Desert Orchid to Skip Dangerous Grand National
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WINCANTON, England — Desert Orchid, the nation’s most popular racehorse, will skip the Grand National steeplechase this year, officials said.
Debate raged for the last few weeks in England’s newspapers over whether the 11-year-old “Dessie” should participate in the dangerous Grand National, which has claimed the lives of several horses.
“It has been decided by Desert Orchid’s joint owners and myself that the horse will not run in the Grand National this season,” trainer David Elsworth said after the horse scored the 30th victory of his career with a 20-length triumph at Wincanton racecourse.
Principal owner Richard Burridge said he was backed up by thousands of fans who voted in newspaper polls to skip the race.
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