Dunlop and Kingscote making the most of a Knight to remember

We’ve all been there. It’s a big race meeting at the weekend and we feel the urge to go along, but in the back of our mind there’s a nagging feeling we haven’t officially booked the day off and the boss hasn’t actually said we won’t be needed; so do we say nothing, switch off the phone and wing it, or take the bull by the horns and ask, at risk of getting the wrong answer?

It becomes a rather more pressing matter when you’re riding a fancied horse in the Investec Derby for a yard other than the one you’re retained by, and you really don’t want to miss out. You can hardly slope off without telling the boss, given the fact that on Saturday you’ll be careering down Tattenham Hill with the eyes of the racing world upon you, so your options are dramatically reduced.

Richard Kingscote, knowing which side his bread is buttered, decided to take the honest route and throw himself on the mercy of guv’nor Tom Dascombe in the hope that the plum ride on Knight To Behold wouldn’t be denied him at the last moment.

Harry Dunlop: 'We wanted to go to Lingfield to see if he was a genuine Derby contender and he showed he clearly was'

“I did double check with Tom I wouldn’t be needed on Derby day,” he grins, “I know he’d never stop me because he wants me to do well, but out of courtesy I did ask. He may well have a nice horse running on Saturday but it’s the Derby and it’ll be good for the whole yard if I do well.”