a poor start and stayed on well in the straight but never looked likely to win and came home fourth behind Uni, Got Stormy, and Without Parole. 2020: four-year-old season The flat racing season in Britain and Ireland was restructured as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and Circus Maximus made his first appearance in the Queen Anne Stakes which was run behind closed doors at Royal Ascot on 16 June. With Moore in the saddle he went off the 4/1 favourite in a fifteen-runner field which also included Mustashry, Billesdon Brook, Accidental Agent, Terebellum (Prix de la Nonette), Mohaather, Skardu (Craven Stakes), Plumatic (Prix du Muguet) and Duke of Hazzard (Celebration Mile). After tracking the 40/1 outsider Marie's Diamond, Circus Maximus took the lead approaching the final furlong before being overtaken by the filly Terebellum but rallied to regain the advantage in the final strides and won by a head. Aidan O'Brien, watching the race from his training base in Ireland commented "That's him exactly. He's like a fighter. If he doesn't get his blood up then he doesn't perform. He can be quite lazy so he needs the fast tempo of a mile. He loves getting eyeballed. He's a very good horse. He is very tough, he travels, quickens, and then toughs it out." On 29 July Circus Maximus made his second attempt to win the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood and led from the start and maintained his advantage into the straight but was overtaken by Mohaather in the final strides and beaten three quarters of a length into second place. He reappeared for the Prix Jacques le Marois over 1600 metres on heavy ground at Deauville Racecourse on 16 August and came home third behind the three-year-olds Palace Pier and Alpine Star. In the following month he attempted to repeat his 2019 success in the Prix du Moulin but ran third to Persian King and Pinatubo after leading the field until the last quarter mile. In the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot in October he never looked likely to win and came home tenth of the fourteen runners behind The Revenant after fading badly in the closing stages. On his final racecourse appearance Circus Maximus was sent to the United States for a second run in the Breeders' Cup Mile which was run thet year at Keeneland on 7 November. He raced in mid-division before finishing