Foret run could provide Maranoa Charlie’s career finale

Maranoa Charlie will bid to give Christopher Head back-to-back victories in the Qatar Prix de la Foret on Sunday, a race that could ultimately be his career swansong.

Head won the seven-furlong Group One with Ramatuelle 12 months ago and hopes are high he can repeat the dose with his course winner, who has gone close to striking at the top level in both the Prix Jean Prat and City of York Stakes since being snapped up by the Yorkshire-based Bond Thoroughbred operation earlier in the summer.

The Foret could take on extra importance given its timing so soon after the death of Maranoa Charlie’s illustrious sire Wootton Bassett and with offers already flooding in regarding stallion opportunities, Bond Thoroughbred’s frontman Charlie Bond admits the colt’s appearance at ParisLongchamp could be his last.

Bond said: “We’re looking forward to it and I spoke to Christopher yesterday at the sales and he is very happy.

“It’s really sad for the industry what happened to Wootton Bassett, who is probably one of the top three sires if not the top sire out there at the moment.

“I would say if he does win he will be retired. We’ve had some big offers to stand Maranoa Charlie and that is without his Group One win, so we’re just happy to go to this race and then keep talking to people. But this could be his swansong as some of the offers are too big.”

Monsieur Bond and Ladies Are Forever both famously flourished in the black and yellow spots of the late Reg Bond, who also tasted glory on Arc day in 2014 as part-owner of David O’Meara’s Prix de l’Abbaye winner Move In Time.

And with the colours making a resurgence on the racing scene this season, Maranoa Charlie could provide another special moment in the French capital for the Pocklington team.

Bond added: “We like going to France and we normally only take part in Group Ones when we go across. It’s great to have a horse like him for a race like this and we’re very lucky.

“Peter (Maher) the ex-owner was great to deal with and has been cheering him on from Australia. He knows the horse inside out and thinks the rain coming in will help and inconvenience a few of the others.”