Dee Stakes 1-2 For Ballydoyle And Galileo

Circus Maximus (3c Galileo - Duntle, by Danehill Dancer) led home a 1-2 for Ballydoyle and Galileo in Thursday’s Listed Dee Stakes at Chester.

The bay was sent off favourite on his seasonal return due to promising form as a juvenile, including finishing one length behind Magna Grecia in the Group 1 Futurity Trophy. Ryan Moore took the ride and positioned his mount prominently in the field of six, joining the leader four furlongs out and asserted two furlongs from home. Driven out, he stayed on to beat stablemate Mohawk (Galileo) by a length and a quarter, with a further two lengths back to Fox Chairman in third.

Aidan O’Brien commented after the race, “I was delighted with that. Circus Maximus is a relaxed horse and he just needed to learn a little bit, it was lovely to come here. Ryan was very impressed with him, he felt that there was an awful lot in there.”

The Flaxman Stables homebred may now be aimed at the Epsom Derby. He is the first foal out of multiple Group winner Duntle, who was placed at Group 1 level on three occassions.