'It's a man actually, Derek' - racing's viral sensation Derek Thompson's top five most iconic moments

Racing has plenty of superstars within the sport, but few manage to break through in the global ranks. Frankie Dettori might well have won 23 Classics, ridden 287 Group 1 winners, appeared on Big Brother and captained a team on Question of Sport, but has he been the star of numerous viral videos, printed on mugs and T-shirts and appeared on stage in front of 5,000 people?

Well, Derek 'Tommo' Thompson has and, as he hangs up his binoculars after 60 years of being a racing commentator, we countdown his top five most iconic moments,

Do you have a favourite Tommo moment or want to share a supportive message ahead of his retirement? Let us know by emailing editor@racingpost.com.

5. 'That was of course a slip of the tongue, I meant a 99!'

It was a hot and sunny Monday evening at Windsor, perfect weather for two things; ice cream and a golden Tommo moment.

While linking over to Matt Chapman, who was presenting on course at the Berkshire track, Tommo exclaims from the studio "I'll have a 69, and buy Donna one," leaving a chuckling Chapman struggling to hold it together.

Once back in the studio a red-faced Tommo puts viewers right . . . "That was of course a slip of the tongue, I meant a 99!"

We know what you meant, Tommo.

4. 'If I know your mum, she certainly won't'

Tommo interviews winning rider Josephine Gordon at Chelmsford in 2016 and all appears to be going to plan.

That is until he strangely decides to conclude the interview by saying to Gordon: "Is your mum watching from Devon tonight?" To which Gordon replied: "She'll be in bed."

Tommo laughs back: "If I know your mum, she certainly won't."

The feed then cuts to a stunned Matt Chapman in the studio who, after pausing for 13 seconds while making a few different facial expressions, delivers the line: "We just don't know how well Tommo knows her mum."

Timing to perfection, on all parts.

3. 'I'm a commen-tator'

In the horseracing world Tommo is a commentator, but in the wider world he is a viral superstar. That means he has plenty on his plate other than commentating, and in 2012 he gave us a tour of Haydock's hospitality boxes.

As he arrives at box three he bumps into one of the hospitality staff members, who is carrying a plate full of jacket potatoes for the guests to enjoy.

After asking what is on the plate, Tommo, in his typical Alan Partridge-esque fashion, comes up with the golden line: "Jacket potatoes, we'll follow you in because I'm a commen-tator."

If it was anyone else making this gag it falls flat, yet somehow Tommo nails it.

2. 'Are you well? I thought you were'

There can't be many videos in YouTube's entire library that packs so much into 50 seconds than Tommo's tour of The Crown Hotel in Bawtry.

You'd need to watch an entire series of Alan Partridge to get so many laugh-out-loud, hands-covering-face moments.

The tour starts with Tommo bumping into a group of ladies – a common theme throughout this video – who are enjoying a drink at the bar. In a line that went viral after being flagged by Radio 1's Greg James, Tommo asks the ladies: "Are you well?" before immediately responding with "I thought you were" before grabbing a glass of champagne from the bar and clinking glasses with the girls.

He then sits down for dinner with four more ladies with more clinking of bubbly.

Then things are taken up a notch, even by Tommo's high standards. He introduces us to "the wet bathroom", which has two young ladies dressed in towels. "Oh, sorry girls" replies Tommo in his cheeky manner before immediately turning to one of the bedrooms, where – you guessed it – two more ladies are sat on the bed.

He concludes his tour by sitting on the bed next to the two ladies and says: "There's something in the hotel bedroom here that you'll never find in any other hotel in Britain" before looking over at the two awkward-looking but laughing ladies.

Derek Thompson delivering his infamous "Are you well? I thought you were" line at The Crown Hotel in Bawtry

Talking to the Racing Post about the viral video, Tommo said: "Simon Mapletoft and his wife Jo asked me to do a promo video for the hotel as it's popular with Doncaster racegoers. There were ladies who worked there posing as guests during the filming, which began when I walked into the bar and uttered the now-immortal words, 'Are you well? I thought you were!' I don't know where that came from as there was no script and I thought nothing of it until later.

