‘Start at the back and try to pass as many horses as you can,’ said the trainer, as we stepped on to the all-weather track at Lingfield.

It was only a practice gallop but I couldn’t have been more excited if I’d been lining up for the Gold Cup.

Darcy had been loaded on to the lorry that morning with eight other horses for an outing to see if any of them happened to show signs of what the trainer calls blistering speed.