Maranoa Charlie Completes Group 1 Double For Wootton Bassett

Maranoa Charlie (3c Wootton Bassett - Koubalibre, by Galileo) completed a Longchamp Group 1 double for Wootton Bassett with victory in the Prix de la Foret on Sunday.

The Christopher Head-trained colt was landing a first top-level success after three previous Pattern scores and two close-up placings in the Group 1 Prix Jean Prat and City Of York Stakes.

Ridden by Aurelien Lemaitre, Bond Thoroughbred’s son of Wootton Bassett made all and kept on well to record victory by a length and a quarter. He was the second top-flight winner on the card for his late sire after Puerto Rico's strike in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere.

Charlie Bond, director of Bond Thoroughbred, said: “He’s had three runs for us now and nearly won two Group Ones before today. He’s just an amazing horse, an amazing looking horse, we’re just so lucky.

“Christopher said he’d been working so well going into today’s race and he was back on home territory after travelling across to England for his last run. He said he was ready today and couldn’t see him getting beat.

Head added: “He’s a horse that always went with the pace and we taught him to work like that. He’s now a more mature horse than he was at the beginning of the year and he is now absolutely able to go in front and long term he would be able to do the mile really well.

“It was extremely satisfying to see him win here today, especially accelerating in this manner.”

Maranoa Charlie was bred by Haras D'Etreham, Riviera Equine Sarl and Gestut Zur Kuste Ag.