Prix de la Foret Hero Maranoa Charlie Retired to Tally-Ho Stud for 2026

[Wandering Eyes]

This year's G1 Prix de la Foret winner Maranoa Charlie has been retired from racing and will stand at Tally-Ho Stud in 2026.

Trained by Christopher Head, Maranoa Charlie was beaten just once in four starts as a two-year-old, notably winning the G3 Prix Thomas Bryon at Saint-Cloud by eight lengths. “I don't think I've ever trained a horse like Maranoa Charlie, one with his desire to run and who can take the others on like that,” said Head in the aftermath of that impressive victory. “He gets better with every run and I don't know what his limits are.”

The son of Wootton Bassett registered two further Group 3 successes in the first half of this year, winning the Prix Djebel at Deauville and Prix Paul de Moussac at ParisLongchamp, before ending his career with three consecutive starts at the top level. After finishing second in the Prix Jean Prat at Deauville and third in the City Of York Stakes on the Knavesmire, he then signed off with a deserved Group 1 breakthrough in the Prix de la Foret at ParisLongchamp, making virtually all to beat Zarigana (Siyouni) by a length and a quarter.

Bond Thoroughbred Limited will remain as part of the ownership of Maranoa Charlie, having purchased the colt from Peter Maher, Carl Fitzgerald and John Baxter prior to his narrow defeat in the Prix Jean Prat.

“Tally-Ho are one of the best studs out there and we're thrilled to be teaming up with them,” said Charlie Bond on behalf of the owners. “The eight-metre stride pattern that Maranoa Charlie has is up there with the very best and will prove the key to his progeny.

“Christopher Head said from day one that he is the best he has ever trained and the data technology that Christopher uses showed that Maranoa Charlie what does at home was transferred on to the track.

“He goes out at the top winning the G1 Prix de la Foret in such good fashion. By Wootton Bassett out of a Galileo mare, he's from one of the fastest lines out there that also produced champion two-year-old Tiggy Wiggy. He is a very exciting horse for the future for many breeders.”

Maranoa Charlie is out of the winning Galileo mare Koubalibre, a half-sister to the G1 Cheveley Park Stakes heroine Tiggy Wiggy (Kodiac). Koubalibre, in turn, is out of a winning half-sister to the G3 Norfolk Stakes scorer Masta Plasta (Mujadil).

“We are delighted to welcome such a talented horse as Maranoa Charlie to Tally-Ho,” said the Mullingar operation's Roger O'Callaghan. “With his two-year-old form and G1 record at three, he will be an excellent complement to our roster, especially being by Wootton Bassett, whose early sons to stud supplied this year's G1 winners Woodshauna and Gezora. We look forward to supporting him strongly with our broodmare band.”

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