Ian Balding was probably wishing he had taken a leaf out of his counterpart John Dunlop's book and stayed at home after the fates conspired against Kingsclere at Chester today.
Dunlop was relaxing at his Arundel base as Millenary strengthened his Derby hand with a battling success in the Victor Chandler Chester Vase.
In contrast Balding was made to suffer as his Epsom hope Kingsclere failed to gain a clear passage throughout much of the final three furlongs of the Group Three contest.
Not since the legendary Shergar in 1981 has the winner of this race gone on to win the Derby and, according to the bookmakers, Millenary's chances of improving that record are remote.
He is 33-1 with Victor Chandler - fifth-placed Kingsclere is 50-1 - after this narrow win.
In a rough race, Pat Eddery forced Millenary ahead inside the final furlong and he held on gamely by half a length from Windsor Boy with the same distance back to Tantalus.
Millenary joins Sakhee and Three Points as possible Derby contenders from the Dunlop stable.
But plans will not be finalised yet with Three Points set to run in Thursday's Dee Stakes at Chester and Sakhee in York's Dante Stakes next Wednesday.
Dunlop's assistant Robert Hamilton said: "You shouldn't read much into Mr Dunlop not being here - he's got TV, you know.
"I'm sure he will have been happy with this and there is a chance our three could run in the Derby - they are all with different owners.
"Millenary is a big gangly thing so he's done well to go round a course like Chester. He was impressive enough in winning bearing in mind that he got quite a bump as he came through."
Kieren Fallon did not ride one of his better races, getting Kingsclere trapped behind a wall of horses as the race hotted up.
The 3-1 joint-favourite appeared to be travelling best with three furlongs to go but had nowhere to go.
Kingsclere had a horse on his outside and Fallon had to wait for a gap to appear.
Briefly there did seem to be a passage through but it soon closed up again and Fallon was eventually forced to accept things.
"I think we would have won but I just could not get a run at the right time," said the jockey.
Balding was more forthright and said: "We were dead unlucky. He should have won.
"All he needed to do was to switch the horse out as he did with the previous winner (Nicobar) and it wouldn't have been a problem.
"I've still got faith in the horse and the one good thing that's come out of this is that we know that he stays. He will definitely go for the Derby."
Kingsclere may seek some compensation before the Derby in the Predominate Stakes at Goodwood later in the month.
Tantalus is owned by Khalid Abdulla who has one of the leading Derby contenders in Beat Hollow.
The colt's trainer Barry Hills said: "He ran a good race and the Derby is a long way off."
