'Other stallions would have lost their marbles but he was an amazing patient'

Timing has not been the greatest friend to Oratorio, for whom both external and internal factors have obstructed what might otherwise have been a memorable stallion career.

Boasting the sort of profile that should have served him well, being a son of Danehill who had won the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere as a juvenile in 2004 and landed the Eclipse and Irish Champion Stakes at three, he headed off to Coolmore Stud and made the brightest of starts with his first crop, with Beethoven and Fencing Master finishing one-two in the 2009 Dewhurst.

Much as was the case for that pair, the result was as good as it got. It emerged that his peer group contained Shamardal and Dubawi, his conquerors in the Dewhurst and Irish Guineas respectively who were to become illustrious sires.