IT will be disappointing if Circus Maximus fails to sire at least a few Group 1 winners. He is a son of the phenomenal Galileo (Sadler’s Wells), so he is by a proven sire of Group 1 sires, and like classic sire Frankel and Group 1 sire Rip Van Winkle he is one of his top-class milers who stayed a bit farther.
The sole surviving foal of Duntle (Danehill Dancer), Circus Maximus is bred on a similar cross to Frankel, and he comes from the family of a notably successful member of Coolmore’s US roster at Ashford Stud in Kentucky.
Duntle won the Group 2 Duke of Cambridge Stakes, was placed in the Group 1 Prix Rothschild and Group 1 Sun Chariot Stakes and was relegated to second after passing the post first in the Group 1 Matron Stakes.
Duntle’s dam, Lady Angola (Lord At War), is a winning three-parts sister to the Grade 1 scorer Honor In War (Lord At War), her third dam is the Group 3-placed Lady Winborne (Secretariat), and so she comes from the immediate family of Al Mamoon (Believe It), La Gueriere (Lord At War) and Lost Soldier (Danzig).
The latter is the Group 3-winning sire of the ill-fated Grade 1 and Eclipse Award-winning sprinter Lost In The Fog, Al Mamoon was a Grade 1 winner and blacktype sire, whereas La Gueriere is a Grade 1-winning broodmare of note.
La Gueriere’s Grade 1-winning daughter Icon Project (Empire Maker) is the dam of Grade 2 scorer Fashion Business (Frankel) and her Grade 2-winning son Lasting Approval (With Approval) sired Breeders’ Cup-placed dual Grade 1 star Honey Ryder among others of note. She is also the grandam of Munnings (Speightstown).
A top-class performer from seven to nine furlongs, Grade 2 victor Munnings has sired the Grade 1 stars El Deal and I’m A Chatterbox and a string of Grade 1-placed graded scorers.
Circus Maximus ticks all the pedigree boxes, but he was also a top-class racehorse, a triple Group 1-winning miler whose toughness in a battle was reminiscent of Coolmore’s former star and subsequent multiple champion sire Giant’s Causeway.
Circus Maximus won the St James’s Palace Stakes, Prix du Moulin de Longchamp and Queen Anne Stakes, he was a neck runner-up in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Mile on his final start, was beaten under a length when second in back-to-back editions of the Group 1 Sussex Stakes, and had the stamina to be a stakes winner over an extended 10 furlongs at Chester. Furthermore, he was a Group 3-placed juvenile winner who was only beaten by a total of a length when fourth to Magna Grecia in the Group 1 Vertem Futurity Trophy Stakes.
Few recent recruits have such strong credentials as those which potential classic sire Circus Maximus brings to stud.
CIRCUS MAXIMUS (IRE), Bay 2016. Won five races, £1,480,825, from 1 mile to 1 mile 2 furlongs, 2 to 4 years including, Prix du Moulin de Longchamp, Parislongchamp, Gr.1, Queen Anne Stakes, Ascot, Gr.1, St James’s Palace Stakes, Ascot, Gr.1, Homeserve Dee Stakes, Chester, L, also placed second in Breeders’ Cup Mile, Keeneland, Gr.1, Qatar Sussex Stakes, Goodwood, Gr.1 (twice), and third in Prix Jacques Le Marois, Deauville, Gr.1, Prix du Moulin de Longchamp, ParisLongchamp, Gr.1, Godolphin Autumn Stakes, Newmarket, Gr.3.
Retires to Stud in 2021.
Stands at: Coolmore Stud, Fethard, Clonmel, Co Tipperary, E91 XK26, Ireland.
Contact: Christy Grassick, David O’Loughlin, Eddie Fitzpatrick, Maurice Moloney, Gerry Aherne, Jason Walsh, Tom Miller, Mark Byrne, Neil Magee, Kevin Buckley, or Hermine Bastide
Telephone: +353 (0)52 6131298
Email: sales@coolmore.ie
Web: www.coolmore.com
Fee: €20,000