Tag Archive for: Charlie Bond

Maranoa Charlie captains strong Bond squad at York

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Maranoa Charlie will spearhead Bond Thoroughbred’s quest for victory on home soil, with the local operation assembling a stellar squad for action at York’s Ebor Festival.

Although trained by Christopher Head in France, the Prix Jean Prat runner-up will have plenty of support when he represents the racing entity of the late Reg Bond which is now overseen by son Charlie, as he seeks Group One compensation in the newly-upgraded Sky Bet City of York Stakes.

“Christopher has said he is in great form and is looking forward to bringing him over for the Group One,” said Charlie Bond.

“This has been his aim ever since the Prix Jean Prat and we will just have to see what turns up, but his determination and how he battles against horses is tremendous and his main asset.”

Maranoa Charlie may be the main attraction for the Bond Thoroughbred team, but the owners – who hail from nearby Pocklington – received a boost on Monday when Paddy Twomey’s Bonus Time booked her ticket to the Knavesmire in winning at Naas.

Bond added: “She was identified by Paddy when she was in the Ascot sale and she’s got a lovely pedigree by Too Darn Hot. He had seen her racing in Ireland and she was good at Naas.

“She heads to York now for the seven-furlong handicap on the Thursday (British EBF Fillies’ Handicap).”

Bonus Time was a good winner at Naas
Bonus Time was a good winner at Naas (PA)

Twomey could also saddle once-raced two-year-old Bond in the British Stallion Studs EBF Convivial Maiden Stakes, while the likes of Pocklington, unbeaten three-year-old Big Leader and recent course scorer Air Force One are all trained locally by Geoff Oldroyd and pencilled on the York teamsheet.

“Hopefully the Reg Bond colours can land a winner at the local track and one of the best racecourses in the world,” continued Bond.

“We’re flying at the moment and having plenty of winners and Paddy is running at a 35 per cent strike-rate for us and Geoff Oldroyd is at 30 per cent which is pretty much amazing.

“We’ve quite a big team going to York. Pocklington will go for the six-furlong handicap on the Saturday (Sky Bet Constantine Handicap) and we expect him to have a big chance as he just had a big row of horses in front of him and had to try to switch out last time.

“Big Leader is unbeaten, he’s won three out of three and we’ve had some big offers come in for him. We’re not interested and he will head for the Sky Bet Mile Handicap on the Friday.

“Paddy is bringing Bond across for the Convivial, he was very green first time out round a bend in Ireland, but we’re hoping he can be very competitive.

“We will also run Air Force One who won over five furlongs last time, but is now trying to get five and a half furlongs on the Wednesday (Hong Kong Jockey Club World Pool Handicap). He’s all-out speed and I’m sure he will be near the front with half a furlong to go, it’s just if he lasts home.

“It’s great that we have this team for York. We missed Royal Ascot with some of ours, which was hard to do, but at the end of the day we knew we would have a team ready to go for York and hopefully we have some lively chances.”

Maranoa Charlie on course for City of York test

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The Maranoa Charlie team are counting down to the Sky Bet City of York Stakes after an excellent first outing in the Bond Thoroughbred colours when agonisingly denied in the Prix Jean Prat.

Christopher Head’s son of Wootton Bassett was a headline purchase by the Yorkshire-based Bond Thoroughbred operation – the racing entity of the late Reg Bond now overseen by son Charlie – prior to the Deauville Group One and proved himself to be a quality acquisition with a fine run amongst a stellar cast.

“It’s exciting times and it was quite a pressure run having invested a lot of money but it worked out well and he backed everything up that we had seen previously,” said Charlie Bond.

“Christopher was very complimentary of him and told us after we had purchased him he thinks this is the best horse he has ever trained, so we knew we had bought into a serious horse and he went and proved it.”

Attempting to make all on the Normandy coast, Maranoa Charlie was able to repel the likes of Aidan O’Brien’s The Lion In Winter and Charlie Appleby’s Shadow Of Light before being thwarted by the narrowest of margins after the late thrust of the Francis-Henri Graffard-trained Woodshauna.

