|}The Desert Orchid Handicap Chase is a Grade 2 National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Kempton Park over a distance of about 2 miles (3,219 metres), and during its running there are twelve fences to be jumped. The race is scheduled to take place each year in late December during the course's Christmas Festival.
The race was first run on 27 December 2006. It is named in memory of Desert Orchid, a popular racehorse who died several weeks earlier. Desert Orchid won Kempton's most prestigious event, the King George VI Chase, four times between 1986 and 1990. His ashes were scattered at the racecourse on the day of this race's inaugural running. The event replaced the Castleford Chase in the National Hunt calendar as a Grade 2 chase over 2 miles. From 2006 to 2022 it was run as a conditions race.
In April 2023 the British Horseracing Authority announced that the race would become a Grade 2 Limited Handicap from the 2023/24 season.[1]
Most successful horse (2 wins):
Leading jockey (3 wins):
Leading trainer (5 wins):
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| Year | Winner | Age | Jockey | Trainer | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Voy Por Ustedes | 5 | Robert Thornton | Alan King | |
| 2007 | Voy Por Ustedes | 6 | Robert Thornton | Alan King | |
| 2008 | Fiepes Shuffle | 8 | Jamie Moore | Christian von der Recke | |
| 2009 | Petit Robin | 6 | Barry Geraghty | Nicky Henderson | |
| no race 2010 | |||||
| 2011 | Finian's Rainbow | 8 | Barry Geraghty | Nicky Henderson | |
| 2012 | Sanctuaire | 6 | Ruby Walsh | Paul Nicholls | |
| 2013 | Sire De Grugy | 7 | Jamie Moore | Gary Moore | |
| 2014 | Special Tiara | 7 | Barry Geraghty | Henry De Bromhead | |
| 2015 | Sprinter Sacre | 9 | Nico de Boinville | Nicky Henderson | |
| 2016 | Special Tiara | 9 | Noel Fehily | Henry De Bromhead | |
| 2017 | Politologue | 6 | Sam Twiston-Davies | Paul Nicholls | |
| 2018 | Altior | 8 | Nico de Boinville | Nicky Henderson | |
| 2019 | Bun Doran | 8 | Jonathan Burke | Tom George | |
| 2020 | Nube Negra | 6 | Harry Skelton | Dan Skelton | |
| 2021 | Shishkin | 7 | Nico de Boinville | Nicky Henderson | |
| 2022 | Editeur Du Gite | 8 | Niall Houlihan | Gary Moore | |
| 2023 | Editeur Du Gite | 9 | Niall Houlihan | Gary Moore |
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