Tommo ‘absolutely thrilled’ to cheer home 66-1 Redcar strike

Derek Thompson has commentated on some of the biggest and most prestigious races all over the world but few have given him as much pleasure as the 66-1 success of Cheerleader in a minor event at Redcar on Monday.

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.

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.

“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!”