All down to Aidan say the owners after Circus Maximus takes Palace prize

He said it was down to them. They said it was down to him.

Given there were more of them, and considering Aidan O'Brien is an unassuming genius, they were almost certainly the ones telling the truth, and happily so, after Circus Maximus won them all the St James's Palace Stakes.

It was not necessarily a shock victory, for when Ryan Moore rides a Ballydoyle-based son of Galileo in a Royal Ascot Group 1, there is always a fair chance that among those celebrating in the winner's enclosure will be John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith. On this occasion they celebrated in the rain and heaped praise on their sensational trainer.

That trainer already held the record for St James's Palace wins but his haul has now increased from seven to eight. Yet this time last week nobody could have predicted he would win it with Circus Maximus, a colt wearing first-time blinkers who had last been seen finishing a five-and-a-quarter-length sixth in the Derby under Frankie Dettori.

That he was next seen defeating John Gosden-trained stable companions King Of Comedy and Too Darn Hot in Royal Ascot's opening day highlight was not something that could be easily predicted. Sometimes, however, things happen. What happened in this instance is Coolmore's 2,000 Guineas winner Magna Grecia was ruled out of Ascot, following which O'Brien came up with the idea Circus Maximus should be ruled in. He has an inordinately large number of good ideas. This was one of them.

Watch the replay of Circus Maximus's win

To get him into the race 'the lads' had to approve a £45,000 supplementary entry, as did Maria Niarchos, in whose famous family colours Circus Maximus struck for home two furlongs out and first fought off Too Darn Hot at the furlong pole before withstanding King Of Comedy's flying late lunge. Irish 2,000 Guineas victor Phoenix Of Spain could manage only sixth.

So, who had the moment of inspiration?

Circus Maximus repels King Of ComedyCredit: Mark Cranham (racingpost.com/photos)

"Maria and Derrick and John and Michael all decided between themselves and let us know," said O'Brien. "We then ran with it. That's exactly what happened. It's hard to believe but we're privileged to be a small part of it."

Tabor let it be known O'Brien was a big part of it.

"It's unbelievable," he said. "Only Aidan can produce them like that. I've learned not to argue with him. He is just right so many times. It's incredible, it really is. He's a fantastic trainer.

"In life the proof of the pudding is in the eating. There are good talkers but it's the good doers that count."

So, it was Aidan, then?

"That was Aidan's suggestion, yeah," said Magnier, to whom it was suggested O'Brien was therefore being exceptionally modest.

"Well, he's always like that, isn't he," added Magnier, whose next sentence seemingly applied to both horse and trainer. "Nothing surprises me," he said. "He wasn't far behind Phoenix Of Spain in the Group 1 as a two-year-old. Put a pair of blinkers on him, add a bit of luck and you get a different result. That's the game. We didn't spend the £45,000 for nothing. He had a shot."

Ryan Moore and connections of Circus Maximus after victoryCredit: Edward Whitaker

As the plot continued to unravel, the words of Magnier and Tabor were put to O'Brien.

"No, no, they decided," he said, but with a smile and twinkle that revealed plenty. He also revealed the winner had long been held in high regard.

"Frankie loved him at Epsom but said the track wasn't for him, which is why he came back to a mile," said O'Brien.

"We put the blinkers on him as we wanted to sharpen him a bit. He needed to be very focused but didn't have much time to learn. What we asked him to do was unfair really. He produced, though, and Ryan gave him a great ride."

The horse given that ride will now likely be campaigned between a mile and a mile and a quarter. For Too Darn Hot, even a mile on Ascot's rain-softened ground was too much.

"He came there to win and I hit the front but in the last 100 yards he didn't have the legs for it," reflected Dettori, while King Of Comedy's rider Adam Kirby, who directed his mount wide to challenge, said: "I pulled out to have a run at them, so it was uncomplicated. Had I stayed on the fence it probably would have opened up but hindsight is a marvellous thing."

Even Aidan O'Brien lacks the powers of hindsight. His foresight, on the other hand, is utterly remarkable.

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