There was drama in Sunday's G1 Prix du Moulin de Longchamp and ultimately the stewards had to decide the outcome after the Irish duo Circus Maximus (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Romanised (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) fought out a frantic finale. Joining battle inside the last 300 metres, it was the Ballydoyle raider who prevailed by a nose, with a length back to Line of Duty (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in third, but the head-on revealed significant interference caused by the errant passage of the G1 St James's Palace S. winner to the G1 Prix Jacques le Marois hero. After a ruling far removed from past precedent where the French authorities are concerned, Circus Maximus was allowed to keep the race at odds of 4-1. Ryan Moore was in no doubt that the end result was fair and said, “I think he was the best horse on the day and was always holding the second with a bit more in the tank.” However, Romanised's owner Robert Ng revealed that he plans to lodge an appeal, with trainer Ken Condon stating, “We're going to appeal, the owner has reviewed the footage at home in Hong Kong and has spoken to me directly. He's expressed his wish to appeal after seeing the visual evidence. We think we've got a good case.”
Circus Maximus has sharpened up considerably since his almost lethargic seasonal bow when winning the 10-furlong Listed Dee S. at Chester May 9, bouncing back from a stamina-sapping sixth in the June 1 G1 Epsom Derby to win the St James's Palace in first-time blinkers 17 days later. Unable to subdue Too Darn Hot (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) a second time but in front of all else in the July 31 G1 Sussex S. at Goodwood, he led the G1 Juddmonte International field a merry dance for the first mile and drew Japan (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) and Crystal Ocean (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) into early battle before paying the price and winding up seventh Aug. 21. Showing that he has definitely completed his metamorphosis as a genuine miler, the bay used early speed to get into third against the fence here and was handed an ideal lead by the free-running G1 Prix Rothschild third Obligate (GB) (Frankel {GB}) and Romanised's pacemaker Success Days (Ire) (Jeremy).
Romanised travelled with his now-customary elan just over a length further behind and as the seam opened perfectly for Circus Maximus in early straight Ken Condon's 4-year-old was instantly on his case. In front for more than 100 metres, Romanised was carried left as Circus Maximus repeated his tendency to veer off a true line as he had at Royal Ascot and then there was contact which given the slender winning margin was surprisingly brushed off by the officials without any kind of lengthy delay. While the recent change of direction of French stewarding from the hardline days has been well-documented, this serves as the most blatant piece of evidence that there is a new soft approach in terms of judging interference. It is arguable that in Britain or Ireland the placings would have been reversed, much as they were in the 2012 G1 Matron S. when Circus Maximus's dam Duntle (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) was demoted by the Leopardstown stewards for the same kind of infringement.
Ken Condon believes they have a strong case for a reversal after the appeal. “The owner has looked at it several times and that is what he wants to do,” he added. “He [Circus Maximus] does come across and you're talking about a nose at the end of the day. It certainly warrants looking at again. They announced the result quick, which is their prerogative, but it's Mr Ng's prerogative to have it looked at again which is what we'll do.” The trainer went on to pay tribute to Romanised, who has now become the consistently top-class performer he had promised to be. “He ran very well, travelled great and was fighting back at the line,” he continued. “That will be him for the season, he'll have a break over the winter because he stays in training next season, when I imagine we'll be looking at the same races, starting in the Lockinge. If he's in similar form, we should have plenty of fun.”
Alan Cooper, racing manager to Circus Maximus's breeders and part-owners the Niarchos family, commented, “Donnacha's immediate reaction after York was that he simply didn't stay 10 furlongs, so it wasn't a tough decision to come back to a mile. He's got a lovely attitude and his record, with the St James's Palace, the Sussex Stakes and now today shows that a mile is the right trip for him, so more congrats to the Ballydoyle team. Obviously the Breeders' Cup could be on the cards, but I don't know exactly because we are just enjoying today first of all and then we'll make a plan. We'll see what Aidan feels when he gets home and take it from there, the other obvious option is the [Oct. 19 G1] QEII at Ascot–we'll see what Aidan wants to do.”
Charlie Appleby was buoyed by a second consecutive strong display from the third and said, “I was delighted with Line of Duty, who has backed up his good run in the Prix Jacques le Marois with another excellent performance. A mile is definitely his best trip and we might think about supplementing him for the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot on Champions Day. He enjoys cut in the ground and could get his ideal conditions there.”
In the absence of the injury-hit trio of Too Darn Hot, Magna Grecia (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) and Persian King (Ire) (Kingman {GB}), Circus Maximus can lay claim to being Europe's leading 3-year-old miler. He is the only known foal out of the aforementioned Duntle, who was probably unlucky to be stripped of her career-defining Matron win. This could be seen as karma for the operation who also so famously lost a 2000 Guineas after the legendary Nureyev was controversially disqualified in 1980.
Duntle, who took the G2 Duke of Cambridge S., G3 Desmond S. and G3 Amethyst S. and was also runner-up in the G1 Prix Rothschild and third in the G1 Sun Chariot S., is out of Lady Angola (Lord At War {Arg}) who shares her dam with the GI Turf Classic hero Honor In War (Lord At War {Arg}). The third dam Benguela (Little Current) is kin to five stakes winners, most notably the GI Eddie Read H. and John Henry H. hero Al Mamoon (Believe It) and the GI Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup winner La Gueriere who shares Lord At War (Arg) as a sire with Lady Angola. She in turn has the GI Personal Ensign S. winner Icon Project (Empire Maker) and the multiple graded-stakes scorer and GI Hollywood Derby runner-up Lasting Approval (With Approval) to her credit, while this is also the family of the French champion Allez France (Sea-Bird {Fr}).
Sunday, ParisLongchamp, France
PRIX DU MOULIN DE LONGCHAMP-G1, €450,000, ParisLongchamp, 9-8, 3yo/up, c/f, 8fT, 1:36.54, g/s.
1–CIRCUS MAXIMUS (IRE), 125, c, 3, by Galileo (Ire)
1st Dam: Duntle (Ire) (MGSW & G1SP-Ire, GSW & G1SP-Eng, G1SP-Fr, $458,532), by Danehill Dancer (Ire)
2nd Dam: Lady Angola, by Lord At War (Arg)
3rd Dam: Benguela, by Little Current
O-Flaxman Stables Ireland Ltd, Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith; B-Flaxman Stables Ireland Ltd (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Ryan Moore. €257,130. Lifetime Record: G1SW-Eng, 10-4-1-1, €955,035. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Romanised (Ire), 129, c, 4, Holy Roman Emperor (Ire)">Holy Roman Emperor (Ire)–Romantic Venture (Ire), by Indian Ridge (Ire). O-Robert Ng; B-Mrs Monica Aherne (IRE); T-Ken Condon. €102,870.
3–Line of Duty (Ire), 125, c, 3, Galileo (Ire)–Jacqueline Quest (Ire), by Rock of Gibraltar (Ire). (400,000gns Ylg '17 TATOCT). O-Godolphin; B-Triermore Stud (IRE); T-Charlie Appleby. €51,435.
Margins: NO, 1, HF. Odds: 4.10, 3.20, 7.50.
Also Ran: Olmedo (Fr), Phoenix of Spain (Ire), Shaman (Ire), Robin of Navan (Fr), Obligate (GB), Delaware (GB), Success Days (Ire). Scratched: Kick On (GB). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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