Champion Miler Circus Maximus to Windsor Park

Sponsored Content - by Tara Madgwick - Wednesday April 28

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.

Circus Maximus in full flight.

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”.

Circus Maximus also finished runner-up in the Group I Sussex Stakes over a mile at Goodwood before travelling to Keeneland in the USA to close out his 3YO season with a fourth placed finish in the Group I Breeders’ Cup Mile.

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.

Circus Maximus is a son of world champion sire Galileo.

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.


 

Advertisment
More Reading...
Best On Breeding
The cerise, white crossed sashes and black cap of Bob Peters, Peter's Investments, may not be the once dominant force they have been for decades in Western Australian racing, but they are far from finished.
Mapperley Stud Announce 2024 Service Fees
Mapperley Stud has announced their stallion service fees for the 2024 season with their proven son of High Chaparral – Contributer (IRE)  spearheading their roster at a fee of $18,000+gst.
Mo’Unga Retires to Newhaven Park in 2024
Newhaven Park is thrilled to unveil its stallion roster for 2024, showcasing a trio of both proven and promising young sires.
Sires With Winners - Friday November 22
Here is the full list of 46 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Hawaii Five Oh - Exciting Addition for Vinery Stud
Vinery Stud have announced that the royally bred Hawaii Five Oh, a stallion with an uncanny likeness and profile to his illustrious sire I Am Invincible, will join their stallion roster for the 2024 breeding season.
Pencarrow Blueblood Filly Wins Again
Royally bred filly Sesimbra made it back to back victories to open her three-year-old campaign when she took out the opening event at Wanganui, the Wanganui Function Centre 3YO (1200m) in dramatic fashion.
Stakes-Winning Debut for $1.3million Snitzel Colt
Exciting Snitzel colt Return To Conquer headed into his raceday debut in Saturday’s Listed Counties Challenge Stakes (1100m) with a big price tag, big reputation and big expectations, and the million-dollar colt produced a Pukekohe performance worthy of the hype.
Halo Racing Reduction features in November (Late) catalogue
Shares in reigning G1 Caulfield Cup champion Duke de Sessa, G1 Toorak Hcp winner Attrition and tomorrow’s G1 Railway Stakes favourite Light Infantry Man headline an exciting Inglis Digital November (Late) Online Sale.
One to Watch – Moonee Valley
This promising three year-old Cosmic Force filly made it wo wins in as many starts at Moonee Valley on Friday night with a tenacious display.
Newgate Announce 2024 Roster and Fees
Newgate Farm have announced their 2024 roster and fees headlined by three first season horses in top class Group One winning colts, Ozzmosis and Militarize along the highly rated Group Two winner King’s Gambit.