Champion miler Circus Maximus (IRE) is set to continue the hugely successful relationship enjoyed between Coolmore Stud and Windsor Park Stud, highlighted by their previous success together with champion sires High Chaparral, Montjeu and Mastercraftsman.
Aptly named due to his gladiatorial qualities, Galileo’s triple Group I winner Circus Maximus was a fast, tough, elite level campaigner who was trained by Aidan O’Brien throughout his illustrious career.
A Group I performed 2YO winner from four runs at that age, Circus Maximus began his 3YO season winning the Listed Dee Stakes at Chester before success in Royal Ascot’s Group I St James’s Palace Stakes where he beat European Champion 2YO Too Darn Hot and Group I Irish 2000 Guineas winner Phoenix of Spain.
The prestigious St James’s Palace Stakes is a noted sire making race whose winners include Frankel (sire of the 2021 Group I Australian Oaks winner Hungry Heart), Kingman, Shamardal and Giants Causeway.
Aside from his debut 3YO stakes win, Circus Maximus raced a further 12 times, all in Group I company and following his Royal Ascot victory he again proved his class when defeating older horses, including Classic-winning milers Romanised, Olmedo and Phoenix Of Spain, in the Group I Prix du Moulin de Longchamp to gain the title of Champion 3YO Miler in France.
“Circus Maximus travels with a lot of speed and is very tough,” commented O’Brien.
“He quickens and then toughs it out. He’s that type of horse that can often make a very good stallion”.
A Champion Miler at four, Circus Maximus returned to Royal Ascot to win his third Group I race in the Queen Anne Stakes over a mile and followed his Royal Ascot triumph with a further four Group I placings including runner-up finishes in the Sussex Stakes and the Breeders’ Cup Mile.
In all, Circus Maximus won five races from 1600m to 2050m and $2.88 million and placed top four in ten of thirteen Group I starts.
Rated 125 by Timeform who described him as “tall, good bodied, highclass performer”, Circus Maximus is by the breed shaping colossus Galileo, sire of 89 Group I winners and sire of nineteen sons who themselves have produced Group I winners.
The prolific Galileo sireline has produced the winners of numerous marquee Australian races including the Melbourne Cup, Cox Plate, Australian Oaks, Australian Guineas and the Doncaster, Epsom and Stradbroke Handicaps. This season alone it is responsible for dual Australian Group I winning 3YO’s Hungry Heart and Montefilia.
Circus Maximus is the only foal of the Group winning racemare Duntle, a dual stakes winner at Royal Ascot who was also first past the post in the Group I Matron Stakes at Leopardstown, before being relegated and placed second.
A daughter of champion sire and broodmare sire Danehill Dancer, Duntle comes from an excellent branch of the famous La Troienne family that includes this seasons Australian Group I winning 2YO Artorius and famed New Zealand sire success Noble Bijou.
Circus Maximus will shuttle to Windsor Park Stud from Coolmore Stud in Ireland where he is standing his first season at stud.
