A lucky group of three Aussie owners are already experiencing what it feels like to race an exciting two year old by Coolmore shuttler Wootton Basset (GB) with their brilliant colt Maranoa Charlie stepping up to stakes class overnight at Saint-Cloud in France to win the Group III Prix Thomas Byron (1600m) in a canter.
Trained by Christopher Head and ridden by Aurelien Lemaitre, Maranoa Charlie won his first two starts at Deauville and Chantilly in August and September by wide margins and maintained the same level of dominance in his first attempt at stakes class.
Maranoa Charlie was utterly impressive when galloping clear to win by eight lengths and is now three for three.
"It was unbelievable," said co-owner Peter Maher.
"Sometimes when you're watching you're concerned the horse has got away from the jockey but he was just travelling so kindly. When he came into the straight like that it was quite surreal. I've never seen a horse run like that, not one of ours anyway.
"It's difficult to try and work out where the limit may or may not be when they run like that. Most of Australia was watching tonight, he's certainly caused a stir down there."
Trainer Christopher Head has Group I aspirations for the exciting colt.
"I don't think I've ever trained a horse like him, one with his desire to run and who can take the others on like that. He gets better with every run and I don't know what his limits are,” he said.
“The plan is to go to the Criterium International (G1) and that was the perfect preparation."
Maranoa Charlie was bought for €220,000 at the Arqana Deauville August Yearling Sale by the Broadhurst Agency and runs for Australian owners Peter Maher, Carl Fitzgerald and John Baxter.
Bred by Haras D’Etreham in partnership, he is the first winner from Koubalibre, a winning half-sister by Galileo to Group I winner Tiggy Wiggy.
Maranoa Charlie is the 52nd stakes-winner for Wootton Bassett, who is enjoying a remarkable year with his Northern Hemisphere bred juveniles that include 30 winners from 70 starters and nine are stakes-winners plus seven more have stakes-placed.
Wootton Bassett is back in Australia this spring at a fee of $192,500 with his first Australian runners set to race this season.
