By Tom Frary
In many ways, the seven-furlong G1 Qatar Prix de la Foret around ParisLongchamp's bends was tailor-made for Maranoa Charlie (Wootton Bassett) and with the all-important draw and testing ground in his favour he was able to produce a career-defining performance on what looks to be his swansong. While this is a 'Win And You're In' for the Breeders' Cup Mile, the chances are we have seen the last of Bond Thoroughbred's high-powered cruiser who had so long promised to live up to his status as a TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard.
Always full of energy on the front end under Aurelien Lemaitre, the 9-2 shot who had been placed in the Prix Jean Prat and City Of York set a strong tempo and had sufficient kick in the straight to secure a 1 1/4-length success from the high-class The Aga Khan Studs homebred Zarigana (Siyouni). “He is definitely the best horse I've trained–he is so good,” Christopher Head said. “He has something else–he could be one of best stallions around in the future.”
Flashing his considerable talent from the outset, Maranoa Charlie went from dominant displays in Deauville's Arqana Series des Poulains, Chantilly's Prix des Aigles and Saint-Cloud's Prix Thomas Bryon to premature burn-out in the big one back at the latter track in October. Too headstrong in the Criterium International, he was far more measured when staging a successful return in the Prix Djebel back at Deauville in April which was followed by a failed attempt at six in the Prix Texanita.
Showing his effectiveness over this course and distance in the Prix Paul de Moussac in June, he was denied late by Woodshauna over the straight track in Deauville's Jean Prat before finishing a game third in the City Of York on ground that was a shade lively. There was very much a sense of the king in his counting house here, with stall four allowing him the luxury of dominating and the horror draws for some of his main threats almost nullifying their chances at the start.
Now that the Group 1 is finally won, the quandary for connections is what to do next. “He goes on any ground, so I need to talk to the owners to see what they want to do but this could be the end of the road,” Head explained. “If it is, what a road it's been, I've loved it! It was insane!”
The trainer went on to elaborate on end-of-term opportunities. “We all want to run in other countries and win races because the image we have internationally is way more important than what we have nationally, so, of course, it's attractive,” he added. “Definitely a mile race in America is not a problem for him, but the only question mark is the interest in him and his career as a stallion because we are looking to build a stallion for Mr Bond and to help him become more powerful in the industry in the long term.”
“With Wootton Bassett gone, he carries a certain legacy so he could potentially stand at stud in 2026,” he concluded. “He's got a tremendous rhythm–he simply drains his rivals. We'll have to see what a Breeders' Cup victory, for instance, could bring to his future as a stallion.”
Owner Charlie Bond was not ruling out carrying on. “The stud duties can wait. There's been a lot of excitement before the race, so I'll probably switch my phone off tonight and see what awaits us tomorrow morning regarding his future,” he said. “When buying a horse with Group 1 potential, our confidence comes from studying the pedigree first, then looking at the races–what he's won, analysing the form and time is very important to us. The last two horses we bought, including this one–an absolute phenomenon–ticked every box.”
Francis-Henri Graffard was denied a dream end to his great day as Zarkava's granddaughter Zarigana was bridesmaid again on this card as she had been in the Marcel Boussac 12 months ago. “She's an extraordinary filly. She travels so easily, she's a big filly with a beautiful stride but with Zarigana you always have to bluff her a bit,” he explained.
“Mickael showed a lot of nerve–he was waiting, waiting, waiting, but that's her style,” he added. “You think she's going to get there, but you have to trick her right to the end. This was a very good performance–when she jumps from the stalls like that, you can't help but hope she's going to fly.”
Ten Bob Tony (Night Of Thunder) was a further 1 1/2 lengths behind Zarigana in third and trainer Ed Walker said, “He's a spectacular horse and I'm very proud of him. Simon Sadler is now a major investor in racing. He's got some very good horses–Qilin Queen won the Malleret here. He's got a terrific string and he deserves his success–he trusts us completely.”
“If I had to choose between six furlongs and a mile, I'd probably go for the mile,” he added. “He's entered in the British Champions Sprint, but that might come a bit soon for him. Australia could be an option–I believe there's a big seven-furlong race there, right?”
MARANOA CHARLIE TAKES THEM ALL THE WAY IN THE GROUP ONE QATAR PRIX DE LA FORET! 🏆🇫🇷#QPAT pic.twitter.com/2bBihljFAt
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) October 5, 2025
Pedigree Notes
Adding further weight to the Wootton Bassett story, Maranoa Charlie completed a Group 1 double on the card for the late sire in the same manner as the first. The dam Koubalibre (Galileo) is kin to the Cheveley Park Stakes and Lowther heroine Tiggy Wiggy (Kodiac), who produced the ill-fated Futurity Trophy third Year Of The Tiger (Galileo).
The family includes the Norfolk Stakes winner Masta Plasta (Mujadil), the Del Mar Oaks heroine Going Global (Mehmas) and the American Handicap-winning sire Magellan. Koubalibre's yearling colt by Baaeed was a €300,000 purchase by the Broadhurst Agency at Arqana Deauville August, while she also has a colt foal by New Bay.
Sunday, ParisLongchamp, France
QATAR PRIX DE LA FORET-G1, €350,000, ParisLongchamp, 10-5, 3yo/up, 7fT, 1:20.80, vsf.
1–MARANOA CHARLIE (FR), 126, c, 3, by Wootton Bassett (GB)
1st Dam: Koubalibre (Ire), by Galileo (Ire)
2nd Dam: Kheleyf's Silver (Ire), by Kheleyf
3rd Dam: Silver Arrow, by Shadeed
TDN Rising Star. 1ST GROUP 1 WIN. (€220,000 Ylg '23 ARQAUG). O-Bond Thoroughbred Ltd; B-Haras d'Etreham, Riviera Equine SARL & Gestut Zur Kuste AG; T-Christopher Head; J-Aurelien Lemaitre. €199,990. Lifetime Record: G1SP-Eng, 10-6-1-1, €617,000. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Zarigana (GB), 122, f, 3, Siyouni (Fr)–Zarkamiya (Fr), by Frankel (GB). TDN Rising Star. O/B-Aga Khan Studs; T-Francis-Henri Graffard. €80,010.
3–Ten Bob Tony (Ire), 128, g, 4, Night Of Thunder (Ire)–Hug (Ire), by Dark Angel (Ire). 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. (€65,000 Ylg '22 GOFOR; €100,000 2yo '23 ARQMAY). O-TBT Racing; B-Knocktoran Stud; T-Ed Walker. €40,005.
Margins: 1 1/4, 1HF, HD. Odds: 4.50, 2.10, 19.00.
Also Ran: More Thunder (Ire), Geography (Ger), Exxtra (Fr), Godspeed (Fr), Roshvar (Fr), King's Gamble (Ire), Sajir (Ire), Zoum Zoum (GB), Witness Stand (GB), Topgear (Fr), Devil's Point (Ire), Zerostress (Ger), Exactly (Ire).
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