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 has replaced the castleford chase in the national hunt calendar as a grade 2 chase over 2 miles.