BBC and ITV commentator Derek Thompson has revealed details of a 1980 horse race in which he beat King Charles, then Prince of Wales. The 74-year-old, known as Tommo, said Queen Camilla still jokes she has not forgiven him for the victory.
Speaking courtesy of Freebets.com, Thompson recalled a recent encounter at Royal Ascot: "I said, 'sorry, Sir. I beat you all those years ago.' He said, 'don't worry. I forgave you.' His wife, the Queen, then said, 'But I haven't, Tommo!'"
The race was a charity flat race at Plumpton, where the King finished second on his debut as an amateur jockey. Thompson rode Classified, trained by future champion trainer Nicky Henderson. He described how the horse had impressed in a pre-race gallop, beating a stable jockey by 20 lengths.
"All the stable staff backed me at 16-1 – if I hadn't won, I'd have been dead half an hour later," Thompson joked. He called the day "incredible" and said he will never forget it.
