'There are more big pots ahead' - Saudi winner Annaf handed next valuable Middle East mission

A return trip to the Middle East is on the agenda for Annaf after he showed his love for sunnier climates with a lucrative success at the Saudi Cup meeting last weekend. 

The five-year-old netted just shy of £945,000 with victory in the Group 2 1351 Turf Sprint under a daring ride from Rossa Ryan, who sneaked through a narrow gap on the rail to score against a strong international field by three-quarters of a length. 

The success was Annaf's second start outside of Britain following a seventh-place finish in the 2022 Korea Sprint at Seoul, yet before he had even received his rousing welcome back at the yard in the East Midlands, trainer Mick Appleby was already plotting another lucrative international target. 

"He's come out of the race really well and we couldn't be happier with him," Appleby said. "He started off the year well in the Kachy Stakes when second and to win a race like this was brilliant, especially under the great ride Rossa gave him. It still looks like there's more improvement in him and hopefully there are more big pots ahead this year."

While success in Riyadh earned Annaf an invitation to the Group 1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen in Japan next month, the Fosnic Racing-owned runner will instead tackle the Al Quoz Sprint, which takes place on March 30 on Dubai World Cup night at Meydan.

"We've decided he'll go next to Dubai, where he'll drop back to six furlongs," Appleby added. "The conditions are likely to be very similar and it worked out extremely well in Riyadh, so it makes a lot of sense." 

Saturday's win was another valuable prize for the Appleby team this winter following victory in the Italian St Leger with Roberto Escobarr and Grade 1 success in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint with Big Evs, who recently returned to training ahead of his three-year-old campaign. 

"He did his first piece of work this morning and he's looking good," Appleby said. "We've got to sit down with the owners still before we decide on where he'll go first, but he seems in really good order. 

"He's definitely filled out more, grown a bit, and looks a bit stronger. We'll be looking at all the major sprint races with him in Britain, and then hopefully he progresses through the year and we can look at the Breeders' Cup again."

Read more: 

'I'm about to cry - it's amazing' - Senor Buscador flies home from the rear to land world's richest race for US trainer 

'It was fantastic' - more Middle East millions for Sir Alex Ferguson as Spirit Dancer strikes again in Neom Turf Cup 

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