I can see why people find thommo irritating but i also think he does a lot for racing, especially with newcomers to the sport. I was at Sedgefield for an evening meeting not so long ago when he was doing his stuff on the mic in the parade ring. He had the crowd going, and came across as a guy who wants to make racing appeal to the masses. He then did a kids race up the track and the little un's loved him. Hardcore racing people may find this irritating but if we want racing to continue to appeal, we need to encourage new and young people to racing, and thats what Thommo was doing that night. That said, his commentry is awful, 'and heres the favourite coming', 'the favourites making ground' (whilst still being scrubbed along 7 or 8 lengths behind the leader)
Agreed he tries SM, but I'm sure there are plenty of others who could do that just as well, if not better, without being irritating. Now I'm beginning to feel sorry for him.
I love thommo, his commentary is brilliant, it doesn't matter what grade of race it is he calls every race with masses of enthusiasm. I remember the other week when the Tatling won his first race in 4 years, he was going bananas when it became evident the old boy was coming to claim the leader. I was chatting to him the other week in the William Hill on Ascot high street, he was giving away free bets and things. He told me his tip of the day which won at 5/4, and I gave him my Shergar's shoo in which he backed, and it won at 7/2. He was very grateful
Nass, you need to put Dexter into Room 101 because he nominated eight things when you originally stipulated five and then came back nine minutes later with an additional one! For what it is worth, I agree with him about numbers one and two. I have never been to Aintree but I agree about seven if generalised to birds with spray on tan having had a couple too many and falling off their high heels and I would not limit it to racecourses. As for number six, I think we should wait until the inaugural Chumpions Day has happened before condemning it although it could be viewed as a proxy for Racing For Change, which has already been saved. The additional one about non-triers is a slam dunk. Ron, what makes you think that the male judges are assessing the outfits when they do the fashion thing on ladies’ days? Like the rest of us they are assessing the crumpet. Some old bunny boiler wearing a £3000 Karl Lagerfeld is not going to get the weekend in Dubai over some twenty-one-year-old in a £3 Primark dress that shows off everything. KS, if you told Thommo a 7/2 shot that you thought was going to win, it was probably on his premium rate tipping service thirty seconds before the race started. The North East’s greatest philanthropic export does so much selflessly for racing.
That Hayley Turner Ebay item has got a bid of £266 (+£20 postage)!!!! Blimey, credit crunch...what credit crunch! Meanwhile, I see that old Carlton House's 'infamous' Derby shoe sold last week for £7,500. The market in racing memorabilia seems very buoyant at the moment it would appear. I like Derek âThommoâ Thompson. Heâs never dull and boring like so many on our screens and his passion and commitment to the sport is unrivalled in my opinion. Really miss him on TalkSPORT of a morning and never understood why he was axed. Meanwhile, I doubt that he'd want to see the back of âBest Dressed Ladyâ competitions as, of course, he was judging one of these when he met the current Mrs âThommoâ.
Crikey enough to go on here!!! Firstly no member of the forum is going in, even if they don't read the rules of the thread Dexter's points - 1-Deferring riding bans - This has to stay out for me, I agree with the premise but I if we don't allow them to defer we will see even more jockeys doing a Richard Hughes and sitting out the week day races and only riding on the days that have big prizemoney. 2-Excessive watering...some horses actually prefer firm ground. - I am not putting excessive watering in, however Watering does go in. I think horses should run on a natural turf surface (or the Fibresand/polytrack) and I don't see why watering is done, other than to provide a false surface. In it goes 3-Frankie...as stated by SBC. - already in 4-Lydia..er hmm er hmm Hislop...might as well chuck Melish in as a job lot. - Who would we have left if I allowed all the members pet hates to go in? We would end up with Sir Barney presenting with Oddy as his expert. No thanks. She stays out 5-Prams at racecourses. - not sure that I have ever experienced this, perhaps I haven't been racing in chav central. I need more info on this, where it happens and how often 6-Chumpions Day at Ascot. - I can't get rid of Champions Day without letting it have one running. I see it being a damp squib but lets not judge just yet! 7-Almost naked orange birds tottering about in white stiletto's at Aintree. - perhaps this is linked with the Prams. If I get rid of this will it eradicate the pram issue? I won't put it in, because I think we could solve the issue by getting rid of fake tan. That would go in, but this can't 8-Wee Willie Carsehole...gun room job. - In he goes, because he told everyone to put their house on So You Think.
Wee Willie Carson deserves to be in for constantly Calling the horse "Flame and Glory" despite being corrected about 3 times, never mind his So You Think comments
And for stating the blinkin obvious - "this 7 furlong race is for horses that can't quite get the mile and aren't really quick enough for 6 furlongs". Thanks Willie - what a fabulous insight you've given us there.
He does say some stupid things and CB makes him look a twit sometimes. I think everything she says goes straight over his head.
Actually, his brother-in-law the property mogul who snapped up all those cheap houses thinks he is fantastic. He gets all his information by hacking into O’Brien’s mobile phone on racedays – it’s a running commentary of inane Irish drivel. That’s why he stands on a box next to Clare Balding because it contains the batteries for his eavesdropping device.
I'm surprised nobody has suggested the drunken fools at the racecourses who loiter behind Big Mac and Tanya Stevenson. Quite often they will be on their mobile phones and sometimes they even make rude gestures
Thanks for the stay of execution Nass...QM is a stickler for the rules..!! If I may be permitted a last request,might I also suggest the borefest that is the Shergar Cup..pointless and cringeworthy garbage. Over and out.....
Nass, forget Room 101 for Dexter. Just send him a ticket to Shergar Cup day, or even better get him signed up to captain the foreign team and send Willie Carson to interview him while Thommo chats up Mrs Dexter. They should make the Shergar Cup a women-only event and move it to a more popular midweek Carlisle evening.
Funny you mention that, I was going to leave it out of the room and force him to go to the meeting arm in arm with King Shergar as punishment. I thought that was a bit harsh though so I think your idea is a good one. We can't put it on at Carlisle, they have already filled their quota of sexism with that raceday that I won't mention.
Carlisle!!...could we not just castrate me instead...i'm just over forty and don't spend as much time in the sheds as i used to...more humane option!!
Nass I was talking to a friend of mine today,something about a picture you put on here.The guy is wearing a mauve tie. He wants to have a word with you.Itried to save you by telling him to have a little ew on Daring Damsel but thats not cheered him up. I told him you can take the boy out of Bermondsey but you cant take blah blah blah. LMAO
Nass, my friend said no good putting them in Box 101 as next year they are getting a private box to keep away from the Hoi Poloi and LoutsHe just asked me if you would like to go with them as I told him you knew a lot about horses. I think the box costs £20,000 or he said it did last year.
