Racing legend Derek Thompson earned forgiveness from King Charles for defeating him in a 1980 charity race, but Queen Camilla remains playfully unforgiving.
The Prince’s Brief Racing Career
King Charles, then Prince of Wales, pursued a short-lived stint as an amateur jockey in the early 1980s. He participated in six races, including one at the 1981 Cheltenham Festival before his wedding to Diana. Despite never securing a win, he achieved two second-place finishes. His debut came at Plumpton in a charity flat race, where Thompson, aboard Classified, narrowly beat the prince riding Long Wharf.
A Light-Hearted Apology at Royal Ascot
The two later shared laughs over their encounter. Thompson recalls chatting with the King at Royal Ascot, where he apologized: “Sorry, Sir, I beat you all those years ago.”
The King replied, “Don’t worry. I forgave you.” Queen Camilla interjected, “But I haven’t, Tommo!” The group continues to joke about the memorable day.
Preparation for the Big Race
Thompson sensed victory early. He rode Classified, a debutant trained by Nicky Henderson, who later became a six-time champion National Hunt trainer. Days before the Tuesday race, Thompson joined a private gallop at Lambourn with Henderson and stable jockey Steve Smith Eccles.
“We did a mile gallop on the hills, and nobody else saw it,” Thompson said. “I won by about 20 lengths. Steve said next to me, ‘What the blinking heck is that, Tommo?’ I said, ‘He’s called Classified, has never run before.’
“He said, ‘Well, you’ve just beat me 20 lengths, giving me two stone. The horse I rode won a handicap over at Newbury under 12st 7lbs last week. You’ve just annihilated me. You must be on the biggest certainty of all time.'”
Stable staff backed Thompson at 16-1 odds, heightening the stakes for his triumphant ride.
