However, the bookmakers had jumped the gun as Caldra was gelded due to his coltish behaviour as a juvenile and as a result, Kirk is under no pressure to rush him back to the track.

“Caldra is still recuperating. He had a small fracture, but his recovery couldn’t have gone any better,” said Kirk.

“It is all about how much performance the injury has taken off him. It is very, very rare for a horse to come back from an injury such as this without losing any ability, but things couldn’t have gone any better and with him being a gelding we are under no pressure to get him anywhere, we can give him as long as we need.

“The first thing we would be thinking about could be the Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot, but that is a long, long way off. That’s pie in the sky at this stage.

“It may take the pressure off being a gelding, but I wouldn’t mind being under a bit of pressure! But if we hadn’t have gelded him we wouldn’t have been in the position we are with him. I know he wouldn’t have performed the same if we hadn’t have gelded him.

“His best performance was his last one at Ascot and the further he went the better he got. It’s very frustrating because I wouldn’t have minded taking on anything with him, he might not have the rating to back it up but he is a serious horse.

“I just hope he retains his ability, even if he only retains three-quarters of it he will still be a nice horse.”