Archie Thompson

Archie Thompson

Article by Alan Trout

Archibald Frederick Thompson won two races on a horse named Plain Sailing in the 1947/48 season, having had his first ride at Stratford on October 1, 1938, when Perkins was unplaced in the Snitterfield Hurdle. 

He had at least one ride in 1941 when the unplaced Galadale was one of 33 to contest the Cowlick Handicap Hurdle at Nottingham on November 8, but did not return until after the war, making his comeback when pulling up on Egmont at Hereford on September 27, 1947. 

However, his second ride later that afternoon went far better when the seven-year-old Plain Sailing won the Novices’ Chase. Owned and trained by Walter Tapper at Banbury, Plain Sailing had shown little in three starts that season but nonetheless showed sufficient ability to beat Perchance To Dream by two lengths. 

Plain Sailing did not live up top his name thereafter, falling on his next two starts, followed by two unplaced efforts, all with Archie in the saddle. But then came an improvement with two placed outings in selling hurdle company at Wincanton and Wolverhampton before returning to winning ways on the Saturday of Towcester’s Easter meeting, March 27, 1948, when taking the Novices’ Hurdle (Division 1) by two lengths. 

Four more unplaced finishes followed before the season ended. The last of those, on May 15 in the Gayhurst Handicap Hurdle at Towcester, was also Archie’s final ride.