Veteran racing commentator Derek Thompson has shared an amusing story from over four decades ago, when he unexpectedly bested King Charles III in a charity horse race — a victory that still draws playful banter from Queen Camilla.
Back in 1980, the then-Prince Charles was dabbling in amateur jockeying, competing in a handful of races, including an appearance at the Cheltenham Festival shortly before announcing his engagement to Princess Diana. Though he never managed a first-place finish, Charles did come close on two occasions, one of which was his debut at Plumpton in a special charity flat race.
It was in that race that Thompson, riding a promising horse named Classified, crossed the finish line ahead of Charles’ mount, Long Wharf. Speaking earlier this year, Thompson recalled the moment he later apologised to the now-King for the upset. “At Royal Ascot last year, I said, ‘Sorry, Sir, I beat you all those years ago.’ He told me, ‘Don’t worry, I forgave you.’” But Queen Camilla’s response was more teasing — “But I haven’t, Tommo!” she told him, keeping the light-hearted rivalry alive.
Thompson, known affectionately in the racing world as “Tommo,” still remembers the confidence he felt before that race. Classified, trained by a young Nicky Henderson — who would later become a six-time champion National Hunt trainer — had never raced before. But just days ahead of the charity event, Thompson had taken part in a private gallop at Lambourn with Henderson and stable jockey Steve Smith Eccles.
The outcome of that gallop convinced him he had a real shot at winning. “We did a mile gallop on the hills,” he said. “I ended up winning it by about 20 lengths. Steve turned to me and said, ‘What the blinking heck is that, Tommo?’ I told him, ‘Classified — never run before.’ He said, ‘Well, you’ve just beaten me 20 lengths, giving me weight. The horse I was riding only last week won a handicap at Newbury under 12 stone 7. You must be on the biggest certainty ever.’”
Word quickly spread among Henderson’s stable staff, who all backed Thompson’s horse at odds of 16-1. Thompson joked that if he hadn’t won, he might not have made it out of the racecourse unscathed. But win he did, and in doing so, earned himself a small but memorable place in royal racing history.
The result was taken in good spirits by Charles himself, but the memory has endured as a favourite anecdote, especially with Queen Camilla still cheerfully claiming she hasn’t forgiven him. For Thompson, the day remains one of the most special of his career — not only because of the royal rivalry, but because it marked the early promise of a horse and trainer who would go on to leave their mark on British racing.
Even after more than 40 years, the story continues to be told — a lighthearted reminder of a day when a commentator outran a future king, and the Queen never quite let it go.
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