George Baker and David O'Meara celebrated valuable, big-race success with a victory apiece on the opening day of the 2022-23 Bahrain Turf Series. Locally trained horses won nine of the 10 races in last season's Bahrain Turf Series, but the opening race of this season, the Al Muharraq Cup, went the way of Lucander (Ire) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}) with Pat Cosgrove aboard.
Now trained by Baker, Lucander was last seen when finishing eight in the Cambridgeshire H. at Newmarket for Ralph Beckett. Making his first start for connections, the gelding stormed clear of his rivals to win by 5 1/2 lengths with What A Welcome (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) in second and Arctic Emperor (GB) (Territories {Ire}) in third.
In the second Bahrain Turf Series race of the day, the £60,000 Al Manama Cup, the O'Meara-trained Nomadic Empire (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) was a popular winner for local owner Al Mohamediya Racing. Their retained rider Neil Callan, who won two Bahrain Turf Series races last season, and his mount got the better of Instinctive Move (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) in the end. This was O'Meara's first runner in Bahrain since Lord Glitters (Fr) (Whipper)'s memorable triumph in the 2021 G3 Bahrain International Trophy.
Hosted by the Bahrain Turf Club, the Bahrain Turf Series runs through Mar. 18, 2023.
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