'I felt sick this morning - luckily the pressure is now massively off'

Trainers George Baker and David O'Meara enjoyed a lucrative payday at the opening fixture of the Bahrain Turf Series on Friday night when Lucander and Nomadic Empire both earned £36,000 in prize-money with victories in their respective races.

Making his first start for Baker, Lucander proved far too good for his rivals in the 1m2f Al Muharraq Cup as he stormed to a five-and-a-half-length victory under Pat Cosgrave.

Baker’s wife, Candida, said the yard had “heavily invested” in horses for Bahrain this year and "felt sick” before Lucander’s run as a result of the pressure.

“We came here last year and we learned very early on that you don’t bring hold-up horses here,” she said. “We bought horses we hoped would be much better suited.

“The Bahraini trainers are very hard to beat so we were delighted to win with Lucander. I felt sick this morning – luckily the pressure is now massively off.”

The O’Meara-trained Nomadic Empire, who is owned by Sheikh Sultan Al Khalifa’s Al Mohamediya Racing, took the 5f Al Manama Cup.

Winning jockey Neil Callan said: “He has no shortage of ability and he’s almost bordering on a Group horse. He had great form last summer in England and when I rode him in the Portland Handicap he gave me some feel

“These races in Bahrain are run at an endless pace from start to finish, which really suited him. His form was a bit up and down in England, which meant he has been creeping down the handicap.”

The Bahrain Turf Series features ten races – five over sprint distances and five over 1m1f or 1m2f – on five racedays between December and February. Horses accrue points based on their finishing positions, with the highest points earner in each division rewarding their owner and trainer with a cash bonus.

Read this next . . .

Danny Tudhope gets it right as Dubai Future bags big Bahrain prize

The Front Runner is our latest email newsletter available exclusively to Members' Club Ultimate subscribers. Chris Cook, a four-time Racing Reporter of the Year award winner, provides his take on the day's biggest stories and tips for the upcoming racing every morning from Monday to Friday