Photo: ultimateracingphotos.com.au
Windsor Park Stud stallion Circus Maximus is an emerging sire of classic three-year-olds, and another one may have been unveiled at Flemington on Saturday when Miss Waititi (NZ) (Circus Maximus) took out the A$175,000 Listed Howden Super Impose Stakes (1800m).
Circus Maximus finished a close second behind Hello Youmzain on New Zealand’s second-season sire standings in 2026-27. His first crop of three-year-olds produced two stakes winners in New Zealand including Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) winner Road To Paris (NZ) (Circus Maximus), while Paltrow Miss(NZ) (Circus Maximus) placed in the Gr.1 Queensland Oaks (2200m) and Gr.1 Australasian Oaks (2000m) across the Tasman.
Next month’s Gr.1 VRC Oaks (2500m) at Flemington now looms large on the horizon for Miss Waititi after Saturday’s impressive black-type breakthrough.
The Super Impose was the third career start for Miss Waititi, who was passed in at Karaka 2025 before being purchased in a deal brokered by Phill Cataldo following a placing in an Avondale trial last December.
Miss Waititi finished sixth on debut over 1400m at Sandown in June, then resumed with a strong-finishing third over 1600m at Seymour on September 10.
The step up to 1800m on Saturday brought the Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr-trained filly right into her element.
Miss Waititi was ridden by Craig Williams and settled in sixth place along the rail. The leaders moved a couple of horse widths away from the fence as they came around the home turn, and Williams stuck to the inside and drove Miss Waititi through that gap.
She burst to the lead and pulled away, winning impressively by two and a half lengths from Vallice (Maurice) and another New Zealand-bred runner in Cignetti (NZ) (Super Seth).
“We do a lot of work with Phill Cataldo,” Mick Price said. “We look at four or five a month and probably buy one – it’s not easy. But this one is going to the Oaks.
“Tim Porter (owner) said to me, ‘Any chance you can give me an Oaks runner?’ I said, ‘Right, we’ve got Miss Waititi, a horse that hasn’t broken its maiden status – no worries.’
“Anyway, we’ve plotted a course, and we went to the 1800m today because I thought the Edward Manifold (Gr.2, 1600m) might be a bit sharp for her. ‘Willo’ gave her a brilliant ride – followed the favourite, blew his whistle and up he went.
“I don’t think we’ll run in all of them (Oaks lead-up races), so I’m not sure where we’ll go. I know going from the Wakeful (Gr.2, 2000m) into the Oaks is a proven formula, but not every filly suits that. You’ve got the Ethereal (Gr.3, 2000m) on Caulfield Cup Day as well.”
Saturday’s performance made a favourable impression on Williams.
“The stable has always had a really big opinion of her, and hence why they asked me to go to Seymour to ride her for Tim Porter in the Bella Nipotina colours,” he said. “It’s great to be riding in her colours again, and this is a really nice, promising filly.
“Putting the blinkers on was a good move. She drew a gate and she jumped and was more mature. Just from her first-up run to today, she’s really come on. The blinkers were good. She’s got a tendency to go hard left-handed on the rail.
“She was good today, a decisive win, and the Oaks is definitely where she should be going.”
Miss Waititi’s three-start career has now produced a win, a placing and A$112,125 in stakes.
Miss Waititi was bred by Katom, Ben Kwok and Windsor Park Stud and is the first foal to race of the Fastnet Rock mare Fritillary – an unraced half-sister to multiple stakes-winning American sprinter Srumdiddlyumptious, Gr.1 Gazelle Stakes (1800m) runner-up Hamsa and Listed Inglis Banner (1000m) third placegetter Ephesian.
Fritillary returned to Circus Maximus after foaling Miss Waititi and produced another filly. She was served last season by Windsor Park Stud’s exciting new shuttler Auguste Rodin.
With her victory in the Super Impose Stakes on Saturday, Miss Waititi became the fourth individual stakes winner for Circus Maximus.