Bond added: “He sort of ran four races and three horses took him on, he eyeballed them and got the better of them, just unfortunately the fourth one didn’t give him enough time to react, even though the jockey said he went after him and a stride after the line he was getting back on top of him again.

“The jockey said this horse just does not like to get beat and it’s incredible how three of them came there on the bridle, but once he eyeballed them he saw them off and they were proper Group One contenders, so you can definitely upgrade our run.”

Christopher Head won the Prix Djebel with Maranoa Charlie
Christopher Head trains Maranoa Charlie (Andrew Matthews/PA)

Although trained in France by Chantilly-based Head, Maranoa Charlie will be seen as a local hero if able set the record straight and register a first victory in the famous yellow and black colours of his ownership team on their home soil in York’s newly upgraded Group One on August 23.

“I think Christopher and the jockey may try some different tactics at York, but you’ll see what they decide on the day,” continued Bond.

“It’s a kink at York rather than a straight and a bit of a dogleg, which I think will benefit us and we hope he loves the Knavesmire as it’s the race Christopher has in mind for him.

“It’s exciting times for Bond Thoroughbreds, so we can look forward to York and go again.”

Bond backing Maranoa Charlie to go the distance at Deauville

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It promises to be a big afternoon for all connected with Bond Thoroughbreds on Sunday, as the exciting Maranoa Charlie makes the first start for the Yorkshire-based operation in the Prix Jean Prat.

Monsieur Bond and Ladies Are Forever both famously flourished in the black and yellow spots of the late Reg Bond, who enjoyed Group One success in France as part-owner of 2014 Prix de l’Abbaye winner Move In Time.

Now with son Charlie now at the helm, the Bond Thoroughbreds operation has a growing broodmare band at Yapham Mill Stud near Pocklington and have added a touch of quality to the ranks by swooping for Christopher Head’s crack French-trained three-year-old Maranoa Charlie, who is blessed with both a glowing pedigree and impressive on-track CV.

Monsieur Bond is one of the most famous names to represent the Yorkshire-based team
Monsieur Bond is one of the most famous names to represent the Yorkshire-based team (John Giles/PA)

“The reason we bought him was his form, but to have a colt with the speed in the pedigree from Tiggy Wiggy and by Wootton Bassett was so exciting to add to the ranks with what Bond Thoroughbreds is trying to achieve in racing,” said Charlie Bond.

“Wootton Bassett is flying at the minute and he looks to have great stallion potential for a long way down the line. We have a big broodmare band now, so we do need to be looking towards the future as well.

“We saw his last win and the time of the race compared to the other racing that day and he won a bit cosily carrying a penalty. The previous owners were fantastic to deal with and will be joining us on Sunday at Deauville.”

Maranoa Charlie was subject to plenty of hype as a two-year-old when effortlessly winning his first three starts before seeing his momentum checked when upped to Group One level at Saint-Cloud in the final outing of his juvenile campaign.

However, he has left that minor blip in the past since returning this season, winning two Group Three contests to tee-up a return to the highest level at Deauville – which in turn could lead to a raiding mission to York for the upgraded Sky Bet City of York Stakes on August 23.

“The main race for him will probably be the City of York which Christopher identified and it is our home track, which I think will really suit him,” added Bond.

“Obviously we will see how he gets on stepping back into to Group One company on Sunday, Christopher is looking forward to running him and we’ll get to see what level he is at.

Cosmic Year is a possible opponent of Maranoa Charlie
Cosmic Year is a possible opponent of Maranoa Charlie (David Davies/PA)

“It’s the best of the best in the Jean Prat and we’re straight in there in a really hot race.

“But his stature, when you look at the videos we’ve been sent of him, has been impressive and we’re really looking forward to seeing him in person.

“I’m also really looking forward to seeing him as a four-year-old. He’s a great looking horse now, but the potential improvement at four looks to be there.”

Maranoa Charlie is one of eight standing their ground for the Deauville feature, with Harry Charlton’s Irish 2,000 Guineas runner-up Cosmic Year and Charlie Appleby’s dual Group One-winning two-year-old Shadow Of Light providing further British interest.