades. His appearance in racecourse paddocks was invariably greeted with spontaneous cheers for a horse described by racing commentator John McCririck as "a real streetfighter who gave everything."