"We did the video, which the hotel was pleased with, and I thought no more about it until about two years ago when my daughter India shouted to me one morning and said I was on the Greg James show on Radio 1. I didn't even know who he was but listened in and heard him use my line, 'Are you well? I thought you were!' and he later rang me and said he was playing the Centaur after racing at the Cheltenham Festival and would I like to join him on stage.

"I got in there in front of around 5,000 people and he put my line to music, which was unbelievable. Greg then came to Newmarket after the 2,000 Guineas and we did the same thing there. I was stunned when it came out and they were even asking for T-shirts with that line on it. It was mental.

"Until it was forced to close for lockdown, people even used to send me videos of themselves going around The Crown Hotel impersonating me. They've had some great publicity out of it and if I don't have a room for life at the venue, there's something wrong!"

1. 'It's a man actually, Derek'

One of the most viral videos ever seen and a moment that made global celebrities out of Tommo and his famous sidekick Bob Cooper.

The moment has been shown on national TV, played on radio stations, printed on T-shirts, has numerous GiFs and memes, and there was even a flag at Glastonbury referencing it. The scene won The Accidental Partridge World Cup, beating Tommo's own 'Hotel Tour' in the semis, and it even made it on to BBC One's flagship Saturday night talkshow The Graham Norton Show. If that is not a claim to fame, then what is.

On a quiet afternoon's racing at Hereford 18 years ago, Tommo, who was presenting in the At The Races studio, handed over to his ice-cool companion Cooper, who was ready to interview the clerk of the course for a going report. Although they did not know it, they were about to create an iconic TV moment.

Tommo, with his classic charm, handed over to Cooper by saying that he was joined by "a beautiful lady", only for Cooper to respond with an instant, deadpan: "It's a man actually, Derek."

Recalling the incident back in 2019 after it appeared on The Graham Norton Show, Tommo said: "We were handing over to Hereford, and I just took a quick look around and at first glance thought it was a lady with blonde hair. If you're going to get it wrong, I suppose it's a good job I got it that way around and not the other way!

"It's had over six million hits worldwide. You've got to have a laugh at it. Things like that happen – it's live TV. It wasn't done on purpose. The guy wouldn't have heard my side of the conversation – all he'd have heard is, 'It's a man actually'. I'm sure he took it well. He's become world famous!"

Cooper suggested every presenter has a bit of Partridge in them, but fears becoming him.

Not Tommo, however, who said: "I did a thing a few years ago for a hotel in Bawtry. People said, 'Tommo, you're just like Alan Partridge.' I said, 'Well thank you very much.' He's a superstar and I love him to bits."

So popular has the video become that Cooper's daughter gave him a specially made T-shirt emblazoned with the phrase 'It's a man actually, Derek' as a Christmas present.

It also prompted the presenter to send his first tweet – five years after joining the site – of him showcasing the gift. The tweet has received nearly 3,000 likes, but that impressive figure is completely dwarfed by the six million views the video has garnered, plus millions more from its airing on BBC1.

Tommo is hanging up the microphone and the binoculars and, while we won't be able to see or hear him commentating on a racecourse, here's hoping there will be plenty more viral moments that take the world by storm and keep us entertained.

We're sure to see and hear plenty more of him.

Read more like this:

'I'd imagine he'll be quite emotional' - Tommo's 60-year commentary career comes to an end at Wolverhampton on Tuesday

'It's a man actually, Derek' - Robert Cooper reflects on infamous Tommo moment and the overwhelming reaction to retirement decision

Derek Thompson: 'I simply assumed it was a woman and still laugh about it now'

'If I said I'd scripted it that would be a lie' - Tommo's words that went viral

'This isn't retirement - I'm only hanging up my binoculars' - Derek Thompson confirms his final commentary shift and future plans