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If you fancy a chuckle watch the race replay of the 3:20 at Yarmouth today
Mid race stoute 3yo handicapper Ikhtiraaq miraculously is replaced 30 year old 3 time champion hurdler Istabraq
Top notch commentary as always from Thommo
It even ended in a “foto”
The list of people (particularly among those working in the industry) who don’t like Derek Thompson is….LENGTHY.
But he never did anything to me and I cannot tell a lie – I think he’s consistently hilarious and he definitely doesn’t take himself too seriously.
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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"I remember this clip from the previous posting of it.
If anyone hasn’t seen it, I 100% recommend it because I was DYING by the end of it.
Even by Thompson’s exemplary standards of OTT tongue-in-cheek absurdity, it’s an utter masterpiece.
I am "The Horse Racing Punter" on Facebook
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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"Imagine swapping Derek for someone like Jermaine Jenas??
Personality and character go a long way and Derek has it in spades.
Unfortunately it’s not deemed as proper in this day age..
Blackbeard to conquer the World
I’ve said before I dealt with Derek one day through my job , lovely fella but he did give me a duff tip …..to ve fair I gave him a duff 1 to
I’m a commen-tater. Genius.
He’s always fascinated me. Definitely a bit of Partridge in him.
I think it’s highly doubtful he takes himself 100% seriously.
Apparently, behind the persona, he’s pretty ruthless if you’re competing with him for work, but it’s a “dog eat dog” world, he’s easily forgiven for that and as he’s never done anything to me (apart from entertain me enormously) I am a fan.
I am "The Horse Racing Punter" on Facebook
https://mobile.twitter.com/Ian_Davies_
https://www.facebook.com/ThePointtoPointNHandFlatracingpunter/
It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"He reminds me a lot of Robert Cooper, in that he excels at the lower end of the racing market. I’m sure he enjoyed the likes of Cheltenham, York, Newmarket etc when working for C4 Racing, but I enjoy him more at the mundane meetings. I worked in a bookies for a good few years in the 90s and always looked forward to him commentating for SIS at a run-of-the-mill midweek meeting. He’d tell us how big a day this was for Thirsk/Pontefract/Yarmouth etc, then pick out the feature race/horse/fact with such enthusiasm. Like you, Ian, I’m a genuine fan although I do feel there’s a pretty big ego in there too.
I agree 100% with this – he has this eternal positive enthusiasm which revvs up any card, he will make a “feature” Class 4 Handicap among Class 6s sound like a Group 1 and his style is particularly effective when it’s a holiday crowd at places like Great Yarmouth.
I am "The Horse Racing Punter" on Facebook
https://mobile.twitter.com/Ian_Davies_
https://www.facebook.com/ThePointtoPointNHandFlatracingpunter/
It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"I remember seeing Thommo at a Haydock evening meeting where he was the raceday presenter and also compere of the Best Dressed Lady competition. He was in his element. And the ladies seemed to adore him!
I like his enthusiasm and I believe he was a key part in why the Channel 4 team of the 80s and 90s was so successful.
I have met him a few times and he has always been good company. My dad grew up in the same neighbourhood as him, although he is a few years older than Thommo. They always say hello to each other on the racecourse.
The only criticism I have of Thommo is as a commentator. He mentions things that are irrelevant and his shout of “PHOTO” when something has won by half a length is not what you want to hear, especially if you have backed the obvious runner up!
That’s fair criticism, but of course I think we both know why he does it.
He’s about entertaining as many recreational punters and racegoers as possible for as long as possible.
Way back in the days when he was first on the original ITV7 team on World Of Sport, my Dad used to love Thommo’s expression “here’s another one I could give a chance to,” a line he wheeled out for virtually every runner in every race.
And, while commentating, he just hates saying any horse is beaten and he won’t call an outright winner until he absolutely has to, giving the maximum amount of (usually false) hope to as many ice-cream clutching holiday racegoers as possible.
It’s the same beforehand – one man’s moderate 45-rated plater who is one (and that was three years ago) from 38 is Thommo’s “and this one is already the winner of a race.”
I love it, tbh, he’s the most pint half-full bloke on the planet.
I’d rather flush money down the loo than follow any betting advice he offers, though!
I am "The Horse Racing Punter" on Facebook
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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"Fair points – I can see why his commentary appeals more to casual racegoers than long in the tooth betting shop punters.
“He’s won it like an odds on favourite should” is another of his gems.
I think this is another Tommo’s classic:
Not sure if the great man is at Newton Abbot today, but if not he’d be purring at the 4.15 race. Cross-referencing a thread I started last year on longest travellers, Gordon Elliott has sent one there today, which feels like a hell of a trek from County Meath for a Class 5 bumper.
Elliott saddles odds-on shot Come On Du Berlais, with the Nicholls-trained Justmyimagination the main market rival. Talking of which, I can well imagine Tommo in his opening preview waxing lyrical over “Elliott v Nicholls…..on a Monday…..at Newton Abbott. Join me later!” etc.
Derek is commentating at Perth today.
When Maurice Barnes had a runner in one race, I bet myself that Thommo would say in commentary “The man who rode Rubstic to win the 1979 Grand National.”
It was an odds on certainty and he did not disappoint.
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