Thompson leads Cheers for 66-1 Redcar winner

TV LEGEND ROARS HIS HORSE TO VICTORY

- By PETER BARRON

VETERAN racing broadcaster Derek Thompson, who steps down from commentating this summer, had a moment to savour at Redcar 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 comfortably won the Join Racing TV Now Handicap on Monday afternoon 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 racingtv.com EBF Restricted Maiden Stakes (Division 1), and old stager Muscika in the Watch Racing TV In Stunning HD Handicap (Division 1).