ROAD TO PARIS winning the 2026 Gr.1 NEW ZEALAND DERBY at Ellerslie

Windsor Park Stud’s exciting young stallion CIRCUS MAXIMUS has reached a major milestone, with his first-crop son ROAD TO PARIS capturing the Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) at Ellerslie on Saturday.

It marks the first time since 2011 that a New Zealand-based stallion has sired a New Zealand Derby winner from his first crop — a feat last achieved by Windsor Park’s champion sire Thorn Park. 

Trained by the Kingsclere duo Roger James and Robert Wellwood, the victory provided James with his eighth New Zealand Derby winner and Wellwood with his third. 

“He is a lovely horse. He has unlimited ability and we will now look at taking him to Australia” commented James. “I spoke to his owner Ron Wanless today and he said if it is possible, he’d prefer to target the Queensland Derby,”

“Ron is a Queenslander through and through and he and his wife Judi would love to have a crack at their Derby so if he was going to go to Australia, it could well be to Queensland. 

“As a two-year-old we labelled him as a Derby horse. He had a lovely, relaxed way of going, always breathed beautifully in his work, had a very economical action, and looked like he would stay. 

“We could see that he had a turn of foot, and if they can stay and have a turn of foot, they have a very big chance in a race like the Derby.” 

ROAD TO PARIS returns to scale following his Blue Riband victory in the New Zealand Derby Photo credit:Kenton Wright, Race Images

ROAD TO PARIS, who is bred by part owner Judi Wanless and raised at Trelawney Stud, is from the Savabeel mare Spirit Of Heaven, who in turn is from Volksraad mare I’m In Heaven, dam of Oaks winner Lights Of Heaven. 

With three stakes winners — including a Derby winner — from his first runners, CIRCUS MAXIMUS is shaping up as one of New Zealand’s most exciting young sires. His stakes winners include CIRCUS DANCER and two-year-old stakes winner TOWERING VISION, who also performed creditably in the Derby. 

Additionally, the unbeaten filly Paltrow Miss who was privately purchased by prominent Australian owner Ozzie Kheir is set to make her first start for new trainer Ciaron Maher this week at Sandown. Fellow progeny Circus Trix, a previous stakes performer, was an impressive winner at Matamata for Stephen Marsh.

Meanwhile, Engine Of War, a Spring city winner for the Price/Kent stable in Melbourne, is another by CIRCUS MAXIMUS targeting the autumn Derby classics. 

Mark Walker, champion trainer of TOWERING VISION, has been consistently effusive in his praise of the progeny of Galileo’s Champion Miler.

“CIRCUS MAXIMUS is really stamping his mark and we think he is a massive chance to be a very successful sire. We were fortunate to secure three of his progeny at Karaka in January”, he said. 

A high-class racehorse himself, CIRCUS MAXIMUS was a triple Group 1-winning miler, including two victories at Royal Ascot. His current stakeswinners to runners strike rate is 9%, while he has has averaged over 100 mares in his first three seasons at Windsor Park. 

Champion Miler CIRCUS MAXIMUS, sire in his first crop of Gr.1 New Zealand Derby winner ROAD TO PARIS

Applications to CIRCUS MAXIMUS are now being taken, with his 2026 stud fee due to be announced in the coming weeks.