By the winter of 1989 Desert Orchid, the handsome grey steeplechaser with the almost tangible will to win, had become more a national institution than a racehorse. He finished fourth in the BBC's Sports Personality of the Year Award, and when it was learned that his name would appear among the entries for the Grand National, polls were conducted by newspapers to decide if he should be allowed to run. Sheer force of public opinion persuaded the Burridge family to withdraw Desert Orchid. He suffered an unexpected reverse in the Cheltenham Gold Cup but ended the season triumphantly again by winning the Irish Grand National by 12 lengths. He is the only jumper to have earned over #500,000.