Derby favourites are reminded that shock results are all part of the game

Tricky things, pacemakers. In theory, they sacrifice themselves for the good of everyone else, setting an even tempo through the first two-thirds of a race, strong but not too strong, so the good horses settle down in the early stages before quickening past in the straight to seize the glory that is rightfully theirs.

But, as chess players know, every piece in play deserves respect. Left unchallenged, any pawn can go the length of the board and become a queen. When the entries were made for this Derby last Thursday, Serpentine was widely imagined to be no more than a foot soldier in Aidan O’Brien’s army, present only to set things up for his betters, but they paid dearly for underestimating him and now he wears the crown.

Related: Serpentine pulls off huge shock for O'Brien with all-the-way win in Derby

It has happened before and not that long ago. This race was an uncanny echo of last year’s Irish Derby, when the O’Brien-trained Sovereign made almost every yard to win by six lengths at 33-1. He was supposed to be a pacemaker for Anthony Van Dyck, the Epsom victor three weeks before, but, as with Saturday’s race, it was clear by the turn into the straight the other jockeys had made a disastrous miscalculation and the one in front had gone beyond recall.

Punters tend to get very steamed up about this kind of outcome, which is hardly to be wondered at. You spend hours poring over the form and watching replays in the hope of identifying the best horse and then see the race fall to an outsider benefiting, on the face of it, from the misjudgment of his rivals.

But, when we have all taken a deep breath and perhaps had a restorative beverage, this kind of thing has to be accepted as part of the game. The rules, after all, require every horse to run on its own merits, to be trying to win for itself. What could be better proof of those rules being upheld than a pacemaker that keeps on keeping on?

Long memories are rewarded in racing, which is also as it should be. Derby heroes have made all, or almost all, before now. Steve Cauthen went straight to the front on his two winners, Reference Point and Slip Anchor, back in the 80s, as the more ancient punters will recall.

The long-retired jockey Richard Hills was particularly good at this sort of thing. He pinched the QEII Stakes not once but twice on supposed pacemakers.

Maroof was the first, back in 1994, when he was the only one of the nine runners that had not won a top-class race. In fact, he had not won anything for a year and was allowed to go off at 66-1, but Hills judged things to a nicety and was still clear at the line.

Related: Jockeys under fire after Serpentine pulls off shock with all-the-way win in Derby

Back in third place that day on Bigstone was a young Frankie Dettori, who may have been having flashbacks as he asked English King to close the impossible gap here on Saturday.

Seven years after Maroof, Hills was at it again on the 33-1 shot Summoner, teeing things up (but actually not) for his Godolphin stablemate Noverre. Soft ground played its part in beating the favourite that day.

“It’s just one of those things,” the once-more disappointed Dettori said after climbing off Noverre back in 2001, voicing the phlegmatism to which we must all aspire. “Life goes on.”