By Tom Frary
Making an instant impact in Thursday's Arqana Series Des Poulains at Deauville, Peter Maher, Carl Fitzgerald and John Baxter's Maranoa Charlie (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}–Koubalibre {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}) became his sire's ninth TDN Rising Star. Out of a half-sister to the G1 Cheveley Park Stakes heroine Tiggy Wiggy (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}), the €220,000 Arqana Deauville August graduate soon had control on the front end under Aurelien Lemaitre. Sent into the clear passing the furlong pole, the Christopher Head-trained 23-10 favourite registered an impressive 3 1/2-length success from Mighty Boy (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}). He joins the sire's burgeoning TDN Rising Star haul which includes the top-level performers Unquestionable (Fr) and River Tiber (Ire).
Laurent Benoit bought the winner at Arqana last year and was on hand to say, “It is a good cross with Wootton Bassett and Galileo and he has always showed good quality so Christopher was convinced he would run a good race. There is speed in the pedigree and he ought to have a nice future.”
Christopher Head added, “He has a lot of speed and he's done very well recently so this was a good opportunity. He is a nice horse with a good stride and he was quite green in the stalls, but it doesn't worry me that much and that will come with time and racing. Stamina-wise, he should be able to get a mile. He'll come on for the run and was very good on the straight course.”
🏅Les @InfoArqana Series des Poulains 2024 reviennent à 𝙈𝙖𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙤𝙖 𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙡𝙞𝙚 (@lemaitre60LA)
Le pensionnaire de @HeadRacing1 s'impose assez facilement devant Mighty Boy et Brise Noir. pic.twitter.com/xirHU6pwYm
— Equidia (@equidia) August 15, 2024
Pedigree Notes
Maranoa Charlie is the second of two current foals out of Koubalibre, whose aforementioned half-sibling Tiggy Wiggy was a precocious sensation who also captured the G2 Lowther Stakes but who stayed well enough to be third in the G1 1,000 Guineas. She produced Ballydoyle's ill-fated TDN Rising Star Year Of The Tiger (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) who was third in the G1 Futurity Trophy, while the family also features another who was a force to be reckoned with as a juvenile in the G3 Norfolk Stakes winner Masta Plasta (Ire) (Mujadil).
2nd-Deauville, €160,000, Debutantes, 8-15, 2yo, c/g, 7fT, 1:24.01, gd.
MARANOA CHARLIE (FR), c, 2, 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
(€220,000 Ylg '23 ARAUG). Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, €80,000. O-Peter Maher, Carl Fitzgerald & John Baxter; B-Haras d'Etreham, Riviera Equine SARL & Gestut Zur Kuste AG (FR); T-Christopher Head. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
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