By Sean Cronin
Christopher Head-trained 'TDN Rising Star' Maranoa Charlie (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) raced on turbo boost until running out of fuel in last term's G1 Criterium International, but bounced back in style with a pillar-to-post victory in Tuesday's G3 Prix Djebel at Deauville.
The G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains entry backed up wide-margin victories here and at Saint-Cloud with an eighth-length tally back at the latter venue's G3 Prix Thomas Bryon in his penultimate start.
In command and comfortable on the front end for the most of this straight seven-furlong test, the 6-4 favourite came under pressure when threatened approaching the final furlong and found extra in the latter stages to hold Silius (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) and Woodshauna (Fr) (Wooded {Ire}) by 1 1/4 lengths and a half-length. Woodshauna was 6 1/2 lengths clear of the remainder.
“I loved his attitude today, he settled in front rather than being too keen,” commented Head. “The work we did with him this winter, and the [first-time] hood, certainly helped. He was able to kick on again when challenged and that is also very positive. Physically, he has done well and has strengthened, which he was not capable of doing last year. At the moment, I think he shows more speed than stamina, but I will discuss everything with the owners, who are watching from Australia, before making a decision. He is in the [G1] French 2000 [Guineas] and there are also more speed-oriented options in England. Again, we need to discuss that together.”
Maranoa Charlie returns to winning ways in the Prix Djebel!
A good front-running performance on his seasonal reappearance for @lemaitre60LA and @CHeadRacing!🇫🇷 pic.twitter.com/NovqNbAwGX
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) April 8, 2025
Pedigree Notes
Maranoa Charlie is the second of two reported foals and lone scorer produced by a winning half-sister to G1 Cheveley Park Stakes-winning European champion Tiggy Wiggy (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}), herself the dam of G1 Futurity Trophy third Year Of The Tiger (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). The April-foaled bay's second dam Kheleyf's Silver (Ire) (Kheleyf) is a half-sister to G3 Norfolk Stakes victor Masta Plasta (Ire) (Mujadil).
Tuesday, Deauville, France
PRIX DJEBEL-G3, €80,000, Deauville, 4-8, 3yo, c/g, 7fT, 1:23.12, g/s.
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, John Baxter & Carl Fitzgerald; B-Haras d'Etreham, Riviera Equine SARL & Gestut Zur Kuste AG (FR); T-Christopher Head; J-Aurelien Lemaitre. €40,000. Lifetime Record: 5-4-0-0, €191,275. 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), 128, c, 3, Dubawi (Ire)–Silasol (Ire), by Monsun (Ger). 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. O/B-Wertheimer & Frere (IRE); T-Christophe Ferland. €16,000.
3–Woodshauna (Fr), 128, c, 3, Wooded (Ire)–Tosen Shauna (Ire), by Alhebayeb (Ire). 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (€70,000 Ylg '23 ARQOCT). O-Al Shaqab Racing; B-Haras de Magouet (FR); T-Francis-Henri Graffard. €12,000.
Margins: 1 1/4, HF, 6HF. Odds: 1.50, 3.40, 4.90.
Also Ran: Arabie (GB), Le Roi Rene (Fr), Tiego The First (Fr), Rosapenna (Fr), Dynamitic (GB).
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
