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| Rowan Anderson |
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The Bahrain Turf Series has proven the strength that the sport of kings has in bringing the best racers from across the globe.
Trainer Hesham Al Haddad had five winners and four placings for the card while George Baker once again showed why his motto of ‘have horse, will travel’ serves his team well with a successful campaign in Bahrain.
In the last of the meeting, the H.H.SH.Nasser Bin Hamad Bin Isa Al Khalifa Cup, the George Baker trained Lucander was back for more in Bahrain.
The Footstepsinthesand x Lady Sefton product had been successful in the series for the George Baker stable and he won this contest over 2200m by close to three lengths beating home Zagato and Tawaareq.
Trainer George Baker had three horses based in Bahrain this season and has now taken £140,678 in prize money proving the trip worthwhile and strengthening his teams moto of ‘have horse, will travel’
“They’re pushing £100,000 these horses and we’d struggle to get that at Wolverhampton, Southwell, Lingfield and places like that at this time of year. It’s been a great success. We will be back next year; we’re committed to Bahrain. Our owners have committed to it. We’ve had three horses here this year, if we came back with six or seven next year that would be absolutely wonderful.”
The fifth and final meeting of the Bahrain Turf Series took place over night attracting a total of 12 European horses lining up across the two races.
The first of the two races run over 1200m was won by the Hesham Al Haddad 4YO Devaste. Ridden by Neil Callan the gelded son of Buratino won by 2L over Pure Dreamer.
The win made it two wins from three starts in the Kingdom for Devaste after a change in stable from TJ Kent.
It was a blue ribbon night for trainer Al Haddad who recorded four victories for the card.
He saw success in the race prior, the HHSH Hamdan Bin Nasser Bin Hamad Al Khalifa Cup seeing his 3YO filly Carina winning by 2.5 lengths.
The 8YO gelded son of Bated Breath, Buffer Zone, has rewarded the Victorious team ownership with four wins from nine starts through Bahrain and Meydan. He won the HSHS Sheema Bint Nasser Bin Hamad Al Khalifa Cup by 1.5 lengths with Stephanie Pasquier in the saddle.
The fourth win for the trainer was by Al Tariq with the 7YO gelding winning the HHSH Hamad Bin Nasser Bin Hamad Al Khalifa Cup by a neck over stablemate Epic.
The final race in the Bahrain Turf Series was won by Goemon trained by Haider Ebrahim and ridden by Andrea Atzeni. The Dark Angel colt made it two from three starts in Bahrain also after changing stables from Kevin Phillipart De Foy.