David Elsworth pays tribute as 'proud but modest' part-owner of Desert Orchid dies aged 81

Simon Bullimore, the lawyer who bought a quarter share in the great Desert Orchid for only £100, has died at the age of 81. 

Bullimore enjoyed business success as a partner in the same law firm as Desert Orchid's breeder James Burridge, and was persuaded to take a share in the future chasing superstar when he was only a foal. 

In his 1992 book The Grey Horse, Burridge's son Richard – another of the co-owners – wrote of Bullimore that his main hobby was building and sailing boats, adding that he was “one of the unlikeliest candidates for racehorse ownership imaginable. He was one of the most cheerful people I'd ever met, but he knew nothing about racehorses”. 

Speaking on Saturday, Desert Orchid's trainer David Elsworth described Bullimore as "proud but modest" about his association with one of the nation's favourite racehorses.  

"He was an extraordinary man, a very nice old boy and quite a character," said Elsworth. "He was an engineer who built his own boat and sailed around the world."

Elsworth remembered Bullimore as a constant presence on the big days with Desert Orchid, whose breadth of achievement will almost certainly never be equalled in jump racing.

"Simon wasn't a man who sought publicity," said Elsworth. "He was very proud but modest about his involvement with Desert Orchid. He loved the experience and never failed to turn up when the horse ran. He always kept himself in the background, but he and his family had tremendous fun." 

Richard Burridge estimated that Bullimore had invested less than £1,000 in his share plus the upkeep of the horse by the time Dessie made his debut, famously taking a heavy fall at the final flight of hurdles at Kempton, the venue where he would win a record four wins of the King George VI Chase. 

In addition, Desert Orchid won a Cheltenham Gold Cup, an Irish Grand National, a Whitbread Gold Cup and a memorable Victor Chandler Chase in which he successfully conceded 22lb to Panto Prince. 

Twenty-three years after that inauspicious debut, Desert Orchid's death was front-page news in many of Britain's national daily newspapers.

After his retirement, Bullimore put his legal expertise to good use in his work with a local campaign in Essex to have a fence taken down from the water's edge at Mistley Quay.

The 'Free The Quay' campaign came to fruition after 14 years of campaigning, when the Supreme Court in London ruled that the fence should be removed.

Bullimore was awarded an MBE in the 2023 New Year Honours for services to the community of Mistley.