Latest news with #Cheerleader
Glasgow Times
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Glasgow Times
Tommo ‘absolutely thrilled' to cheer home 66-1 Redcar strike
Thompson, who is believed to be the youngest ever commentator on the Grand National when he made his debut at 22, will call his final race in July, the same month he turns 75. Cheerleader is trained by Tina Jackson, the partner of Thompson's brother Howard, and 'Tommo' owns the three-year-old filly with his wife, Caroline. He's spent plenty of time on the racecourse, though this must rank as one of his better days! Well done to owner @tommoracing after 66/1 chance Cheerleader does the business at @Redcarracing 📸 Tony Knapton / — Racing TV (@RacingTV) May 19, 2025 Ridden by Jo Mason, she may have been an outsider in the Join Racing TV Now Handicap but the result barely looked in any doubt as she came home three-quarters of a length clear. 'It was unbelievable. I was absolutely thrilled, it was just a joy to lead the winner in,' said Thompson. 'She's trained by Tina, my brother's partner, and the colours are my old ones that haven't been used for the best part of 40 years. 'Tina looks after them so well. Cheerleader wasn't very well last year. I was involved in the syndicate who owned her (My Future Champion) and they wanted to send her to the sales. In the year @tommoracing steps down from commentating, a moment to savour at his local track. Cheerleader, owned by Tommo and his wife Caroline -and trained by sister-in-law Tina Jackson – lands the Join Racing TV Now Handicap under @jomason90 at 66-1. Well done, Big Fella! — Redcar Racecourse (@Redcarracing) May 19, 2025 'Rather than do that, my wife bought her as she fell in love with her. I told her off actually! She was in tears today, watching it on TV. 'She had six months off in a field, we'd go and see her to give her carrots and apples and when Caroline shouted for her, she'd come running over from one side of the field to the other and just stand there eating everything. 'My brother Howard clocks all the horses on the gallops and a couple of days ago he rang to say she'd done a very fast time and he thought we had a chance, so we had a nice each-way at 66-1!'
Irish Daily Mirror
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Daily Mirror
Derek Thompson 'absolutely thrilled' as 66-1 winner gives him 'joy' to remember
Veteran commentator Derek Thompson couldn't contain his joy following the 66-1 victory of Cheerleader, a horse he co-owns, at Redcar on Monday. Dubbed 'Tommo', Thompson has lent his voice to some of the greatest races worldwide and remarkably became the youngest ever commentator for the Grand National at aged 22; he is set to hang up his microphone in July as he celebrates his 75th birthday. Cheerleader, under trainer Tina Jackson—Thompson's brother Howard's partner—was expertly ridden by Jo Mason to triumph in the Join Racing TV Now Handicap. An ecstatic Thompson shared: "It was unbelievable. I was absolutely thrilled, it was just a joy to lead the winner in. "She's trained by Tina, my brother's partner, and the colours are my old ones that haven't been used for the best part of 40 years. "Tina looks after them so well. Cheerleader wasn't very well last year. I was involved in the syndicate who owned her (My Future Champion) and they wanted to send her to the sales. "Rather than do that, my wife bought her as she fell in love with her. I told her off actually! She was in tears today, watching it on TV. "She had six months off in a field, we'd go and see her to give her carrots and apples and when Caroline shouted for her, she'd come running over from one side of the field to the other and just stand there eating everything. "My brother Howard clocks all the horses on the gallops and a couple of days ago he rang to say she'd done a very fast time and he thought we had a chance, so we had a nice each-way at 66-1!"
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Veteran broadcaster Tommo cheers home a 66-1 Redcar winner he owns with his wife
VETERAN racing broadcaster Derek Thompson, who steps down from commentating this summer, had a moment to savour at Redcar today when his horse Cheerleader won at 66-1. 'Tommo' owns Cheerleader with his wife, Caroline, and the filly is trained at Loftus by Tina Jackson, the partner of his brother, Howard. The three-year-old won the Join Racing TV Now Handicap comfortably in the hands of Joanna Mason, with a delighted Thompson frantically cheering his winner home from the press box. He revealed that the Dandy Man filly had been bought after his wife 'fell in love with her', adding: 'She'll be watching from home, and the tears will be streaming down her face.' Jockey Ben Robinson and North Yorkshire trainer David O'Meara also had a good day, landing a double with Willowinghurn in the opening EBF Restricted Maiden Stakes (Division 1), and old stager Muscika in the Watch Racing TV In Stunning HD Handicap (Division 1). Willowinghurn, owned by the Hurn Racing Club from Beverley, was impressive on only her second run, with Robinson reporting: 'David thought she'd run very well today. She's a nice filly who's on the up, and I never thought we'd lose.' Muscika, now 11, was winning for the 18th time after getting the better of Michael Herrington's Papa Cocktail by a nose. Robinson, who thought he'd been pipped, said: 'I get on great with this horse and he always gives 110 per cent.' On a day for veterans, long-serving jockey John Egan was shown to good effect when Davvy, trained in Wales by David Evans, outstayed favourite Calafiori in the EBF Restricted Maiden Stakes (Division 2). 'I'm enjoying it more than ever,' said Egan, who's had four winners in 10 days. Rising star Billy Loughnane came with an attractive book of rides and didn't leave empty-handed thanks to George Boughey's Newmarket raider, Cadarn, scoring for the second successive Redcar meeting. 'It was a very nice performance – he's coming to himself now,' said the teenage jockey after the gelding had made all to beat John Quinn's Tropez Power by a length in the Marske Fabrication & Engineering Straight Mile Handicap. The step up to a mile and six proved to be the key to the success of another Newmarket raider, the Alice Haynes-trained Bellator Bullet, in the Celebrate The Life of Joe Newton Handicap. The son of Saxon Warrior stayed on well to upset Sir Mark Prescott's 2-5 shot Analogical, with winning jockey Rowan Scott saying: 'When we turned in, he came alive and has seen out the trip really well.' Despite a tardy start, Willolarupi, trained at Malton by Declan Carroll, came home well to under three-pound claimer Zak Wheatley in the Watch Racing TV In Stunning HD Handicap (Division 2), denying Peter Niven's Sugar Baby a second successive Redcar win. Wheatley said: 'If anything, he got there a bit too early in the end because he can be a bit quirky.' The finale, the Handicap, was an exciting finish, with Faye McManoman landing the spoils by a neck on Nigel Tinkler's I Can Boogy from Tim Easterby's Perfidia, with the Ivan Furtado-trained We've Got This a nose away in third. We've Got This was running in the colours of The Graham Lee Racing Club, run by The Good Racing Company, which has raised £40,000 for the jockey, who suffered life-changing injuries when he was unseated at Newcastle in November 2023. Graham was guest of honour at Redcar – the first time he has visited a racecourse to see the club's colours in action – and there were touching scenes in the parade ring as members and well-wishers showed their support. (Image: Peter Barron) Graham said: 'I'm very humbled by all the support I've had from The Good Racing Company and all the members.' Former dual champion jockey Paul Hanagan, a director of The Good Racing Company, said: 'We've Got This has run a great race. She's still green but we're getting there, and it's meant a lot to Graham to be here in the sunshine.'
