By Tom Frary
Fast but not quite fast enough for six furlongs, Maranoa Charlie (Wootton Bassett) was back in his comfort zone on Sunday and back in the winner's enclosure at the end of ParisLongchamp's G3 Prix Paul de Moussac. Let loose from the outset of the seven-furlong G1 Prix Jean Prat prep by Aurelien Lemaitre, the 19-10 favourite who was fourth in Chantilly's G3 Prix Texanita speed test last month relished the opportunity to dominate from an early point.
Chased to the line by the Wertheimers' Silius (Dubawi) as he had been when staging a successful comeback in the G3 Prix Djebel in April, Peter Maher's colour-bearer kept rolling for a two-length verdict, with another Wertheimer homebred 2 1/2 lengths away in third in the filly Polyvega (Lope De Vega).
“I can't wait to see him in the Jean Prat next time,” trainer Christopher Head said. “He's showing that he's not a sprinter or a miler, he's in between. He can also do well in soft ground and he keeps surprising us–these Wootton Bassetts are really incredible.”
Maranoa Charlie leads them all the way in the Prix Paul de Moussac! 🇫🇷
The high-class Lazzat took the Group Three contest last year, what next for @CHeadRacing's talented colt? pic.twitter.com/LWrJAGYuaI
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) June 8, 2025
Pedigree Notes
Representing the established Wootton Bassett-Galileo cross, Maranoa Charlie is the second of two foals out of Koubalibre who raced for Freddy Head and is a half to Kodiac's G1 Cheveley Park Stakes and G2 Lowther Stakes winner Tiggy Wiggy. She produced the ill-fated Galileo colt Year Of The Tiger, who was third in the G1 Futurity Trophy, while the family also features Mehmas's GI Del Mar Oaks heroine Going Global.
Sunday, ParisLongchamp, France
PRIX PAUL DE MOUSSAC-G3, €80,000, ParisLongchamp, 6-8, 3yo, 7fT, 1:20.27, sf.
1–MARANOA CHARLIE (FR), 128, 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. (€220,000 Ylg '23 ARQAUG). O-Peter Maher, Carl Fitzgerald & John Baxter; B-Haras d'Etreham, Riviera Equine SARL & Gestut Zur Kuste AG; T-Christopher Head; J-Aurelien Lemaitre. €40,000. Lifetime Record: 7-5-0-0, €239,275. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Silius (Ire), 126, c, 3, Dubawi (Ire)–Silasol (Ire), by Monsun (Ger). O/B-Wertheimer et Frere; T-Christophe Ferland. €16,000.
3–Polyvega (Ire), 122, f, 3, Lope De Vega (Ire)–Polydream (Ire), by Oasis Dream (GB).
TDN Rising Star. O/B-Wertheimer et Frere; T-Christophe Ferland. €12,000.
Margins: 2, 2HF, NK. Odds: 1.90, 2.80, 6.50.
Also Ran: Reach The Sky (Fr), Burhan (GB), Houquetot (Ire), Dos Mukasan (Fr), Afogado (Ire). Scratched: Selenien (Fr).
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