IT will be disappointing if Circus Maximus fails to sire at least a few Group 1 winners, and at €10,000 this year he is within the budget of more breeders.

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. Her dam, Lady Angola (Lord At War), is a winning three-parts sister to the Grade 1 scorer Honor In War (Lord At War).

Duntle’s her third dam is the Group 3-placed Lady Winborne (Secretariat), and she is the dam of Al Mamoon (Believe It), La Gueriere (Lord At War) and Lost Soldier (Danzig). The latter is sire of the ill-fated Grade 1 and Eclipse Award-winning sprinter Lost In The Fog, Al Mamoon was a Grade 1 winner, 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). She is also the grandam of Munnings (Speightstown). A top-class performer from seven to nine furlongs, Grade 2 victor Munnings is a multiple Grade 1 sire whose 2022 tally of stakes winners numbered 15 in all.

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 Group 1 St James’s Palace Stakes, Prix du Moulin de Longchamp and Queen Anne Stakes, he was a neck runner-up to Order Of Australia 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 to Too Darn Hot and Mohaather, and had the stamina to be a stakes winner over an extended 10 furlongs at Chester. Furthermore, he was a Group 3-placed (to Persian King) juvenile winner and was only beaten by a total of a length when fourth to Magna Grecia in the Group 1 Vertem Futurity Trophy Stakes.

Few stallion recruits have as strong credentials as those which Circus Maximus brings, and his first yearlings will be offered for sale this autumn.

Race record

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.

At stud

Retired to Stud in 2021. First crop are yearlings.

Information

Stands at: Coolmore Stud, Fethard, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary, E91 XK26, Ireland

Contact: Christy Grassick, Maurice Moloney, Gerry Aherne, Jason Walsh, Mark Byrne, Neil Magee and Tom Harris

Telephone: +353 52 6131298

Email: sales@coolmore.ie

Web: www.coolmore.com

Fee: €10,000