“You always worry about them. He’s finally settled into his school and enters high school next year, which you worry about again.

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“He watched Media Award with me last weekend [in The Invitation]. He doesn’t say much but I know he got a kick out of it.”

Calthorpe, who trains out of Geelong, said he was not aware of too many other racing participants with children on the spectrum, and there were plenty in the fraternity unaware Archie was neurodiverse.

Media Award has certainly helped lighten the mood on the home front with the four-year-old mare shoved back into a pocket behind horses at a crucial stage of The Invitation last Saturday.

Her second-up form is excellent, she has drawn barrier nine and drops to 55.5kg with Jack Martin to ride.

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Calthorpe also runs a horse transport business, which has been brought to a halt because of COVID. Planes due to take horses to Perth for their summer carnival have been stranded on the tarmac a second year.

Media Award would have targeted the Railway Stakes and Kingston Town Stakes on the other side of the country had the borders been open. The current plan will be to push on to the Eclipse Stakes at the end of next month at Caulfield, then return in the autumn for a stab at the All-Star Mile. Golden Eagle rival Private Eye is likely to be aimed at the same Flemington feature.

“She’s just a good mare, not the biggest but one who gives 110 per cent every time. She only cost $5000,” Calthorpe said.