St Nicholas Abbey is “comfortable” after suffering a “major complication” on his road to recovery from a fractured leg.

The six-times Group One winner badly damaged a pastern on Aidan O’Brien’s Ballydoyle gallops five weeks ago which ended his racing career. Then just a few days after undergoing surgery he had another operation for colic.

All seemed to be going well until it was discovered on Monday evening that the steel weight-bearing pin in his cannon bone had broken.

“A major complication in St Nicholas Abbey’s recovery arose on Monday evening as he appeared a little uncomfortable,” the six-year-old’s owners Coolmore tweeted. “Radiographs showed the steel weight-bearing pin in his cannon bone had broken and after consultation, the surgeons decided to take it out.

“This procedure was done Monday night, the leg has been re-cast and St Nicholas Abbey is now bearing weight on the fractured leg.

“This development has come sooner than we would have ideally liked, so the next week is a very tentative period for us. This morning St Nicholas Abbey is comfortable and is walking as well as can be expected. His temperament and demeanour are a tremendous plus both for him and the team treating him.”