'A dream come true' - Sam Twiston-Davies recounts A Question of Sport experience

Sam Twiston-Davies fulfilled a lifelong dream when taking part in the BBC's A Question of Sport programme on Friday night but the Grade 1-winning jockey's performance was, by his own admission, not without the odd hitch.

Twiston-Davies and Irish footballer Kevin Kilbane joined captain Matt Dawson – who spent a short period as a presenter on Channel 4 Racing in 2010 – on one team, while opposing captain Phil Tufnell was joined by Olympic hockey gold medallist player Kate Richardson-Walsh and former England rugby international Maggie Alphonsi.

Speaking on Saturday, Twiston-Davies said: "It was a great experience but obviously a little bit nerve-wracking as I grew up as a kid watching it and never really had myself down as being in the position to be asked to go on the show. It was a dream come true."

The jockey was quickly off the mark by correctly identifying the King George as the race won by Kauto Star on five occasions, but his next choice, when choosing to answer a question about F1 World Champion Lewis Hamilton instead of Sir Anthony McCoy during the show's 'Wall Of Fame' round, raised a few eyebrows.

"I thought it was a tactical move," Twiston-Davies explained. "I like to think I would definitely have got the AP one but I didn't realise the round was going to be so short. I thought we could go again so figured I was making a tactically sharp manoeuvre but it turned out that was a disaster. If we'd have lost I'd have been looking back assessing my performance as very poor."

Sam Twiston-Davies and Dodging Bullets win the Champion ChaseCredit: Edward Whitaker

In the well-known 'Home and Away' round, Twiston-Davies opted for a home question and was asked to identify the horse who finished in the first five in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, without winning, between 2015 and 2018.

His incorrect answer of The Giant Bolster – who finished in the first four three times from 2012 to 2014 – elicited a pained expression from Twiston-Davies. The correct answer was Djakadam.

"I promise you it's absolutely crazy, until you're in the scenario you don't know what it's like," Twiston-Davies explained. "You're nervous – I couldn't think who had even won the Gold Cup let alone who was placed!

"It's amazing how much pressure it puts on you quite quickly but then actually you do relax and are able to enjoy it. Everyone there is very welcoming and that puts you at ease."

The jockey did later redeem himself by correctly identifying 'w' as the most common letter British racecourses begin with.

Jump racing is in the midst of its mid-summer ten-day break, a fact Twiston-Davies was thankful for as it may have spared him a fair level of banter from his colleagues in the weighing room.

He added: "It fell in quite a good time because a lot of my friends are currently off with the ten-day break and a load of them are abroad so haven't seen it yet thankfully. However, I did receive a few Snapchats and Instagrams from people giving me a bit of stick."

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