Wootton Bassett Colt Makes All To Third Group 3 Win

A return to seven furlongs saw Maranoa Charlie (3c Wootton Bassett – Koubalibre, by Galileo) register his third Group 3 win in the Prix Paul de Moussac at Longchamp on Sunday.

An eight-length winner of a Group 3 over a mile last season, Christopher Head’s charge doubled his Group 3 tally over seven furlongs in April, before finishing fourth in a Group 3 sprint. Sent off favourite on Sunday, he made all under Aurelien Lemaitre and began to run on strongly approaching the final furlong. The son of Wootton Bassett went on to win by two lengths, with another two and a half lengths back to the third.

The winning trainer commented: “I always enjoy seeing this horse show that bit of class he has in the straight and I’m delighted to see him show up so well over 1,400 metres [seven furlongs] with a view to the Prix Jean Prat.”

Owned by Peter Maher, Carl Fitzgerald and John Baxter, Maranoa Charlie is now a five-time winner from seven starts. He was bred by Haras D'Etreham, Riviera Equine Sarl & Gestut Zur Kuste out of a Galileo half-sister to Tiggy Wiggy, herself the dam of Group 1 performer Year Of The Tiger (Galileo).