Circus Maximus Gains Second Group 1 Success

A thrilling finish to Sunday’s Group 1 Prix du Moulin saw the Aidan O’Brien-trained Circus Maximus (3c Galileo - Duntle, by Danehill Dancer) deny fellow Irish raider Romanised (Holy Roman Emperor) back-to-back top-level victories on French soil.

Ryan Moore rode the eventual winner to chase the leaders and began to quicken a furlong and a half from home. Driven out, he battled neck-and-neck with Romanised to the line, where the son of Galileo prevailed by a nose, the pair finished a length clear of Line Of Duty (Galileo) in third.

Moore was later full of praise for the winner, commenting, “Circus Maximus was the best horse on the day and was always holding the second with a bit more in the tank. He beat five Group 1 winners and it's clear his best form is at a mile. We had a nice slot and he battled on well.”

Longchamp provided Circus Maximus with the second Group 1 success of his career, having taken the St James’s Palace Stakes earlier in the season. Owned by breeder Flaxman Stables in partnership with Mrs Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith, he holds entries in numerous Group 1 contests at the end of the season.

He is the first foal out of Duntle (Danehill Dancer), a four-time Stakes winner who was placed at Group 1 level on two occasions.