Daily Mirror
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
BBC star 'absolutely buzzing' after 66-1 horse racing winner
The BBC, Channel 4 and Sky Sports Racing broadcaster, has announced plans to retire in July, aged 75, after a 50 year career behind the microphone Legendary TV broadcaster and commentator Derek Thompson was "absolutely buzzing" after seeing his colours carried to victory at odds of 66-1. Thompson, who has worked for the BBC, Channel 4 and Sky Sports Racing, has commentated on some of the biggest and most prestigious races all over the world and is believed to be the youngest ever commentator on the Grand National when he made his debut at 22. Late last year he announced that he will retire from the commentators' booth this year and will call his final race in July, the same month he turns 75. But he enjoyed a rare success as an owner on Monday after the 66-1 success of Cheerleader in a minor event at Redcar. Cheerleader is trained by Tina Jackson, the partner of Thompson's brother Howard, and 'Tommo' owns the three-year-old filly with his wife, Caroline. Ridden by Jo Mason, she may have been an outsider in the Join Racing TV Now Handicap but the result barely looked in any doubt as she came home three-quarters of a length clear. "Absolutely buzzing. Our horse, CHEERLEADER, who attracted little attention in the parade ring has just won @Redcarracing at 66-1," Thompson said in a social media post. "She showed lots of promise last year but, ultimately, needed a few months off. What a comeback!! Congratulations to Tina Jackson and @jomason90 for a superb ride." At the racecourse, he added: 'It was unbelievable. I was absolutely thrilled, it was just a joy to lead the winner in,' said Thompson. 'She's trained by Tina, my brother's partner, and the colours are my old ones that haven't been used for the best part of 40 years. 'Tina looks after them so well. Cheerleader wasn't very well last year. I was involved in the syndicate who owned her (My Future Champion) and they wanted to send her to the sales. Rather than do that, my wife bought her as she fell in love with her. I told her off actually! She was in tears today, watching it on TV. 'She had six months off in a field, we'd go and see her to give her carrots and apples and when Caroline shouted for her, she'd come running over from one side of the field to the other and just stand there eating everything. 'My brother Howard clocks all the horses on the gallops and a couple of days ago he rang to say she'd done a very fast time and he thought we had a chance, so we had a nice each-way at 66-1!'
Rhyl Journal
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Rhyl Journal
Tommo ‘absolutely thrilled' to cheer home 66-1 Redcar strike
Thompson, who is believed to be the youngest ever commentator on the Grand National when he made his debut at 22, will call his final race in July, the same month he turns 75. Cheerleader is trained by Tina Jackson, the partner of Thompson's brother Howard, and 'Tommo' owns the three-year-old filly with his wife, Caroline. He's spent plenty of time on the racecourse, though this must rank as one of his better days! Well done to owner @tommoracing after 66/1 chance Cheerleader does the business at @Redcarracing 📸 Tony Knapton / — Racing TV (@RacingTV) May 19, 2025 Ridden by Jo Mason, she may have been an outsider in the Join Racing TV Now Handicap but the result barely looked in any doubt as she came home three-quarters of a length clear. 'It was unbelievable. I was absolutely thrilled, it was just a joy to lead the winner in,' said Thompson. 'She's trained by Tina, my brother's partner, and the colours are my old ones that haven't been used for the best part of 40 years. 'Tina looks after them so well. Cheerleader wasn't very well last year. I was involved in the syndicate who owned her (My Future Champion) and they wanted to send her to the sales. In the year @tommoracing steps down from commentating, a moment to savour at his local track. Cheerleader, owned by Tommo and his wife Caroline -and trained by sister-in-law Tina Jackson – lands the Join Racing TV Now Handicap under @jomason90 at 66-1. Well done, Big Fella! — Redcar Racecourse (@Redcarracing) May 19, 2025 'Rather than do that, my wife bought her as she fell in love with her. I told her off actually! She was in tears today, watching it on TV. 'She had six months off in a field, we'd go and see her to give her carrots and apples and when Caroline shouted for her, she'd come running over from one side of the field to the other and just stand there eating everything. 'My brother Howard clocks all the horses on the gallops and a couple of days ago he rang to say she'd done a very fast time and he thought we had a chance, so we had a nice each-way at 66-1!'
